Tolstoy knew as he was writing Hadji Murat, his last work of fiction, that it would not be published in his lifetime, & so gave an uncompromising portrayal of the Russians` faults & the nature of the rebels` struggle. In the process, he shows a mastery of style & an understanding of Chechnya that still carries great resonance today. Hadji Murat, one of the most feared & venerated mountain chiefs in the Chechen struggle against the Russians, defects from the Muslim rebels after feuding with his ruling Imam, Shamil. Hoping to protect his family, he joins the Russians, who accept him but never put their trust in him
- & so Murat must find another way to end the struggle.