Hard to Be a God

Interesting Facts

• The story takes place on the planet Arkanar, which is at a developmental stage similar to Earth's Middle Ages.
• The main character, Anton, is an Earthling working undercover under the name Don Rumata of Estor.
• Earthlings in the book possess advanced technology and observe the development of other planets without interfering in their natural course of history.
• The book raises questions of morality and ethics, especially in the context of interfering with the development of other civilizations.
• The title of the book reflects the main character's dilemma: possessing knowledge and capabilities, he cannot change the course of history and help people without violating the principle of non-interference.
• The book was written in 1964 and is one of the most famous works by the Strugatsky brothers.
• The work has been adapted into films several times, with the most notable adaptation being Alexei German's film Hard to Be a God, released in 2013.