And finally, the last work of the collection, the genre of which is difficult to determine precisely - whether it is artistic journalism, or journalistic prose. In short, an essay. However, its author is Eduard Gevorkyan, one of the most famous science fiction writers of the “fourth wave”, crowned in this capacity with many prizes and literary awards, the author of the famous story “Rules of the Game Without Rules” and the famous novel “Times of Scoundrels”, being a professional journalist, in recent times over the years he has proven more than once that he is a great specialist in baking dishes that are quite suitable for consumption and in the genre of journalism (for those who are not in the know, let me remind you of his two previous opuses in this genre - “Books of the Dead” and “Fighters of the Terracotta Guard”). Regarding his last work with an ornate but very specific title, it is quite difficult for me to write: the author himself, in the course of the narrative, more than harshly and skillfully dissects his own plans and turns his soul inside out for the reader. Moreover, which is typical, he talks about many of the same things that I have been saying throughout almost the entire collection - only, of course, Gevorkyan has his own point of view on everything, which in many ways does not coincide with mine. (So what? It wasn’t enough for everyone to think like me!) Therefore, I will dwell on only one point - namely, the reaction of the compiler of the collection when he read in the manuscript of the mentioned writer dashing attacks on him, the compiler, addressed to him. Yes, the reaction was normal, I tell you. Thank God, the compiler’s sense of humor is all right. Unless he grumpily formulated to himself “our answer to Chamberlain”: they say, a writer has also turned out for me - instead of scribbling novels and stories, he is experimenting more and more in the genre of critical journalism. And he even receives bonuses for this. It would be better if I sat down to the novel, which I haven’t been able to finish for three years now.

Andrey Chertkov (From the preface to the anthology “The Worlds of the Strugatsky Brothers. The Time of the Disciples-2”)