In northern Russia, hundreds of miles from the nearest human settlement, there is a military post on the Arctic Ocean manned by soldiers on the alert for possible invaders. At the Edge of Russia follows 19-year-old Alexei as he becomes the newest member of the remote unit. Not only does Alexei need to learn how to build a snow cave suitable for an overnight reconnaissance mission, he also must negotiate relationships with the five older veterans of the post. These entrenched, melancholy men, each with a secret of his own, serve as father figures, mystical guides, and harsh taskmasters for the new recruit as he trains to fight intruders who will never come.  NT