Nikolai Nikolaevich Alekseev (1871–1905) - writer, descended from the nobility of the St. Petersburg province; son of a staff captain. He graduated from the St. Petersburg Vvedensky Gymnasium. Studied at the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University. He lived in poverty all his life, periodically earning money by tutoring and literary work. Committed suicide. In 1896, he published his first story, “Among Troubles and Misfortunes,” in the Birzhevye Vedomosti newspaper. Later he was published in the magazines “Picturesque Review”, “Conversation”, “Historical Bulletin”, “New World”, “Russian Pilgrim”. Author of numerous, mainly historical, works: “Tatar Scion” (1896), “Among Troubles” (1897), “Roses and Thorns” (1898), “False Tsarevich” (1899), “Overseas Immigrant” (1900), “ In the People's Thunderstorm" (1902), the stories "The Fedoseevsky Ruler" (1903), "The Fire Heretic" (1905), etc. The heroes of the novel "Roses and Thorns", presented in this volume, lived and acted during the reign of Boris Godunov. Many events of that time are revealed in an acute confrontation between supporters and opponents of the strengthening of the centralized Russian state. The coverage of these events is combined in the novel with melodramatic plot lines, love intrigue and raging passions.