Polostan Volume One of Bomb Light A Riveting Historical Epic of International Espionage, Intrigue,

In *Polostan*, the first installment of Neal Stephenson’s anticipated Bomb Light cycle, readers are immersed in a sweeping historical epic that intertwines intrigue and international espionage during the tumultuous early decades of the twentieth century. The novel centers on Dawn Rae Bjornberg, a compelling and enigmatic figure born into a clan of cowboy anarchists in the American West.

After the Russian Revolution, Dawn’s life takes a dramatic turn when she is raised in Leningrad by her Russian father, a staunch Leninist who renames her Aurora. Her childhood in Russia is steeped in political fervor, but when her family relocates to Montana, she finds herself navigating the complexities of adolescence in a new landscape. As the Great Depression grips the nation, Dawn is drawn into a world of gunrunning and activism in the streets of Washington, D.C., where revolutionary fervor clashes with the harsh realities of survival.

A shocking revelation about her past thrusts Dawn into the sights of U.S. authorities, forcing her to return to Russia, where she undergoes training as a spy within the ranks of what will later become the KGB.

Richly detailed and vividly rendered, *Polostan* explores themes of identity, loyalty, and the shadows of history, setting the stage for an expansive series that promises to captivate readers with its blend of adventure, espionage, and political intrigue. As Dawn’s journey unfolds, she becomes an emblem of the changing world, poised at the brink of the Atomic Age.