Candlelight Conversations - Andrey Chertkov - Vyacheslav Rybakov.

                       Conversations by candlelight

              ANDREY CHERTKOV - VYACHESLAV RYBAKOV

   A. Chertkov: Vyacheslav, your latest novel “Gravilet” Tsesar-
"vich" again attracted the attention of the reading public to you and was honored
won two prestigious awards. Are you happy with this turn of events?
tiy?
   V. Rybakov: I admit, your question seems to me... well... well, okay...
but, let’s say, simply given in order to somehow begin to talk
thief And, perhaps, to remind readers what this same Ry-
Bakov, in fact, started banging.  Believe me, satisfaction or dis-
I feel freedom mainly about some internal
processes, and not at all external events. Contentment, and even
I felt happiness when I came up with “Gravilet” - it was in September
September ninety-second in Koktebel, and when I wrote, it was in
December of the same year in Komarovo. You know, it happens - I kind of came up with it
plot or idea, it seems like something could be made from them - but
no shaking. This means there’s no point in trying, it won’t do anything anyway.
beams. But when the scene in the hospital jumped into my head - with
it all started with her, and then, again, without any deliberate
Think, I was just walking along the steppe to a distant beach, Benya Tsyn jumped in,
I got chills. Gone, to use a wonderful term
Andrey Stolyarov, “puncture of the essence.” And the same thing happened when I wrote. B
This time I was "pleased with the turn of events."Everything in me screamed:
That's what people can be, they can, they really can, but they can't
writing emotionally convincingly what cannot be... is worth it
just want!.. just look how much better we all will become-
more, if we try in any situation, at any level, from
politics to the point of intimacy, to kindly and carefully seek mutual
acceptable compromises!.. And then I was dissatisfied with the turn
events. Because, in essence, I described a world in which only
I wish I could only exist fully. Described it like this
carefully and temptingly, as best I could, I can’t do better. But real
the world has not moved towards the world I described, not even a hair.
Of course, it is naive and stupid to expect this, but even the closest friends
to whom I gave the manuscript to read, sometimes understood the novel, softly
vorya, very peculiar. And some reviews from the representatives
progenitors of the better half of the human race... "Oh, he likes a harem-
come on? Kaz-zel!" For four months I lived with hell in my soul, I couldn’t
swear. Boris Strugatsky, having read "Gravilet", remarked: "Rybakov
continues to describe very good and completely impossible people
dey. You, Slavochka, even though you wrote “Farewell to a Slav’s Dream”,
themselves, apparently, are Efremovites to the core. Do you believe in possibility
some extremely powerful ethics. And, in theory, I should
support you in this faith. But I really don’t want to lie.” Andrey
Stolyarovconstantly assures me that "Gravilet" is a very weak thing -
Bye, this is, they say, the general opinion of St. Petersburg writers; in my eyes
no one says this, but in conversations with each other they evaluate
the novel is very low. One journalist I know - his name is nothing
will tell science fiction fans, that's why I don't call it - form-
expressed his feelings as follows: “The early Strugatskys or Bulychevs chi-
you melt - and it’s clear that it’s a fairy tale, such a world and such people exist
it just can't. And your people seem just like us, only
a little bit kinder - but it turns out to be “a little bit”, if you think about it,
so irresistible that the melancholy takes over, even howling." And a certain chi-
A teacher from Perm sent me a letter where he reproached me like this: “In your opinion-
Mu, you don't have to do anything to change for the better what
happening around. You just have to wait for people from the other world to come to
to our aid. But this help may never come. So what
So, are we going to die like this? It's one thing to believe in something real, yeah
even when this reality is supported by your own actions
kami, and something completely different - blind faith. When a person just lies
on his bed, does nothing to improve his situation and life
pours into the good god-father, who demands nothing except
blind faith. But this is precisely what you encourage people to do with your
novel... Do you agree with me? All the best to you and light-
logo!"
   Own inabilityspeak up so that you are understood,
depresses more than inflation. Intellectually you understand that the more spacious and
The more complex a statement is, the greater the scope for interpretation.
gives - but the cats scratch at my heart, my hands give up.
   And the prizes... what prizes. Some runt can, of course,
slightly improve your appearance with shoulder pads, wide body
mouth with buckles and plaques - but it won’t make you stronger and
healthier. And, in addition, those who know will laugh at him very much.
what he really is.
   A. Chertkov: By the way, about prizes. Aren't there too many of them now?
formed, and even in conditions when Russian science fiction
is being given less and less? And do they now have that weight and significance?
values that should have?
   V. Rybakov: The weight of the prize is a gain. That is, you can
to live, or not; but even under the most favorable circumstances
communications, even with the help of the most massive advertising for a year or two
prestige cannot be created. But it’s quite possible to overdo it, and yes-
the same award that has every chance of becoming significant and prestigious,
you can drown in infancy if you stupidly scream at every
corner that she is the most important, the most objective, the most
precious... Those who are trying to conduct advertising campaigns with us -
in the Western manner, they forget that the conscious and subconscious
tion of the Soviet person - and we are all still quite Soviet in mind
and foolishly -have their own specifics. In particular, we don’t believe in spirit
propaganda. This means that what is praised from the stands, from screens and in print
ty, causes an involuntary negative reaction. If I once in
for a week they will say that “Khoper is a great company,” I have
it will somehow settle in your head. If they do this twenty times
one day, I will start vomiting already on the syllable “Ho”. It's the same with bonuses.
   The value of the prizes is really great, and because
There is less and less national fiction being published in our country, and reader’s
the audience is becoming narrower, the meaning is, paradoxically,
is only increasing. Firstly, this is a great opportunity to remind
ru about yourself - unobtrusively, but with dignity. Secondly, the times when
the best prize for the author was the reverent attention of millions
readers have left, apparently irrevocably, which means we need some
compensating mechanisms. It sounds disgusting, but it's true.
Most writers - and honest ones who put soul into their texts -
shu writers in particular - like air, they need at least some
some kind of emotion that would dull the agony that accompanies birth
these texts, and the despair that accompanies the rupture of the umbilical cord and
the sonorous fall of texts into the void of reader indifference. Case
It’s not about vanity - it’s about the objective need for experiences,
which would somehow balance the cups of invisible scales in the psyche
hike; because if one of the cups is toooutweighs, begins
madness. It's not about the "Aelite" stones and not about the bronze of the "Snails" -
it's about the grateful emotional resonance of your reference
group, even if it is not too large. About a year and a half ago I
suggested at our seminar that we should only praise each other, and criticize
make technical comments later, tete-a-tete... Alas, it was
another futile attempt by an Efremovite who believes in the possibility of a powerful
ethics.
   As for the number of bonuses, there are more good ones
and different. Ideally, each direction in science fiction should stimulate
be celebrated, everyone should have a chance for annual applause
hall There will be fifty people in one hall, one hundred and fifty in another.
yat - but this is by no means a reason to kick out the first fifty under
rain, and set up a currency bar or
Japanese electronics store. There are already enough of these stores, but
Every person counts for us.
   A. Chertkov: And Petukhov? And Ernst Malyshev? And Willie Conn?
   V. Rybakov: I haven’t read it. Therefore, the term “with us” does not cover them.
   A. Chertkov: However, it’s a slippery topic! How many scandals have happened?
dilo and how much more will happen because of who is counted
"ours", and who is not. With whom to strengthen ties, and from whom, as now
They say distance yourself...
   V. Rybakov: I know. And I feel very acutely every such con-
conflict, even if it doesn’t directly affect me. You can stay here for a long time
toss and turnsyllogisms, but if you try to formulate the essence, then
here it is: natural processes do not tolerate artificial attempts to
help. Life itself will bond with those with whom it should be bonded,
and distances oneself from those from whom one needs to distance oneself. And the public
slaps in the face, voluptuous, as if at a toxicity championship,
throwing mud at each other in photocopied magazines,
as well as loud demonstrations of friendliness or conclusion
formal unions will not lead to good things. Life is richer than ours
statements about her.
   A. Chertkov: I see. Not everyone thinks so, but this is a separate topic,
a long and probably painful conversation. And it seems to me
not very interesting for the general readership. And about
You contradict yourself with bonuses. You called them false shoulders -
and immediately extol it as a panacea for feelings of hopelessness.
   V. Rybakov: Well, not a panacea. Simply the best medicine for now
moment no. As we know at least from the story of Svyatoslav Loginov
"The Barber", in those days when medicine did not know anesthesia,
Before the operation, patients were pumped with a wine infusion of poppy seeds.
that was the limit of the doctor's capabilities, honestly
trying to alleviate the suffering of the patient. Complete pain relief is,
Of course, it didn’t, but it still reduced the likelihood of lethal
th painful shock. On the other hand, you've probably experienced
notice that evenugly, awkward people, dressed in what
which somehow hides their physical shortcomings, sometimes they begin to
only look, but also behave differently: calmer, more confident;
the stooped back straightens, the eyes sparkle... Yes, Schwarzeneg-
they don't become heroes. But there is also a possibility that they are sad
lie down in a puddle to take a nap with an unfinished half-liter in their hand,
is decreasing. And there’s no need to take me at my word, he’s good himself. In the first
case asked if I was satisfied with the bonuses they gave me, and
Naturally, I answered with all possible modesty that I was not
happiness awards. And in the second - how I feel about awards in general;
and I naturally responded with all possible respect that
I honor them deeply.
   A. Chertkov: I see, working at an academic institute taught me
you can convincingly prove anything you want.
   V. Rybakov: Oh, they won’t teach you that yet.
   A. Chertkov: For example?
   V. Rybakov: For example... For example, a deep understanding of the old
anecdote about a man who trained his little horse with only air
home to eat. I trained and trained, and I was completely accustomed to it, yes
Only for some reason she died.
   A. Chertkov: Yeah. Can you laugh?
   V. Rybakov: Better ask something else. Let's laugh during non-working hours
time - if there is anything to do.
   A. Chertkov: Then let’s return to “Gravilet”. Don't you think
that the too harsh, “black” ending not only contradicts
the entire content of the novel, butand, in fact, destroys it, brings it down
to the next momentary dystopia?
   V. Rybakov: I don’t think so, but if you’re asking about this,
then, apparently, it seems so to you. Here is another example of a fatal non-
understanding - and it would seem that they ate a pound of salt together. Indeed
hang yourself, or what? Do you think I couldn't write the whole novel on
one pitiful little black thing, in the style of “Can’t make it”? But I didn’t dash off
for some reason. And the novel ends not with a bang, but with a takeoff from
her. Does this takeoff seem far-fetched and far-fetched to you? Are you in
don't you believe him? And the fact that people are capable of sacrificing themselves for the sake of
the salvation of other people, complete strangers to them - don’t you believe it either? A
that people are able to keep their word, not to rob, not to rape?
I understand that the reality around us is squeezing us out
faith in all this day after day, hour after hour - but reality
always, always did this. And the main function of culture is to provide
to resist this pressure forever. Self-preservation instinct
niya, having worked in a social environment, manifested itself as a need for ta-
com resistance, and it gave birth to culture. It is the belief that
that a person is able not to rape, humanity reduces the size
ry of violence; the belief that a person is capable of not deceiving,
reduces the number of deceptions. The “black” part of the epilogue arose
from the temptation to directly collide two possible worlds, directly
strengthen those who mewill read in which of these worlds they want
live. To live in such and such, you need to behave in such and such a way, and in order
to live in this way - that way. Choose.
   A. Chertkov: Truly, the author always knows about his work
less than a reader. He writes with all his soul, but the reader also appreciates
accepts it the same way, with all his soul - but tries to explain with his mind... Tell me,
How did the idea for “Gravilet” come about?
   V. Rybakov: I have no idea. I came from objective reality.
ty, which is copied, photographed and displayed by our or-
the senses, existing independently of them. How are they carried out?
roofs? Just a second ago, I didn’t know something yet - and suddenly
you already know. How do they get sick? You walk around fussing over little things, like
usually, and you don’t know what the microbes are already doing inside you
your dirty work; and suddenly the temperature is thirty-nine, the body
switched to a different mode of operation. How do they get pregnant? It seems like nothing special
You don’t do anything for it, you just love someone, and suddenly -
bam! And now try not to give birth. It will be as I formulated in
“Hearth”, “very painful”.
   A. Chertkov: But don’t you think that lately you
do you give birth quite rarely? It is clear that the situation in the domestic fa-
The science is intense - not much better than in the years of the so-called
my "stagnation". However, some authors always curse
fate-turkey, while others actively write “on the table” and look for
any opportunitypublish. What is your view on pres-
vue Problem of Publication?
   V. Rybakov: Problems Publication, in my opinion, no. The writer writes,
to be read. If they don't want to read it, that's its tragedy.
If they want to read him, but cannot get his texts, this
a tragedy for both the writer and his suffering readers. The one who stands
on the way between the writer and his readers - a criminal. A robber.
It doesn’t matter what it’s called - censor, publisher or marketer. Price-
Zoras at least sometimes performed heroic deeds. That’s how they saw the light
"Snail on the Slope", "The Tale of Troika", "Hour of the Ox"... Marketer of Ge-
he will never commit a royish act, because he is not an ideologist,
but a pragmatist. Risk for anything other than excess profit just lies there
outside his ideas about the world. Trying to explain it to him is all
is the same as trying to explain the concept of the Galaxy to a person who
of which the flat Earth rests on three pillars. And the reader is from-
the giver has no influence, because in our blessed time
You can influence only with real rubles. Well, even half-dead. Publishing house
The reader receives rubles not from the reader, but from the distributor. Why is this so? A
why in our country everything is through the two-faced Anus? Are they Bolsheviks?
Democrats - The anus is still the same... The questions are not for me.
   But here’s a question for me: why don’t I give birth so often? Well, first of all, I
enough. I'm used to every new thing being a discovery. To
get up from the table, knowing about the subject,about which I wrote, more,
than when I sat down at the table. This is exactly how cold arises,
no matter how professional, but the cold presentation is already
known, but life in the text, a feverish and painful search,
taking place in front of anyone who later reads this text.
But in order for this to become possible, somewhere under the hood there must be
It is necessary to accumulate experiences and knowledge that are not yet realized and
waiting for an excuse to surface; first touch-
approaching them and causes a trembling, indicating a “puncture of the essence”,
the pretext for surfacing is the beginning of the eruption of the text.
Apparently, in more than a year and a half since writing
"Gravileta", I don’t have any fundamentally new knowledge about people
saved up. Or maybe he has accumulated, but not those that deserve to be converted
tion into the text. Or maybe I have accumulated even those, but I don’t know about it yet.
   On the other hand, I can no longer write on the table - it’s not the same year and
the era is not the same. Before I could, and I could do a lot - because I could live
for one institute salary, and there was enough time for unpaid
the job you are doing; and also because I received moral satisfaction
according to Vysotsky’s principle: “but he is happy to hang on the edge - for-
"They cut me down because I was dangerous." Now it is impossible to do either one or the other.
goe. You can't live on a salary. And not dangerous.
   And thirdly, regarding the amount published. In the first place
seventy-nine I wrotestory "Pull the String". Not you-
was still going on. In the nineties he wrote the story “Water and Boats.”
Published only in the magazine "Fantacrim-MEGA", and then in an abridged form. In that
in the nineties he submitted a book under the general title "Refractions" -
these two stories, plus some interesting additions, are in the publication
"Terra Fantastica" Proofread proofs in March ninety
second. But there is still no book. Explanations: it was drawn incorrectly
If you see pictures, you took the wrong format... in a word, if you remember
thread "White Sun of the Desert", "his grenades are of the wrong system."
I took the “Gravilet” to “Terra Fantastica” before to “Neva”,
and in full text. The result is the same. And offered at ten
Even before last year, I immediately considered these places to be dishonest and dishonest.
friendly. Yes, of course, the situation with book publishing is getting worse
month to month. But "Terra Fantastica" released others
Russian authors over the past two or three years!
   What's the matter? You can, like Terence White’s Lancelot, declare
by the Knight Born Under an Unlucky Star, and blame everything on
tragic chains of accidents that crawled like snakes towards me from all
ends of St. Petersburg. You can, squeezing the ever-empty glass of vodka,
look with a fixed gaze at one single phrase from the
Verinsky’s “Two Captains”: “Nicholas destroyed us and, as I half-
I'm guessing, intentionally." You can, like Eeyore, with calm hopelessness
nessstate: “Everyone ended up at the top. I ended up at the bottom.
Well, that's how it should be." One might assume that I write worse
everyone, but my good friends, afraid of upsetting me, really didn’t
they decide to tell me about it directly, but to the best of their ability they save me from
publications so that I don’t exhibit my slobbering works
himself to ridicule in front of the whole world and did not compromise Peter-
burg school. A lot more is possible. For example, don’t bother yourself
head off this nonsense and get on with business. Over the past year and a half
Yes, I, working at the very junction of both of my paths - oriental studies and
literary, - prepared translations of three - already published - for publication!
- books. A collection of essays by the famous South Korean writer Chung
Suk Hee - I recommend. Some are very good, and some are just very good
funny, they describe impressions of our country; Chung Sook Hee
visited here in the last Gorbachev year. Fictionalized bio-
raffia of the current president of South Korea, the savior of the country from destruction
the hum of post-totalitarian pseudo-democratization. Very instructive
book. Unfortunately, the South Korean embassy bought up the entire edition
on the vine, I don’t even have the author’s copy. According to rumors, they give
a copy for all those invited after the ceremonial events
riyatiy. And "The Golden Bird Garuda", a collection of short stories by modern southern
No-Korean writers; there are very interesting things, some yes-
with elements of fantasy orsur. There were often interlinear -
My God! Sometimes the meaning of the author’s phrase was not even reconstructed.
"His voice became larger than his thoughts, and this made him a little
The air in the room shook strangely."  "Think about your comrades, with
dawn to dusk staining machines with coffee! Think about them pale
persons gathered in dusty work places and working like mu-
ly!" "He thought that the grass swaying in the wind behind the hillock was one-
on grass is the whole grass, and the whole grass is one grass.
If not so, he thought, then he, who has only a name, has no reason
die." Strong, right? I can safely call myself a co-author
all the stories and stories presented in the collection. And the matter is interesting
fresh and necessary - if only because South Korea and I still have
live and live. And the book turned out to be very decent in the end.
to the same - the center "Petersburg Oriental Studies", in contrast to some
It’s not in vain that he pays his employees money - I submitted the text to
the first days of August, before vacation, and returned... The book is already
came out. With illustrations, embossed on the hard cover... For
six weeks!
   On the other hand, if you are tired of worrying, think about it. Maybe
I haven’t learned anything new about people in a year and a half, but they started
new thoughts appear. The result of their appearance was a whole series
cultural articles - in "Zvezda", in "Neva", in "Literatu-
rk", again in "Neva"... There is a lot aboutfiction.  But
not the way we are used to, not about science fiction separately from everything else. Ka-
I think I was able to take a completely new look at its place in
our cultural tradition. I recommend it. Who will not agree and will
If you have something to object to, let's talk.
   And finally, my experiments with translations of English fantasy
tics that you are probably more aware of than anyone else. The first one, made
thrown very hastily for reasons not completely dependent on me,
was undertaken solely for the money. Novel by Harry Harrison
"Long live the Transatlantic Tunnel! Hurray!" to me, how to read-
Tel, was not interested. Translation of Ward Moore's novel "I Give You a Holiday"
diary", for the sake of greater thoroughness, carried out by me as a co-author
with my fellow orientalist misfortune Elena Gris-
Gorevna Kutsubina, was also initially intended to provide
denying yourself at least some tolerable food. But the novel turned out to be
interesting, especially for us and right now. There my dear-
alternative to my heart: The American Civil War ended victoriously
doi Yuga. While working on historical comments to the text, I found
referred to General Lee's remarkable letter to President Lincoln,
written shortly before the secession of the South, and immediately understood what it was about
translation: “I don’t see a greater misfortune for the country than the collapse
Union. But a Union in which brotherly love is replaced by bayonets and
sabers doesn't appeal to me. If the countryfalls apart, I'll go back to
home state and I will share all the troubles with its people." And Lee kept his word
in. And even led the state army. Although he himself was an opponent of slavery
stva blacks; he was one of the first in the South, many years before the war,
gave all his slaves freedom... But - honor, gentlemen, honor! Vpro-
than, with us now this word resurrects in memory only the old one, in
style of gray barracks and military departments, Hochmu: "To salute in
formation, be ready!" - "Always ready!"
   A. Chertkov: Yes, honor is not in honor today, you’re right. Trouble
however, the fact is that you see only one side of the coin - writing
telskaya And I see both, and even the rib. And therefore yours
the passionate monologue gave me very conflicting feelings.
As a journalist, I applaud you: what emotions, what facts! How
the compiler who commissioned you to translate for his “Oversan” series,
I feel embarrassed and uncomfortable. And not in front of you alone. Your ru-
the copy is just one of a good two dozen prepared by me
for printing, but never went to the printing house. But this is mine too
creative work, not to mention the unpaid fee... Prob-
The problem is complex, and I think it is unlikely that we will be able to solve it in the near future.
neck time. And therefore - the last question, traditional, ritual:
What are your plans for the longer term future?
   V. Rybakov: Survive.
   A. Chertkov: And that’s all?
   V. Rybakov: No, not only. To survive without sacrificing what is incurrent conditions greatly interfere with individual survival, but for
the survival of the species "homo" is absolutely necessary. One of the characters
very early Strugatsky put it perfectly: “So that under these conditions
If you want to remain human, you must become brutal." So, I would like
to remain human without going brutal. And in the form of what kind of texts, and
texts at all, non-brutality will be transformed, it won’t be so
important