"The world that I first described in the novel "Genome" and then in "Dancing in the Snow" is not one of my favorite worlds. But at the same time, a rigidly structured society of genetically modified people, "specialists", seems to me one of the very probable options for our future. In this world, I wrote an ironic detective story (“Genome”), an “educational novel” (“Dancing in the Snow”). There are other ideas, “Cripples” - this is a small adventurous space opera, the main character. which, special pilot Alex, has come a long way since the days of “Genome”. Now he has a new ship, a new crew and a new job. I think I’ll occasionally check in to see how he’s doing. Initially, this story had a slightly different ending. I was leading the events towards a small, local happy ending, but at the last moment I didn’t write it, as if I was embarrassed that I was doing the characters an indulgence... However, Nick Peru read my story before publication and suggested making a different ending... exactly. one that I was ashamed of. And then I resigned myself. Apparently, a happy ending really was coming. By and large, I don’t need much begging to write good books. But still, special thanks to Nik Perumov for forcing me to humanism!”