The well-known story Bondarev "Battalions asked Fire" tells of the battles in the early days of crossing the Dnieper, the officers and soldiers who found themselves in a difficult situation in a small bridgehead and captured them were killed. A writer with the utmost certainty draws harsh life and details of war, battle scenes, recreating a spectacular, yet the natural drama of the situation. The action of the novel "Relatives" takes place today in Moscow, in the same family. Almost all the characters - relatives. But family ties proved inadequate, they are broken under the influence of stronger principles - civic and moral principles so dissimilar in that family. The writer addresses the acute problem of man's responsibility to himself before the people and the state.
