Barometer - Standing on the walls of Babylon.

                            Barometer

                        Sergey BEREZHNOY

                   STANDING ON THE WALLS OF BABYLON

   Andrey LAZARCHUK. Soldiers of Babylon: Novel / "Day and Night".-
1994.- ##1-3. 

                         SUBSTANCES: SONNET
   At first it seems simply impossible to choose a word for which
should be based on talking about this novel.
   The second reading gave me an understanding of what follows
write in connection with "Soldiers of Babylon". The space was determined
in. All that remained was to find a fulcrum - the word.
   And only after reading the novel for the third time, I found the word with which
it should have started. It's funny, but I wasn't original with this word -
linen "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God..."
   So...
   Lazarchuk wrote a concentrated philosophical novel. With cracks
who are torn, unable to maintain the pace of the story, or appear
out of nowhere storylines, heroes die and come to life, are built and
concepts collapse, spaces intersect in a scary and bloody way
worlds...The reader quickly plunges into the abyss without even perverting
puppy - some other logic. Logic of floating axioms. Logicians
chaos.
   And suddenly the reader notices that all these scraps of literature are
begin to weave into some kind of picture - blurry, mosaic, half-
destroyed, mangled, ugly - but definitely whole.
   The next step this novel requires from the reader is to find
youhis, the novel's, "assemblage point". The difficulty is that
this point should be consciously sought, moreover, I am not at all
I am sure that everyone who undertakes this work will find it. You can
consider myself lucky: a philosophical concept, conveniently located
lived at the “assemblage point” of the novel, has long attracted my attention,
and, having encountered familiar concepts, I compared them with what I knew - in
including the works of Lazarchuk.
   And everything suddenly fell into place. And it turned out that the form of rum-
does not ideally correspond to its content, and this form is incongruous
sings with grace to the classic sonnet.
   Teza. Antithesis. Synthesis.

                          THESIS: CODONS
   There is no escape from the introduction of a non-traditional for the classical
literary criticism terminology - terms of information theory.
   The human brain is quite powerful (the most powerful ever)
important to us) information processing tool. Let's take a break from the math
real essence of the brain, let us imagine it in the form of an abstract model
whether: passive information (memory) - active information (methods
passive information processing). Let's call this closed information
tion model by consciousness.
   In order to “open” this model, let’s add two more connections
extruding: input information packet entering consciousness
from the outside and intended for processing by consciousness, and the output in-
formational package - the result of the work of consciousness, facing outward
thisconsciousness.
   Within this abstract framework, the difference between the human brain
and the computer processor is purely quantitative. Therefore, it is quite lo-
It is reasonable to assume that with the accumulation of memory resources and possibly
processing information, technogenic consciousness is capable of creating
own ways of influencing the outside world - which include -
from the point of view of this technogenic consciousness, and human consciousness
eternal.
   This is how codons appear - man-made information packages that
are introduced into a person’s consciousness and intercept his preliminary
careful processing of input information. And the person begins to see
hear, feel what is not there...
   "...Where direct light fell on the floor, the carpet was clean, but a hundred
something dark swarmed from the light stripe, knee-deep and high- 
it looked like dense foam, and suddenly there, under the foam, there was something 
broke, the foam broke through, for a moment a bone hand appeared, 
the muzzle shrank and disappeared; and again the sound was like being pulled 
dense heaviness. To the left, against the wall, stood Sid’s crib, and in the 
the same foam was swirling around the cotton wool, and behind the crib Nika saw as if 
a person leaning forward, no, not a person - something ok - 
round, dense, compressed, similar to a boxing glove in a person - 
ical growth, and the next moment what was there straightened out, and 
Nika realized that it was looking at her... What stood there was sickeningly 
came out with a sweet smackfrom behind the crib and suddenly opened 
elk, just like a glove, and fell out of it, immediately disappearing into the sand 
no, a tiny skeleton..." 
   Visions indistinguishable from reality, overturning and raping
conscience...How easy it is to paralyze a person’s consciousness - enough
accurately bring what he sees and hears beyond the limits of understanding (that is
there is, beyond the capabilities of correct processing of external information
mation)...
   This is the first parcel. Man's relationship with the world is tough
tied to information exchange between them - man and the world.
It is worth blocking this exchange, and the person will disappear for the world, and the world
- for a person.
   No, that’s not entirely true... For man, the world in which
he lived before. But in place of the disappeared world there will come a new one, which
ry will exist only in the consciousness of this person - but
the child is still given to him in all conceivable sensations, and, consequently,
Surely, it will be impeccably real for him...
   But if more than one person is thrown into the new reality,
knowledge, but a little? But if - all people see the same nightmare that
and you? What then can be called reality? And if those who are right are right
sees the near future in the formation of the Superconscious - re-
the result of the unification of individual human consciousnesses, - and cutting off -
did the development of information channels occur precisely at the level of the Superconscious?..
   But Superconsciousness itself is nothing more than the result of unification
of the resources accumulated by humanitymemory and processing abilities
information processing. And, by analogy, the Superconsciousness itself is capable of
the formation of the same codons - but already anthropogenic. And what is
an anthropogenic codon, if not an attempt to create a new world? And not
Will the Superconsciousness that created it be the God of this new world?

                        ANTITHESIS: ERMERS
   Human ethics opposes violence against consciousness. Enslaved
the whelped consciousness must be released, the codon must be killed,
expelled, the person must be returned to the real world - that is, to
the world that Ermer considers real - an exorcist who expels
from the consciousness of the demon codon...
   Ermer does not realize that he is simply transferring the person's consciousness
centuries from one illusion to another, changes on the input information channel
one filter after another - and, perhaps, no less dirty... And
Is there even a “clean” filter? And if you imagine that it can
go through the input information channel if there is no filter at all...
However, there is no fundamental difference: even filtered information
tion, although not filtered, a zero filter is also a filter, negative
A good result is also a result...
   In order to cast out the devil, a person must study it.
But by studying the enemy, you inevitably begin to understand him. Before Erme-
rum, the whole chain is built: Consciousness - Superconsciousness - God, creative
the breaking New World... God, not the devil.
   But whoever it was, he created a world burning in firekatas-
troph. Actually, the very existence of the world is an extended
a catastrophe that lasts for millions of years. What is the Universe? Explosion - count
lapse, explosion - collapse... What is human life? Explosion -
collapse... One apocalypse is layered on top of another, like butter on
a loaf of bread, and nothing else is given to man - and the world - simply. In ka-
no matter where in the world you exist, and no matter what illusion you indulge in -
mi...
   So who are you, Ermer the rescuer, returning souls from hell illu-
escape to an equally illusory paradise? Maybe you are the killer of worlds that
better than what you are used to? Maybe you are a scientist, more than others
who knows how illusory worlds are born? Maybe you're a wanderer
wandering through these worlds in search of the one and only...
Or maybe you are opposing the young God who is creating a new
world?.. Or maybe you are the servant and creator of the Apocalypse, like this
The Apocalypse was not called: Collision of Worlds, Second Coming,
Great Revolution, Afghanistan...
   Be that as it may, no matter what disasters befall people,
man, the main thing for him remains the “moral law”, co-
social ethics, the own God of each of us. Everyone chooses
for himself, and having once chosen it, let him not fall into heresy. One
from the heroes of the novel he composes a brilliant apocrypha about the soldiers of Babylon-
on. After the Lord "confused the tongues" of the builders of Babylon
Towers, enemies approached the walls of the city. And despitethat
the soldiers did not understand the commanders, the city survived, because everyone stood for it
The shieldman knew his place on the wall and his “combat mission”...
   Not understanding each other, they each remained faithful to their God -
and were saved.

                      SYNTHESIS: IN NOMINE...
   They are equal in size in this novel: gods and people, worlds and myths. They
equally significant. Because they all form a single chain.
The same one: Consciousness - Superconsciousness - God - and the World in which there is no
your Consciousness quickly appears - and everything starts from the beginning. From
Father to Son, from Son to Spirit - nothing is new under this sky.
   And not only under this...

                  CONCLUSION: GODS VERSUS ETHICS
   Now a few words about why, in fact, I called this
The novel is concentratedly philosophical.
   In my deepest conviction, Lazarchuk based his novel on
a single but comprehensive idea - the problem of non-interaction
human ethics with the laws governing the universe. Laws
Lazarchuk reduces these to the global philosophical principle of equal-
origin of matter and consciousness, replacing with this postulate the orthodox
salient attempts to resolve the basic issue of classical philosophy
fii. This move gives him the opportunity to take a completely new look.
on the role of information in the structure of the universe: even God, from the point of view
from the author's point of view, the essence is an information package generated by a generalized
consciousness of humanity. Such a god practicallyincompatible with contemporary
temporary understanding of ethics, which gives rise to a conflict between him and
a person for whom ethics is one of the foundations of social
existence.
   The novel is apparently deliberately complicated by the author. Not everyone
the reader will break through a crazy mixture of plot, metaphor,
ideological, apocryphal fragments, through bloody media
calls of multiple realities, through intersecting parallels of destinies
heroes... The novel is far from democratic. But Lazarchuk, how can I...
he deserves to have his own reader,
patient enough to return to the “Soldier” more than once or twice
there is Babylon "... Sergei BEREZHNOY

                    CLASSICS AND CONTEMPORARIES:
                Fiction "Ural Pathfinder"

A. GROMOV. MTBF: Tale / "US", 1993, ##2-4. 

S.DRUGAL. Alien customs: A story / "US", 1993, #9. 

A. ZAKIROV. Labyrinth: A Story / "US", 1993, #7. 

A. IVANOV. Ships and Galaxy: A Tale / "US", 1993, ##10-11/12. 

V. KALININA. Planet-Dream: A Tale / "US", 1993, ##2-3. 

A. LAZARCHUK. Mummy: A Story / "US", 1993, #7. 

M. NEMCHENKO. Parents' Day: Story / "US", 1993, #7. 

G. PRASHKEVICH. Argument with the Devil (Spy vs. Alchemists - II): Po- 
message / "US", 1993, ##1-2. 

G. PRASHKEVICH. Condemned (Spy vs. Alchemists - III): Po- 
message / "US", 1994, ##1-2. 

V.FIRSOV. Legend of the Fourth Moon:Story / "US", 1993, ##8-9. 

V. SHCHEPETNEV. The One Who Doesn't Sleep: A Tale / "US", 1993, #4. 

   In 1994, the Bugrov era ended. Next year fan
The Pathfinder tastic will cry and laugh in a different voice. But in
ninety-three and ninety-four this voice was still
sounded... When it was loud, when it was muffled - but it sounded...
   The magazine began both 1993 and 1994 with a story from the “spy”
Claus of Gennady Prashkevich. "An Argument with the Devil" can be read not without
a certain pleasure - at least that's how it seemed to me -
moose: dynamic, detective, plus a literary mystery - and open
the ending of the story suggested that what would happen next would not be
she's interested. Imagine: the hero learns about a mysterious chain
murders and suicides of prominent figures of science and culture of the world
scale. There is reason to believe that the next victim will be
no elderly writer Billinger (five minutes to Nobel
laureate), living secludedly at his dacha. The old man works
a dovnik who is found dead. The hero takes the place of the deceased
gardener - of course, not for the sake of flowers and peaches, but in order to
to protect the old writer from a mysterious threat - and, mi-
model, find out what is in my grandfather’s safe. The safe reveals
a new novel is being produced. The hero begins to reshoot it and watch it
starts, but manages to do both barely halfway through. Arrived
presses the literary agentBillinger, stupidly climbs into the safe without a mine-
boiler, runs into a good charge of plastic explosives, leaving
captured by unknown well-wishers, and...
   Who planted the explosives? Was the novel's manuscript lost? Than this
the novel ends - and why? Who could be bothered by the old shutter?
Nick Billinger? This is what the main character is thinking about, breaking his spine -
you accidentally turned up to the raiders. The answer is thrown at him
one of his bosses: these are the alchemists - the secret world mafia,
who loves humanity too much in her own way. Boss orders
The hero should try to prevent the alchemists from showing their love in every possible way. Than a hero
and is guided in the next series.
   The next series, which appeared a year later, was called “Prigo-
military" and was completely toothless. Like something at least mini 
She didn’t look at all self-sufficient. Rather, from
a useful chapter from the novel. The spy gets into trouble, he has a long time and
they colorfully describe how badly he is in trouble, but he does not lose heart even in
in two seconds he is torn out of the trap. In development of the previous plot,
Well, the alchemists did kill Billinger (right over the phone). Disappeared-
The original manuscript has not yet surfaced. One of the bosses turned out to be a creature,
not trustworthy. All.
   “Argument with the Devil”, at least, was colored in some way -
some cultural background (Billinger loves to talk about Sally-
Dzher, Arthur Clarke and Howard Fast - how do you like this bunch?). 
IN"Condemned", on the contrary, world culture is visible only
in the regular sad cries of the hero about how he is tormented by his co-
news for the once destroyed soul of a colleague (Raskolnikov suffered
more introspectively - this process took up all his resources
body, it was no longer enough for shooting and chasing).
   So, unfortunately for the reviewer, he is forced to refuse
giving Prashkevich’s “spy” stories a certain rating.
The reviewer will be waiting for the opportunity to take in the entire epic in
in general. As the wise jury did, rewarding the series "Aeli-
toy-94". For now - alas. 
   The year 1993 continued with Valentina Kalinina’s story “Plane-
ta-Dream." After reading the story I would like to call the author Vale- 
loudly and affectionately repeat: “Well, little one, well, don’t cry; and don’t write 
more about such bad uncles: you see, I scared myself..." No,
in general, in the story you can even find (if there is a particularly acute
aspirations) rational grain. You can even consider it - if you like
through a magnifying glass, or through a microscope. Consider and regret: well, he can’t
no more or less rational grain can grow on such an aesthetic
soil.
   "Planet-Dream" is, citizens, social science fiction. Somewhere
in something. Something socially moving is observed. Release
bodily movements are observed, both hidden and above. Zamyatinshchina
absent (Maid-1, Footman-3 - you feel how rare the pro-
professionsnumbers there?). Orwellianism is present. Oldosov-
Schina-Huxleyism. But what is most striking is the background on which
the torus has all this laid out inconveniently. The background, of course, is noble - spa-
gi, blasters, kings, prisoners, devils, blaarhood, production and
asisyay-love. And precisely in the intonations that I used.
   I'm amazed.  Pathfinder is, of course, a teen magazine, but also
It would be nice to know the limits of adolescence... at least in order to
do not give reasons for bullying.
   And, at least, at least not to put contrasting literary
the tour level of the work is close. In the next (fourth) issue -
Vasya's more than professionally written story was published
Liya Shchepetneva “The One Who Doesn’t Sleep”: so calm and very 
cultural thriller based on Soviet material. By the way, one of the two
publications of the Pathfinder, nominated for the Bronze Snail and
"Interpresscon". Next to this story, Kalinina’s creation 
leads to an even more depressing impression than in itself.
   So, "He who does not sleep." Naked first-person story. Stremi-
telial stream of consciousness. Shootouts, chases, explosions, hand-to-hand combat
fights. At first, all this exists as if by itself - interconnected
zanno, but as if out of a certain context. But little by little
this context appears, floats to the surface, closer to
to the reader's perception - unobtrusively, as if even reluctantly...
Enougha well-worn plot about yet another social experiment
those KGB (and what would have happened if the most resilient part of the Soviet
of the Russian people survived the nuclear bombing?) suddenly acquires
freshness - and, perhaps, only because of the shape in which it is cast.
Shchepetnev managed to balance the story amazingly well - 
I highly recommend it!
   In the next issue (double 5/6) the editors pleased us
Gene Wolfe's great story "The Fifth Head of Cerberus" - beautiful
Nice short story and a very decent translation.
   This was followed by a selection of stories by domestic authors.
"Parents' Day" by Mikhail Nemchenko is an overly pathetic 
A drawing about how you need to honor your roots. Apparently the author believes
that a reminder will make this thought less banal.  "Mummy"
Andrey Lazarchuk does not need any comments - the Bronze Prize 
snail" and "Interpresscon" are quite significant and each individually 
together... And finally, “Labyrinth” by Abdulkhak Zakirov -
an excellent, in my opinion, philosophical story on the themes of ancient
river mythology. It's a shame that this story wasn't nominated for
"Bronze snail" - his presence in the nomination list 
It would clearly be to the benefit of the list. It might make sense to do it
according to nominations in 1995.
   In issues 8 and 9, Pathfinder published another story by the late
by Vladimir Firsov - “The Tale of the Fourth Moon”. Honestly th-
damn, I still don'tI can believe it was written in 1969.
The story is incredibly modern even now, when totalitarianism
already clogged with democratic boots to the point of heavy hiccups - but come out
this story in 1987, say, would have stood on a par with
“A defector”... however, I seem to be deceiving myself again - 
fantastic after all...
   Parallel reality. Machine guns and swords. Empire, lord of
who is immortal as long as he drinks the life out of him every day
one of his subjects. Daily executions - decapito - ceased
be a spectacle even for ordinary people. Severed heads are carefully
like books in a library, they are stored on shelves in a special section -
palace research...
   The narration is told from the perspective of one of these heads, returned
noah to life on someone else's body.
   Thirst for revenge, conspiracy, revolution...
   Finally (how many years have passed since the publication of the story
"Cut down the cross"!) we see how this author could write... It remains - 
I can only guess how many masterpieces he left unwritten
due to the fact that they would not be in demand anyway - by their
time...
   In contrast to Firsov's story, Sergei Drugal's story "Chu-
living customs" - cosmic SF, written in a virtuosic manner - 
skom style. A team of pioneers lands on a fresh
planet and begins to establish rapport with the local
primitive population. Judging by the way the guys do it, me-The methodology of the contact procedure on Earth has not yet been developed.
the actors are simply having fun - and at the same time entertaining the reader. One
swarm, establishing the discrepancy between the customs of the planet and universal
norms, begins active progressive activities, for which
receives. Another, having established the same thing, accepts other people's customs
as a given and successfully (until the complete loss of the humanistic ideology
gy) joins the primitive tribal collective. Summary: in someone else's
Don’t interfere with the monastery with its rules. Perhaps it is rare that any race
I read the story with great pleasure.
   Remembering that time does not stand still - and sometimes authors do too - I
tried to forget about the disappointment of the Big Bear Hunt
tsu", the first story by Alexei Ivanov, and began his new 
program work called "Ships and Galaxies"
tika". And I was immediately delighted - it seemed to me that the author had a 
a sense of humor developed. Well, what else could I think if from the first
lines it became clear that I was reading a space classic in form
opera, deliberately pathetic and pompous, and even with magnificent
mi parody episodes - one description of a space fortress with
drawbridge, buttresses and red brick patches of which
worth it! In general, I read it, I’m happy and I think that everything is fine, just need it
It was stupid for the author to write even more humor about everything that exists
capital letters - not only Ships, People andSpace,
and also, say, the Remote Control, Antenna and Nozzle. And suddenly I notice something
not like that. It seems that the author uses all these parodic delights
as a setting for a serious space opera - how cosmic
In general, Russian opera can be serious. That is, it’s Alexey’s
Ivan’s aesthetics is something that I definitely perceive as desirable. 
hmm, he no less clearly perceives it as sophistication. That's it...
what a difference in perceptions... And now the question torments and gnaws at me:
It’s my perception that is so ugly - or Mr. author is not in
able to adequately select the tools to create your own
works? However, I repeat, all this reads funny and even
Maybe younger schoolgirls will really like it.
   And I want to finish the review by mentioning the story of the Muscovite Alek-
Sandra Gromova "Mean Time Between Failures". Gromov wrote a strong and 
dynamic thing about Humanity, which is doomed to endlessly repeat
repeat your mistakes, the main one of which is neglect of ethics
means used to achieve the goal. This is brass
mystical fantasy - the action takes place on another plane -
one that is colonized by several powers at once. Everyone does
this is in its own way, but the author pays main attention to one point -
a society that has long become a self-sufficient society. This society is fast
assimilates newcomers (thereby reducing to almost nothing the influence of ma-
Terino society) and by leaps and boundsmoves from relative
freedom to undisguised totalitarianism.
   Time Between Failures has almost everything I would like to see in
a well-made mass commercial product (which is not
means bad) SF - a hero with a clearly distinguishable character, invented -
carefully written surroundings, a mystery. The plot let us down a bit -
the author, it seems, does not yet have enough breath for such long distances
tions and he just can’t keep up the rhythm. However, these may be
technical costs - "Pathfinder" published a story (novel?) in
magazine version... But in general, I can only be glad that in
our fiction has a new promising author.
   Both in 1993 and 1994, the Ural Pathfinder came to
St. Petersburg frantically. By December, only four
first number. Alas. The review stops halfway...
   How is life Vasily VLADIMIRSKY

Yuri BRIDER, Nikolai CHADOVICH. Selected works. Volume I. / 
Nizhny Novgorod: "Phlox", 1994.- (Golden Shelf of Science Fiction). 

   I love the novel "The Gospel of Timothy" and therefore I ask in advance
forgive me for possible bias. There are reasons for this
ranks.  Some may think that my grades are too
subjective and emotional, but... Sorry.
   As you know, "The Gospel..." together with the new novel "Blades
Maksarov", originally published in a significantly abridged 
version in "Mega" #1for 1994, make up the first half of both
the beloved tetralogy "The Path". Needless to say, the version of the novel
shortened three times due to pieces torn from the text with blood
kov, was very far from perfect. However, it seems to me that
"The Gospel...", at one time almost ignored by critics, 
deserves to be discussed separately.
   "The Gospel of Timothy" is a very smart and very sad novel.
This is a dystopian novel, a grotesque novel, a parable novel. The parable of the power
ty and about life that continues in spite of and in spite of stupidity
the oppressive force of this power. And if the Forest in "Snail on the Slope" (things,
the connection with which in the “Gospel of Timothy” can be traced at the level
not symbols) is a metaphor for an alien and incomprehensible future, then
The Top, the Izbye and the Abyss are a fairly transparent metaphor for us.
standing, no less mysterious and frightening. Both the Strugatskys and
Bryder and Chadovich, power as such is one of the main subjects 
tov reflections. By its very nature, power, as a rule,
goes to the one for whom the possession of it serves as a sufficient reward.
rejoicing for any moral costs. The higher the moral
a person’s demands on himself, the less likely he is to climb
to the top rung of the social ladder. This happens in any
society, regardless of how relations in it are regulated -
Constitution, Biblical Commandments or Writings in the Margins of the Statuecookbook swarm. This will continue until the
power itself will continue to exist - or at least institutions
authorities.
   Here lies another fundamental difference between “Snails on
slope" from the "Gospel of Timothy": if Peretz's view is complete 
everyday absurdity, the life of Management is a view from the inside, then a look
Artyom, the main character of the dilogy, a traveler between worlds -
this is the view of an outside observer, and among the seeming absurdity it
reveals a clear system operating with a sufficiently high
functionality, any deviation from which leads to global
a major catastrophe with difficult to imagine consequences. This is
mu who, contrary to all social laws, has reached the pinnacle of power
Artyom is even more helpless than Perets, who took the place of Director
Management.  Any change, regardless of its goals, leads
only for the worse - and this locks the new “Timofey” into an enchanted
ny circle.
   And so Artem leaves. All the instructions that countries give him
new creatures living in many worlds at the same time are just
serve as an excuse. In fact, it forces him to step on the Path
powerlessness to change anything.
   The world - or rather, worlds - of Blades of the Maxars is still mostly
less hospitable than the world of the “Gospel...” And if Vershen hardened -
la and changed the soul and mind of Artyom, then the world of the Maksars did the same
same with his body and will - thereby deprivingthe last thing that is kind-
it was with the man who once left the Earth through
interspatial gap. However, here the authors are no longer trying to
focus on global problems of a philosophical or social nature.
The main question of "Blades of the Maksars" is the question of the nature of evil, but
in my opinion, the very image of absolute evil is not created in this novel
quite successful. Social relations in the world of maksars on the first
view is directly opposite to the relationships in the “Gospel...” Tough,
centralized oligarchic power there - and complete anarchy,
where relative calm can only exist thanks to
the parity of forces of the warlike, almost immortal maksars here. And
Artyom, who uninvitedly invaded the country of the Maksars, finds-
This is precisely the little thing that destroys this precarious balance.
   "Blades of the Maxars" clearly proves that the tendency to evil is
the property is not innate, but acquired. And even maksars
birth is not alien to love - and it, no matter how trivial it may be, is stronger than non-
hatred and even death. Evil in man, as well as good, is always
induced from the outside, but personality does not exist outside of both.
That is why good and evil are inseparable.
   Artyom's path is not the Warrior's path, and therefore he returns back,
to re-enter the Road leading to the Primordial World, through
worlds and destinies. Meeting yourself on this Path is not a problem,
not to mention many friends who diedyears ago.
   The third large work of the collection is “Arrows of Perun with di-
fissile warheads" has not been published before. Quite soft 
what a satire on the current state of affairs in the state, when separate
subjects in their desire for autonomy are rapidly approaching
converge in size and population to the city-states of the Ancient
Greece. The fate of Pryazhkin, the Minister of Defense of All Russia and all provinces
tions - the fate of an ordinary honest and moderately conscientious worker
botnik, a little man caught in the Big Poly meat grinder
tics. Generally speaking, this is what the entire collection is dedicated to.
Bryder and Chadovich - the fate of small ordinary people, against 
of their own free will, drawn into events on a global scale, people
semolina, chewed and spat out by the era - but nevertheless not
who have lost what makes them attractive to us: self-irony, soft-
skepticism and compassion for others.
   For this I am grateful to Yu. Braider and N. Chadovich.

Gennady PRASHKEVICH. Spy against the alchemists: Sat. - Yekaterinburg: 
"Thesis", 1994.- (Inozemye). 

   So, finally, the Ekaterinburg publishing house "Tezis" has received
I had the bright idea to collect all nine under one cover
stories by the Siberian writer Gennady Prashkevich, one way or another
related to his well-known series "Notes of an Industrial
spy." It is noteworthy that all these stories are finally built into 
according to internalchronology of the cycle and thanks to this
now the biography of Al Miller, the genius of industrial espionage,
looks quite consistent and detailed. More precisely,
this is a description of Miller's permanent fall from grace, for among all
There are not a single story - not a single one! - where are the industrial spies
this or that serious crime would not be committed against everything
humanity.
   An industrial spy cannot be stupid and short-sighted, and Al
very smart within his profession, but he lives in a ruthless,
cruel world where knowledge is deadly, because it means
money, privilege and power. And therefore it is better to quietly do your de-
lo, and, having gone beyond the Consultation, remain silent, like a fish or nas-
poured water into his mouth. Al does exactly that, be it information
about an environmental disaster, as in "Ithaca - the closed city" or
"The Man from the Morgue", or about a time machine, as in "Spy in the Jurassic" 
period". Perhaps he loves life too much - and this crazy thirst 
life not only makes Miller an ideal spy, but also gives
The stories contain the unexpected poignancy of a psychological detective story. Praschke-
Vich acted wisely, recently opposing the Consultation
tion for which Al works, the secret organization of "alchemists" - also
more global and comprehensive, the goal of which is - by any means -
we force humanity to move along lines not previously marked by them
paths. And although "alchemists" never killDIY, scary
the mystery and ambiguity of their ultimate goal somehow immediately makes
A consultation that is more relatable and less intimidating. Well, but unsee-
my presence as "alchemists" in turn gives Al's actions
some legitimacy in our eyes.

Lyubov Lukina, Evgeniy Lukin. Chershe for Grandma: Sat. - Volgograd: 
Uprinformpechat, 1994. 

   Who said that today it is not fashionable to write stories? Spit on-
please, in his eyes: the story undoubtedly represented, pre-
presents and will present one of the most complex and interesting
phenomena of world culture. It is this form that the most masterly of all the authorities
the Lukins’ spouses from Volgograd operate, and therefore what, in addition to the “sol-
Danish fairy tale" "Allow me to report!"  their third book included
Almost all the early stories can only please. Vpro-
than, for the first time, only some people saw the light of day here
from fantastic miniatures under the collective name "Fanti-
ki", but that’s what’s great, because it’s “Wrappers” that are in this sys- 
Rnike is especially good. The originality of the Lukins’ manner is striking
what distinguishes their prose from the stories of other authors is
amazing combination of simplicity of plots and correctness of language, used
used by the authors for their presentation. Unlike many other
huh, for the Lukins it was never a secret that the short
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and therefore their thought
neverdo not drown in a pile of unnecessary words, and their images are neo-
expectedly bright and vital. It is noteworthy that Lukin somehow
the house almost always manages to refrain from purely emotional
pressing - no bloody babies, no noble ones
the impossibility of knights without fear and reproach. In addition, the Lukins
almost never unjustifiably resort to the use of neologisms
language or borrowing foreign words, which is also very pleasing
hearing
   It is difficult to name the best even from the earliest works of the Lukins,
because all their stories are written simply wonderful. However, I would
selected from "Candy wrappers" "Noon, 20th century", "In order to avoid", "Chershe
for grandma", "Ask Caesar" and, of course, "Nostalgia". Right 
yes, the rest of the stories in the collection are written no less original and
alive, and my private opinion has absolutely no meaning here,
because to make a clear and unambiguous choice in favor of some
one of them is almost impossible.

Alexey SHCHUPOV.  Cold of Maliogont: Sat. - Ekaterinburg: "Thesis", 
1994. 

   This book is the young author’s first, one might say, an application, and
The application is quite interesting in its own way. The most interesting, however,
the first and last stories in the collection (“Donors” and “Cold Maliogon-
ta"), but they represent almost ideal images 
concepts of a certain type of literature. Alas, neither "Jamb" nor "Helicopter"
despite all its undoubted advantages of some kindintensely
they don’t deserve attention: well, the helicopter has shrunk to the size
crows - how much can one write about this!
   However, the content of the title story is also not particularly different.
fight with originality: this, you see, is an almost verbatim remake of "Mas-
Tera and Margarita" in a modern interior and dashing design. 
Bulgakov’s philosophy, “that power that always wants evil, but
“good comes” here and does not smell: where the classic fundamentally 
The ruling forces of the universe fulfill what was destined by Fate, according to Shchupov
a certain half-operetta, half-Masonic order carries out quick and bloody
The first court is based on the fact that “the end justifies the means,” and “we
We know better what is good for you." However, it turns out to be
A very nice cool action movie with some devilry. True, countries
but it looks like Bulgakov’s parable of Pilate and Yeshua is a neurotic
amazing story about the lost train, but it should be left
author's conscience.
   But “Donors” has a very good idea, and the story is readable,
despite some of its lightness, “right through”. Disadvantage
in my opinion, only two: firstly, the hero, on whom the plot
then all misfortunes must fall, for some reason it seems,
tive, a lucky superman, who laid down not
less than a company of armed gangsters, when it should have been
put down the third bullet already. Secondly, the poor
"God Ex Machina" ending- too conspicuous be-
the power of such a move.
   And yet, this book, in my opinion, deserves the most
close reading B. JALET

Dmitry BRASLAVSKY. Dungeons of the Black Castle / Art. A.I.Sukhoru- 
kov.- M.: Production and commercial center "AT", 1991. - (Book- 
ha-game 1). 

Dmitry BRASLAVSKY.   The Mystery of Captain Shelton / Art. 
A.I. Sukhorukov. - M.: Kaleidoscope, 1992. - (Game Book 2). 

   ...Otherwise I missed it, walking through the forest in search of the Black Castle,
some important key, or you didn’t take the required talisman - one way or another 
otherwise, in this fairy tale I was killed. And magic didn't help. A Princess 
- stupid.  "Behind this door you will find everything you need!" I'm like 
ice burdock, I break down the door and fly straight into the Sorcerer’s office. 
Well, of course, it wasn’t difficult for him to cope with me - of course, 
skill is two points higher than mine! Eh, if only I had hit you 
forest of the Green Knight, if only he could take his sword... But after the fight, how 
They say they don't wave their fists. Never mind, be smarter next time 
I will... 
   Now I understand why such games are so popular in the West.
Once you enter the plot on the main character's horse, you
captured - you will die over and over again in various
fights and duels, knowing that - damn it! - somehow you can master
body this Princess! Indeed, it is possible, but the right way
didn't lie to you againunder your feet - and you find yourself in Castle Black
in front of a locked door, and behind you you can already hear the steps of the Green Barons. And,
What’s most lousy is that there is absolutely no one to blame for this: the path chosen
whether you yourself.
   Braslavsky makes quite powerful games. He can be reproached for
wrong tone (a matter of taste), for borrowing realities (not
zuemo - for now!), for some inaccuracies in the construction (not here
get away with it), but one cannot help but admit the main thing: for a fan of fantasy-
and he offered a completely new opportunity to go into the Mirror - and
not to slavishly repeat the words of the main character, but to
pronounce them.
   Of course, this is just a new form of escapism. Let this word be
irritates those who are unable to tear themselves away from our Reflection. to me
I feel sorry for them.
   Honestly, there's nothing better than a good dose of this kind of escapism.