Imagine coming upon a land that you have never before visited, and encountering not one but two completely different cultures. Looking at these two cultures one would not expect them to have any similarities. Leo Tolstoy did something to this affect. He took two cultures, the Russian as well as the Chechen, and was able to show their similarities as well as differences, in his book Hajid Murad.

In Hajid Murad, the main characters name is Hajid Murad. He has become a fugitive in the Chechen culture, and is now struggling to contain the conflict that is going on between the Russian and Chechen cultures. He keeps on switching sides during the conflict. Hajid Murad becomes a unique individual during this time period. Murad is a warrior, but unlike the other warriors, what motivates him is completely different.

What drives Hajid Murad is revenge. He has always had...