This biography investigates the complex life and ideological contradictions of Leon Trotsky, questioning how a central architect of the Soviet state became its most prominent exiled critic. Dmitri Volkogonov, a former Soviet general and historian, utilizes previously restricted archival materials from the Soviet era to construct a comprehensive portrait of the man behind the revolution. The work examines the tension between Trotsky's intellectual fervor and his role in the brutal consolidation of Bolshevik power, providing a critical analysis of his political legacy.

This work is regarded as a significant contribution to Soviet historiography due to the author's unique access to restricted state documents. The text provides a dense, analytical account that challenges traditional hagiographic portrayals of the revolutionary figure.