After a brief and deadly civil war, in which forbidden weapons were used, Russia is just a fraction of what it used to be. The border of what now proudly calls itself the 'Moscow Empire' is set just a few hundreds of miles away from the capital, by the broad river Volga, now poisoned by the fallout. Next to the now toxic waters of the river, life at the Outpost runs its course. The people have learned to cope after the catastrophic civil war. Amongst them, Yegor cannot find common ground with his parents, especially with his stepfather, Polkan, the Outpost’s Commandant, and Michelle struggles with the life she must lead. Guards patrol the bridge that links the Outpost to the destroyed city of Yaroslavl. For ten years, nobody has come from the other side of the bridge. Until now...

To capture the book's hazardous setting, our cover cooks simmered a 3D illustration of the mysterious man who crossed the bridge between Yaroslavl and the Outpost, seasoned with a post-apocalyptic gas mask and goggles. In the background, thick toxic fog falls slowly from the sky, the surrounding forest and any forms of life beyond the bridge barely visible in the aftermath.