Valentin Ivanov is known to readers primarily as the author of epoch-making historical novels focused on the past of Ancient Rus: «Primordial Rus», «Tales of Bygone Years», «Great Rus». This edition presents the concluding cycle novel «Great Rus». When starting work on the book, the author defined his intention: «I want to be in the 11th century. This is - we have Vladimir Monomakh, in Europe - the Norman conquest of England, the First Crusade. In Asia, nomads are swirling around the Great Wall. In the Roman Empire - Henry, who had a Russian princess as his wife... And the whole world is restless, the whole world is bubbling no less than now, although there were far fewer people in it...» Indeed, the writer did not limit himself to describing Great Rus in the book; he moves «through countries and continents across the 11th century», from the shores of America to the Mongolian steppes, from Rus to Byzantium. And each chapter is a separate tale. At the same time, all parts make up a single novel, the main theme of which is the formation of a powerful Russian state against the backdrop of global historical cataclysms.
