What happens when an Emperor swaps the names of cities, and fiction wears the mask of history so convincingly that you believe it?

In The Shy Emerald (მორიდებული ზურმუხტი), Tbilisi is named Poti, and Poti is named Tbilisi—the result of an Emperor’s decree with a twisted logic of its own. Within this disoriented geography, Aka Morchiladze weaves a complex tale of a massive rebellion spanning the cities of Kutaisi and the renamed capitals, deep into the uninhabited forests. Although the characters are unknown to actual records and the events are entirely fictional, the narrative is crafted with such convincing detail that it feels like a genuine historical epic. Rich with literary allusions—hinted at in a "bibliography" at the end—this novel is a masterful game of pseudo-history where the impossible feels undeniably real.