The Canadian John MacLennan has chosen a life among the Chukchi. A shaman saved his life after an accident, and since then he has come to know and love this ancient culture. However, the civilization he left behind in search of a fulfilling future with the Chukchi unexpectedly catches up with him: the far east of Siberia is swept up in the upheavals of the Russian Revolution. John McLennan finds himself caught in the whirlpool of world history, with his happiness at stake. In the Soviet Union, "Polar Fire" could only be published in a censored version. For the German translation, Juri Rytchëu restored the original text.