The unusual thing about this book is that its main character is a Russian, a former KGB officer who fled to the West and received political asylum in exchange for secret information. The editors tried, if possible, to muffle the “political component” of the plot and “let in the fog,” but here I am posting the unedited text, which differs significantly from the printed version. For all that, the book is written well and with great respect for Russia and Russian culture. And the hero is very likeable, although he is a “turncoat.”