In the outer reaches of a country recently torn apart by civil war lives a small Christian sect and its enigmatic leader, Balashov. Staitioned nearby is a regiment of Czech soldiers. Into this community trudges Samarin, an escapee from Russia's northernmost gulag. Soon, as events unfold, suspicion and terror engulf the town.
Awards
Winner of Ondaatje Prize 2006. Shortlisted for Scottish Arts Council Book of the Year Award 2006.