The talent, high skill and professionalism of the writer Vladimir Vasilyevich Karpov are undeniable. In 1986, for the story “Commander” V.V. Karpov was awarded the USSR State Prize. The story became widely known throughout the world and was published in Germany, Great Britain, China, and Eastern European countries. The book is dedicated to the life and military fate of Army General Ivan Efimovich Petrov. However, this is not only a biographical narrative, but also a work of fiction with elements of historical research based on Soviet and foreign documents that have become available only recently.