Hard to Be a God

Brief Overview

Hard to Be a God is a novel by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, written in 1964. This work of social and philosophical science fiction tells the story of a planet resembling Earth during the Middle Ages, where the development of science and culture is suppressed by brute force. The main character, Anton, an intelligent observer from Earth, tries to assist local scientists and thinkers but faces moral dilemmas and the issue of interfering in the planet's internal affairs.