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Лабиринты Ехо #1
Чужак
The millions-selling fantasy epic of the new Russian literary icon - a freeloading freebooter who finds a new home in a magical world
"You never know when you'll luck out."
Max Frei's novels have been a literary sensation in Russia since their debut in 1996, and have swept the fantasy world over. Presented here in English for the first time, The Stranger will strike a chord with readers of all stripes. Part fantasy, part horror, part philosophy, part dark comedy, the writing is united by a sharp wit and a web of clues that will open up the imagination of every reader.
Max Frei is a twenty-something loser - a big sleeper (that is, during the day; at night he can't sleep a wink), a hardened smoker, and an uncomplicated glutton and loafer. But then he got lucky. He contacts a parallel world in his dreams, where magic is a daily practice. Once a social outcast, he's now known in his new world as the "unequalled Sir Max." He's a member of the Department of Absolute Order, formed by a species of enchanted secret agents; his job is to solve cases more extravagant and unreal than one could imagine-a journey that will take Max down the winding paths of this strange and unhinged universe.
"You never know when you'll luck out."
Max Frei's novels have been a literary sensation in Russia since their debut in 1996, and have swept the fantasy world over. Presented here in English for the first time, The Stranger will strike a chord with readers of all stripes. Part fantasy, part horror, part philosophy, part dark comedy, the writing is united by a sharp wit and a web of clues that will open up the imagination of every reader.
Max Frei is a twenty-something loser - a big sleeper (that is, during the day; at night he can't sleep a wink), a hardened smoker, and an uncomplicated glutton and loafer. But then he got lucky. He contacts a parallel world in his dreams, where magic is a daily practice. Once a social outcast, he's now known in his new world as the "unequalled Sir Max." He's a member of the Department of Absolute Order, formed by a species of enchanted secret agents; his job is to solve cases more extravagant and unreal than one could imagine-a journey that will take Max down the winding paths of this strange and unhinged universe.
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 1996
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3,852 people want to read
About the author
Max Frei
160books596followers"Max Frei" is a pen-name of Svetlana Martynchik. She has created the well-known Echo series. Svetlana Yuryevna Martynchik is a Russian writer and artist.
Martynchik studied at the philological department of Odessa State University, but dropped out without graduating. Martynchik lived in Moscow since 1993 and lives in Vilnius since 2004.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
October 26, 2009
-I have read it in Russian first. And was really looking forward to read it english. When I did I was very disappointed, since book heavily relies on dialogs and funny moments related to the differences of idioms in Echo in comparison to then Max is used to, a creative translation was absolutely crucial and it was not done so the final product is bellow 0 for me. Moreover after translation book turned so impersonal it is almost impossible to connect to the main character, this probably due to the fact that the personality of Max was in original book conveyed by his use of language and in translated version this peculiarities were eliminated.
-two examples of what I think is a bad translation
a)"vampire under your blanket "-firstly it is not a vampire but a [vurdolag:], which is a generic term for monster(although archaically it meant a vampire), secondly it is based on Russian"devil under your blanket", which is a mild form of curse, but since nobody in Echo knows WHAT is devil Max have to use a word monster. Perhaps if an english curse with word devil would have been used in a similar fashion it would have made much more sense
b)In a translated version Max shouts "liquidated" to Lonli-Lokli, in response to which Shurf produces streams of water, explaining himself by saying that he have thought that the order was to "liquify" .It is not convincing, considering that the character of Lonli-Lokli, usually makes no mistakes.In russian " "water up"or"liquify", is a slang term meaning to kill and of-course Surf is unfamiliar, with russian slang, so his reaction is only natural .In my opinion if something like "cook him" from Max, followed by Lonli-Lokli pouring vegetables and spices on the head of dead magician, would make more sense and stay true to the spirit of original writing
there are a lot more
-two examples of what I think is a bad translation
a)"vampire under your blanket "-firstly it is not a vampire but a [vurdolag:], which is a generic term for monster(although archaically it meant a vampire), secondly it is based on Russian"devil under your blanket", which is a mild form of curse, but since nobody in Echo knows WHAT is devil Max have to use a word monster. Perhaps if an english curse with word devil would have been used in a similar fashion it would have made much more sense
b)In a translated version Max shouts "liquidated" to Lonli-Lokli, in response to which Shurf produces streams of water, explaining himself by saying that he have thought that the order was to "liquify" .It is not convincing, considering that the character of Lonli-Lokli, usually makes no mistakes.In russian " "water up"or"liquify", is a slang term meaning to kill and of-course Surf is unfamiliar, with russian slang, so his reaction is only natural .In my opinion if something like "cook him" from Max, followed by Lonli-Lokli pouring vegetables and spices on the head of dead magician, would make more sense and stay true to the spirit of original writing
there are a lot more
October 16, 2012
I have read this book like 10 times now! I love Echo, all the characters, their funny conversations and magic without logic and explanations. The thing is, I read the series as much as they are published in Lithuanian and I found the translation really good. Maybe it is because it is Eastern Europe and kind of similar cultural background (like all the jokes, irony and etc., oh, and the author is living Vilnius, Lithuania). I found English translation a bit disappointing but unless you speak Russian there is not much choice. I guess this sort of fantasy is not for everyone. Magic is not explained, we do not really know much background of Max's previous life and all the descriptions of Echo and the lifestyle there are not detailed. You have to use imagination and I love it! I adore those strange, unfamiliar names, places, habits (like taking 8 baths and wearing turbans and stuff), bedroom floor as a mattress, and how Max has this crazy luck to get out of all the messed up situations with so little effort. Every single time I turn a random page and read I laugh every five minutes. It is not the suspense and action that drives this novel but the amazing setting, characters and vivid language.
January 31, 2020
Nori nenori, susidomi knyga, kai žmogus šalia skaito ir dažnai juokiasi. Ir taip atradau naują nuostabią seriją. Nuostabią daug kuo. Joje sukurtu pasauliu, su savita gyvensena, istorija, taisyklėmis, maistu, gėrimais, tradicijomis, žodžiu, kaip reikiant pateiktą kitokį pasaulį. Taip pat įdomiu savo pagrindiniu veikėju, ir daugybe kitų svarbių veikėjų, kiekvienas su savitu spalvingu charakteriu, istorija, ypatumais ir tarpusavio santykiais. Visa tai kartu su daugybe paslapčių, nuotykių, iššūkių daro šią knygą itin įdomią. Ir dar pagardinta daug daug juokingų nutikimų bei pokalbių. Esu sužavėta. Visuomet džiaugiuosi radusi įtraukiantį, užburiantį pasakojimą, pasaulį, kuris taip sužavi, kad nesinori iš jo pasitraukti. Laimei, čia tik pirma knyga, ir ji turi dar daug tęsinių.
January 7, 2013
This book, which was originally published in Russia in 1996, introduces the main character (and pseudonymous author) to a completely new world called the Unified Kingdom. After being a complete loser on Earth, Max finds himself as the Nocturnal Representative of the Most Venerable Head of the Minor Secret Investigative Force of the city of Echo. Essentially, he investigates magical mysteries and crimes in this new world. As it turns out, he's quite good at his new job--not a loser at all.
Each chapter of the book describes a new adventure that Max must get involved in to solve some kind of mystery or crime. I loved them all. The world described by the author is incredibly creative and playful. Although there are some dark moments in the stories, there is also a lot of humor and quirkiness that makes the story fun to read. The characters are all memorable and interesting in their own right.
To be sure, the world and the characters are so well described that I find myself longing to have some kamra (a local beverage) with breakfast, to build at least eight more bathrooms in my house (which is normal in Echo), and to use silent speech (a way of communicating without talking) with all of my friends.
If you're looking for a fast-paced and inventive story, I would highly recommend this book.
Each chapter of the book describes a new adventure that Max must get involved in to solve some kind of mystery or crime. I loved them all. The world described by the author is incredibly creative and playful. Although there are some dark moments in the stories, there is also a lot of humor and quirkiness that makes the story fun to read. The characters are all memorable and interesting in their own right.
To be sure, the world and the characters are so well described that I find myself longing to have some kamra (a local beverage) with breakfast, to build at least eight more bathrooms in my house (which is normal in Echo), and to use silent speech (a way of communicating without talking) with all of my friends.
If you're looking for a fast-paced and inventive story, I would highly recommend this book.
January 30, 2015
I read this book in Russian in 2000, when it was published under the name of "The Labyrinth". I've read it about 15 times since then. Now I'm enjoying every second of reading the translated version of it.
Once you get accustomed to the writer's quaint manner of writing you will love it too. The first thing that meets the eye is the unique style of narration and the unusual choice of words. It's not casual, but not as pompous and epic as traditional fantasy. It's rather self-ironic and even sarcastic at times.
When I read this book in original language, as a keen linguist, I wondered if this book will ever look good in English. I tried to imagine how certain pieces would be translated. My conclusion was that it might never be understood in the west. But the modern market has space for all sorts of unusual things. If you're tired of American fantasy, urban fantasy or casual novels - this book is for you.
You will love the atmosphere of the World described. Its lore is so grand and detailed - it can easily be compared to that of The Elder Scrolls, Forgotten Realms or other. Although it's not a high fantasy series - there's place for wit and magic.
The main character Max (29) is a classical Russian loser of the 90s, who lost all purpose of living in our world, except for the dreams of wonderful places, which he sees. And once he gets a chance to start it over in another reality. And not unlike Harry Potter he discovers himself a prodigy in the World, where he's moved (but also amusingly helpless when it comes to social life and basic survival skills at his new place of living). The character has a very interesting personality and a strange sense of humor, which will likely appeal to the reader. (Hopefully, it won't be lost due to cultural differences)
A series of detective stories full of action will follow, involving magic, romance and cozy philosophical chatter.
It's a great present for those readers who're ready for something new.
Once you get accustomed to the writer's quaint manner of writing you will love it too. The first thing that meets the eye is the unique style of narration and the unusual choice of words. It's not casual, but not as pompous and epic as traditional fantasy. It's rather self-ironic and even sarcastic at times.
When I read this book in original language, as a keen linguist, I wondered if this book will ever look good in English. I tried to imagine how certain pieces would be translated. My conclusion was that it might never be understood in the west. But the modern market has space for all sorts of unusual things. If you're tired of American fantasy, urban fantasy or casual novels - this book is for you.
You will love the atmosphere of the World described. Its lore is so grand and detailed - it can easily be compared to that of The Elder Scrolls, Forgotten Realms or other. Although it's not a high fantasy series - there's place for wit and magic.
The main character Max (29) is a classical Russian loser of the 90s, who lost all purpose of living in our world, except for the dreams of wonderful places, which he sees. And once he gets a chance to start it over in another reality. And not unlike Harry Potter he discovers himself a prodigy in the World, where he's moved (but also amusingly helpless when it comes to social life and basic survival skills at his new place of living). The character has a very interesting personality and a strange sense of humor, which will likely appeal to the reader. (Hopefully, it won't be lost due to cultural differences)
A series of detective stories full of action will follow, involving magic, romance and cozy philosophical chatter.
It's a great present for those readers who're ready for something new.
Want to read
May 5, 2014I wouldn't normally review a book that I haven't finished reading, but I've (at least temporarily) given up on this in favour of other books - and I think that lack of interest is worth a note. Whatever The Stranger tells you it is on the cover, don't believe a word of it. It's not. What it is instead is a strange piece of fantasy where the author is working so hard at creating something original that he's ended up creating something fairly bonkers (and not in a good way). The intricate details and customs of his fantasy world read almost like a pastiche of Victorian fantastic fiction - somewhere in the same vein as Susannah Clarke - only not as interesting, in fact nowhere as interesting. And the translation's annoying too - or maybe that's the original Russian coming out and the translator's being too faithful. Use of language is grating whatever the case.
Maybe I'll change my mind if I ever get back to reading it - in which case I'll change the review - but for now I couldn't recommend it. Read The Magicians by Lev Grossman instead - same sort of fiction but much better told.
Maybe I'll change my mind if I ever get back to reading it - in which case I'll change the review - but for now I couldn't recommend it. Read The Magicians by Lev Grossman instead - same sort of fiction but much better told.
April 4, 2019
Omg, I can't even describe this books series properly without bursting into a loud cry :D
It's is just best story that ever read, ever!! I read the first book when I was about 12 year old and still no book or books series can out rival Max...The author is amazing, and most of all.. She lives in my country's capital city!!! Omg...
So, If you are still just considering reading this book, don't. DO IT. It is complete wonder. But the only problem is, there is only one book translated now, but all books are originally written in Russian, so if you are no stranger to Russian, let yourself into the The Labyrinths of Echo and just hold on, because you WILL be swamp by the story and the characters. :)
2016
it's even more amazing than the first time
It's is just best story that ever read, ever!! I read the first book when I was about 12 year old and still no book or books series can out rival Max...The author is amazing, and most of all.. She lives in my country's capital city!!! Omg...
So, If you are still just considering reading this book, don't. DO IT. It is complete wonder. But the only problem is, there is only one book translated now, but all books are originally written in Russian, so if you are no stranger to Russian, let yourself into the The Labyrinths of Echo and just hold on, because you WILL be swamp by the story and the characters. :)
2016
it's even more amazing than the first time
March 21, 2009
Max Frei is a loner in the world, a bit of a chain-smoking bum who's tried fitting in and being normal but doesn't have the heart for it. Only in his dreams is he truly alive. In his dreams, things seem so real that he acts upon them in waking life: if he meets a beautiful new woman in his dreams, he'll break up with his real-life girlfriend. He can quote from books he's read only in his dreams, and visit other places.
One such place he visits regularly is a strange city where the streets are paved in mosaics and the people wear colourful clothes and turbans. It's here he meets Sir Juffin Hully, who recognises in Max something more than he is in his own world: a magician. Juffin offers Max a job and a home far away from his own, in the city of Echo in the Unified Kingdom.
Crossing between worlds is easy enough, and Max loves his new home as he never loved the place where he was born. Concocting a story about his origins to hide the truth, Juffin introduces Max to his colleagues of the Minor Secret Investigative Force at the House by the Bridge and gradually teaches Max some magic, odd bits of history, and how to brew kamra, the stand-in drink for tea and coffee of which the citizens of the Unified Kingdom imbibe in large quantities.
Max is launched into this crazy, upbeat world where, if you can't afford to pay for your dinner, the king will happily pick up the tab, and where even dead Grand Magicians cause mayhem. The only thing from his own world that he misses are the cigarettes, but even that small dent in his new-found happiness can be overcome.
There are, I believe, ten novels in the series, which have been doing well in Europe for some time now. This is the first time it's been translated into English. Max Frei, aside from being the narrator of the series, is also the pseudonym of Russian novelist Svetlana Martynchik. As part of the zaniness of this novel, it makes perfect sense that Max Frei would be the "author".
I'm completely torn as to how to rate this or even to talk about it. There were plenty of times throughout the story when I was confused and a bit annoyed; yet it was also highly original, very fun, quite humorous and definitely quirky - all of which I enjoyed. Let's go over the downside first.
From the very beginning, it wasn't an easy book to read. This isn't due to the language but more the style of the prose. What I mean is, the prose isn't difficult to read - it's almost simplistically written - but it's confusing to follow. I think it would be perfectly clear on a second reading, but you'd have to get through a first reading to even reach that stage, so it's not terribly helpful. Part of the problem is that Max doesn't always explain things very well, if at all. I can't figure out who his audience is for this story of his adventurous life, but he vacillates between assuming your prior knowledge to assuming your absolute ignorance. Even when he does try to explain things, I constantly felt that I wasn't on his wavelength and was left feeling more confused, rather than less.
Divided into long chapters that each present a different adventure or mystery to be solved, another small thing that bothered me was that I couldn't tell where it was going. There's no over-arching plot, as is typical, which does enhance the "memoir" quality that the author was possibly striving for - but it also leaves me a bit adrift and without much incentive to read on. Never really noticed that before, until it was gone. I happen to find reading about other worlds - like HP - incredibly fun even without an over-arching plot, but it does add excitement and tension and has you gagging for the next book, if done well.
There are still some details that I don't understand, like the bit about Max briefly turning into a vampire, and what could possibly be some inconsistencies. But I really want to move on to the positives.
The book has been aimed at fans of Sergei Lukyanenko (Night Watch series) and Susanna Clark, but I have to add one of my own: Harry Potter. It's like an adult version of the HP world, with ludicrous titles for things (Order of the Watery Crow, which Max always chuckles at, and his colleague Lonli-Lokli's official title: He Who Snuffs Out Unnecessary Lives, for example) and some crazy, barely edible delicacies. And all the magic, of course, which seems to be made up as it goes along. Which means you never know what this crazy world is going to throw at you next.
The tone is light-hearted and silly and nonsensical, which perfectly suits the world and makes it feel more real - but not quite what I was expecting from looking at the cover. The story, the world, its characters, don't take themselves too seriously, Max least of all, and that does lessen any real sense of danger, which would have created a nice balance. The Stranger is what it is and you pretty much just have to go along for the ride and not worry too much - a bit like Max, really. And it is a fascinating world. I just wish it had a bit more darkness to it, and some kind of connecting plotline, to motivate me to read on. At 544 pages it's modestly long for a fantasy novel, but took me a lot longer to read than it should have. It could also do with some tighter proof-reading - always a pet peeve of mine!
Overall, it was enjoyable, if perplexing and confusing at times. It'd make a great TV show.
One such place he visits regularly is a strange city where the streets are paved in mosaics and the people wear colourful clothes and turbans. It's here he meets Sir Juffin Hully, who recognises in Max something more than he is in his own world: a magician. Juffin offers Max a job and a home far away from his own, in the city of Echo in the Unified Kingdom.
Crossing between worlds is easy enough, and Max loves his new home as he never loved the place where he was born. Concocting a story about his origins to hide the truth, Juffin introduces Max to his colleagues of the Minor Secret Investigative Force at the House by the Bridge and gradually teaches Max some magic, odd bits of history, and how to brew kamra, the stand-in drink for tea and coffee of which the citizens of the Unified Kingdom imbibe in large quantities.
Max is launched into this crazy, upbeat world where, if you can't afford to pay for your dinner, the king will happily pick up the tab, and where even dead Grand Magicians cause mayhem. The only thing from his own world that he misses are the cigarettes, but even that small dent in his new-found happiness can be overcome.
There are, I believe, ten novels in the series, which have been doing well in Europe for some time now. This is the first time it's been translated into English. Max Frei, aside from being the narrator of the series, is also the pseudonym of Russian novelist Svetlana Martynchik. As part of the zaniness of this novel, it makes perfect sense that Max Frei would be the "author".
I'm completely torn as to how to rate this or even to talk about it. There were plenty of times throughout the story when I was confused and a bit annoyed; yet it was also highly original, very fun, quite humorous and definitely quirky - all of which I enjoyed. Let's go over the downside first.
From the very beginning, it wasn't an easy book to read. This isn't due to the language but more the style of the prose. What I mean is, the prose isn't difficult to read - it's almost simplistically written - but it's confusing to follow. I think it would be perfectly clear on a second reading, but you'd have to get through a first reading to even reach that stage, so it's not terribly helpful. Part of the problem is that Max doesn't always explain things very well, if at all. I can't figure out who his audience is for this story of his adventurous life, but he vacillates between assuming your prior knowledge to assuming your absolute ignorance. Even when he does try to explain things, I constantly felt that I wasn't on his wavelength and was left feeling more confused, rather than less.
Divided into long chapters that each present a different adventure or mystery to be solved, another small thing that bothered me was that I couldn't tell where it was going. There's no over-arching plot, as is typical, which does enhance the "memoir" quality that the author was possibly striving for - but it also leaves me a bit adrift and without much incentive to read on. Never really noticed that before, until it was gone. I happen to find reading about other worlds - like HP - incredibly fun even without an over-arching plot, but it does add excitement and tension and has you gagging for the next book, if done well.
There are still some details that I don't understand, like the bit about Max briefly turning into a vampire, and what could possibly be some inconsistencies. But I really want to move on to the positives.
The book has been aimed at fans of Sergei Lukyanenko (Night Watch series) and Susanna Clark, but I have to add one of my own: Harry Potter. It's like an adult version of the HP world, with ludicrous titles for things (Order of the Watery Crow, which Max always chuckles at, and his colleague Lonli-Lokli's official title: He Who Snuffs Out Unnecessary Lives, for example) and some crazy, barely edible delicacies. And all the magic, of course, which seems to be made up as it goes along. Which means you never know what this crazy world is going to throw at you next.
The tone is light-hearted and silly and nonsensical, which perfectly suits the world and makes it feel more real - but not quite what I was expecting from looking at the cover. The story, the world, its characters, don't take themselves too seriously, Max least of all, and that does lessen any real sense of danger, which would have created a nice balance. The Stranger is what it is and you pretty much just have to go along for the ride and not worry too much - a bit like Max, really. And it is a fascinating world. I just wish it had a bit more darkness to it, and some kind of connecting plotline, to motivate me to read on. At 544 pages it's modestly long for a fantasy novel, but took me a lot longer to read than it should have. It could also do with some tighter proof-reading - always a pet peeve of mine!
Overall, it was enjoyable, if perplexing and confusing at times. It'd make a great TV show.
Read
March 6, 2014Review of this book are sharply divided between those who adore it and those who were deeply disappointed and felt it didn't live up to its billing as brilliant, hilarious, satirical, and philosophical. A third category of reviews deals with the problem of translation: some readers loved it in Russian but think the English translation is a flop, or that perhaps the book can't quite be translated. While I don't read Russian, I think my reaction has to fall into the third category.
First off: no, I did not think comparisons with Harry Potter or Susanna Clarke were beneficial. Such comparisons to other books/authors usually annoy me anyway, because they imply more similarity than is likely to exist. I like both the Harry Potter books and Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, but the main thing this has in common with them is that it's about magic. The Harry Potter books are children's literature that adults also enjoy, with struggles between good and evil and lots of cliff-hanging adventure. Strange is an intricate, very literate, highly sophisticated novel. And what exactly is The Stranger? Well, that's the question.
The book is unquestionably fantasy; it's about a pleasant guy named Max who never did very well at anything because he's fundamentally nocturnal. Max visits another world in his dreams, and is recruited there to stay and join a squad of sort of magic detectives (in contrast to the mostly bumbling and oafish regular police). The premise is good and the author (who is female and apparently collaborates to some extent with her husband) is extremely inventive. As one reads, it becomes clear that there isn't really a plot; it's a set of linked cases, with the final one giving the impression for awhile that something dire will happen to the narrator, but even though people occasionally do die in the book (murders get investigated), everything remains rather like a souffle or a cream-puff. And, given the emphasis on food in the book, I think that's a fair comparison in more ways than one.
The book was quirky and imaginative enough that I gradually made my way through the whole thing. Yet I kept feeling that either this book was massively over-hyped or it really lost a lot in translation. Sure, it's kind of funny, but in English I'd say it's only mildly funny. It feels like it ought to be much funnier. Philosophical? Well, more so than the average best-seller, but the philosophical aspect only surfaces now and then, and not very noticeably because the philosophical bits are obscured by verbiage and flights of fancy. Satirical? I wasn't sure what it was supposed to be satirizing, as while it makes reference to earlier fantasies and detective fiction, I didn't feel it was satirizing them, but rather playfully riffing on some of their conventions.
At times I liked the book quite a bit and felt I should avoid judging it by standards that perhaps shouldn't apply to it. At other times I was reminded of reading The Master and Margarita and wondering whether stylistic flourishes that work in Russian just sound clunky in English--after all, I've found that paragraphs by Jaroslav Seifert that read perfectly nicely in Czech struck me as more limping than limpid when I translated them.
For awhile I kept thinking that the dialog in the book is too undifferentiated as far as voice; it all felt the same to me, in a bad way. But first it occurred to me that plenty of wonderful English fiction has characters whose diction doesn't vary much, and next I realized that the dialog in this book actually varies more than it seems to. So that suggests translation problems. The book certainly seems rather verbose, which I'm confident is partly a translation problem as English often requires more words to get across an idea that a Slavic language can convey with economy.
Ultimately, I don't think English readers can be getting anything like what Russian readers are enjoying. There's also the problem of cultural differences, and of course that not everyone will like fairly plotless wild fantasies in which very little is ever explained.
Still, the thing has enough pull to it that I've begun the second of the numerous books in the series. I probably won't read beyond the second, but as I got the two volumes free at a Slavic conference, and enjoy the vivid imagination, I may as well see what happens next.
First off: no, I did not think comparisons with Harry Potter or Susanna Clarke were beneficial. Such comparisons to other books/authors usually annoy me anyway, because they imply more similarity than is likely to exist. I like both the Harry Potter books and Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, but the main thing this has in common with them is that it's about magic. The Harry Potter books are children's literature that adults also enjoy, with struggles between good and evil and lots of cliff-hanging adventure. Strange is an intricate, very literate, highly sophisticated novel. And what exactly is The Stranger? Well, that's the question.
The book is unquestionably fantasy; it's about a pleasant guy named Max who never did very well at anything because he's fundamentally nocturnal. Max visits another world in his dreams, and is recruited there to stay and join a squad of sort of magic detectives (in contrast to the mostly bumbling and oafish regular police). The premise is good and the author (who is female and apparently collaborates to some extent with her husband) is extremely inventive. As one reads, it becomes clear that there isn't really a plot; it's a set of linked cases, with the final one giving the impression for awhile that something dire will happen to the narrator, but even though people occasionally do die in the book (murders get investigated), everything remains rather like a souffle or a cream-puff. And, given the emphasis on food in the book, I think that's a fair comparison in more ways than one.
The book was quirky and imaginative enough that I gradually made my way through the whole thing. Yet I kept feeling that either this book was massively over-hyped or it really lost a lot in translation. Sure, it's kind of funny, but in English I'd say it's only mildly funny. It feels like it ought to be much funnier. Philosophical? Well, more so than the average best-seller, but the philosophical aspect only surfaces now and then, and not very noticeably because the philosophical bits are obscured by verbiage and flights of fancy. Satirical? I wasn't sure what it was supposed to be satirizing, as while it makes reference to earlier fantasies and detective fiction, I didn't feel it was satirizing them, but rather playfully riffing on some of their conventions.
At times I liked the book quite a bit and felt I should avoid judging it by standards that perhaps shouldn't apply to it. At other times I was reminded of reading The Master and Margarita and wondering whether stylistic flourishes that work in Russian just sound clunky in English--after all, I've found that paragraphs by Jaroslav Seifert that read perfectly nicely in Czech struck me as more limping than limpid when I translated them.
For awhile I kept thinking that the dialog in the book is too undifferentiated as far as voice; it all felt the same to me, in a bad way. But first it occurred to me that plenty of wonderful English fiction has characters whose diction doesn't vary much, and next I realized that the dialog in this book actually varies more than it seems to. So that suggests translation problems. The book certainly seems rather verbose, which I'm confident is partly a translation problem as English often requires more words to get across an idea that a Slavic language can convey with economy.
Ultimately, I don't think English readers can be getting anything like what Russian readers are enjoying. There's also the problem of cultural differences, and of course that not everyone will like fairly plotless wild fantasies in which very little is ever explained.
Still, the thing has enough pull to it that I've begun the second of the numerous books in the series. I probably won't read beyond the second, but as I got the two volumes free at a Slavic conference, and enjoy the vivid imagination, I may as well see what happens next.
September 12, 2019
Душевне фентезі для любителів хорошого стилю, гедоністів і мрійників. Книжки Фрая - це справді двері між світами, бо щойно я їх читаю, зі мною починають ставатись дива. «Чужак» - перша книга з серії Лабіринтів Єхо. Це така збірка неквапливих детективів у нестандартному сетінгу. Моя воля, я б суттєво порізала сотню сцен, де герої нескінченно їдять і п‘ют�, але прямо відчувається, з якою любов‘� виписані ці моменти. Але є моменти, які назавжди крадуть серце: співрозмовник зі сну, який запрошує тебе на роботу, трамвай на вулиці без колій, чарівні кошенята Елла й Армстронг, буривухи, сер Шурф (моя особлива любов). Коротше, я рада, що перечитала цю книжку.
А насамкінець про не дуже хороше. Переклад українською настільки печальний, що лише моя щира любов до самого роману не дозволила покинути книжку. Плутанина з родами (бідного сера Шурфа кілька разів провідміняли в жіночому роді - як Шурфу), страшенні помилки й росіянізми («Єхо знаходиться», «самий кращий», «зудіти» і т.д.) і просто недолуго переекладені слова типу «незабутняя». Мовчу вже за гігантську кількість одруківок. Гірше за Гугл-переклад з англійської може бути тільки Гугл-переклад з російської.
А насамкінець про не дуже хороше. Переклад українською настільки печальний, що лише моя щира любов до самого роману не дозволила покинути книжку. Плутанина з родами (бідного сера Шурфа кілька разів провідміняли в жіночому роді - як Шурфу), страшенні помилки й росіянізми («Єхо знаходиться», «самий кращий», «зудіти» і т.д.) і просто недолуго переекладені слова типу «незабутняя». Мовчу вже за гігантську кількість одруківок. Гірше за Гугл-переклад з англійської може бути тільки Гугл-переклад з російської.
June 8, 2021
Вітаємо вас у Ехо - найбільшому місті Сполученого Королівства. Тут люди живуть сотні років, а маги - навіть тисячу. Тут Темні Магістри не дають жити ні живим, ні собі мертвим. У влади засів Орден Канабісу з дуже пам'ятливим Магістром. Головна людина у столиці - комісар Таємного розшуку сер Джуфін Халлі. А ось це - Макс - наш головний герой, попаданець з нашого світу у світ магії, магістрів, орденів, Смерті, Істини та незвіданого.
"Чужак" Макс Фрай - перша частина величезної серії книг про Ехо та пригоди Макса. Дивне поєднання фентезі та детектива дало незвичне і цікаво звучання книзі. Завдяки фениезійній частині злочини та їх розкриття такі цікаві, а завдяки детективу фентезі не перетворилося на ще один класичний приклад жанру.
Ця книга - збірка невеликих повістей, складених в хронологічному порядку. Історія не встигає набриднути та все зрозуміло. Ох, а які описи. Просто вау. Але...
Їжа понад усе, о і камра, ледь не забула.
Все чудово, класно, цікаво, ново та незвично. Все, крім...
ДИКОГО перекладу. Ну як так!? Як можна було споганити таку історію таким перекладом? А ось це "сер Максе" буде снитись мені у страшних снах. Бррррр!
"Чужак" Макс Фрай - перша частина величезної серії книг про Ехо та пригоди Макса. Дивне поєднання фентезі та детектива дало незвичне і цікаво звучання книзі. Завдяки фениезійній частині злочини та їх розкриття такі цікаві, а завдяки детективу фентезі не перетворилося на ще один класичний приклад жанру.
Ця книга - збірка невеликих повістей, складених в хронологічному порядку. Історія не встигає набриднути та все зрозуміло. Ох, а які описи. Просто вау. Але...
Їжа понад усе, о і камра, ледь не забула.
Все чудово, класно, цікаво, ново та незвично. Все, крім...
ДИКОГО перекладу. Ну як так!? Як можна було споганити таку історію таким перекладом? А ось це "сер Максе" буде снитись мені у страшних снах. Бррррр!
October 28, 2020
It took me a while before I finally got passed the first chapter, for unknow reason it was a struggle. But when I finally did it sure didn't take long before I had finished it. You can't help to like the characters,I especially liked Max and Lookfi but have a soft heart for all of them, the surroundings, the magic, the plot and the dialouge... that's about everything... ^^ I kept thinking while reading it that it would be fun to see it all turned into a movie, for I think it would be a good one, but a the same time I don't think a movie could be as much loved as this book is by me and are to a lot of other people. It would be hard to get the same "feel", in lack of better word. Anyway, great book and I can't wait to get hold of the next for I sure had a lot of questions when I was finished and I hope the next one will be able to answer them.. but I have feeling I will ony get more of them.. haha
February 18, 2012
I feel odd to be giving this book 4*, since normally I'd only give this kind of reading 2*...
Let's see... the main character was, to put it for better or worse, a Marty Stu. He's special with powers and talents which no one else in Echo seemed to have, and blessed with unusually good luck which got him out of sticky situations or delivered the solution to the current problem right into his hands. In other words, he hardly had to work for the achievements he accomplished in this novel. The only thing he failed to get was the girl, so I guess there's some sort of a balance there.
Despite how much of a Marty Stu the main character was, he didn't annoy me for some reason... I guess it's probably a wish-fulfilment. Everyone has, at one point or another, dreamed of finding out that s/he's special and not just an everyday joe... and Max Frei sort of provided a fulfilment of that fantasy.
The thing which saved this novel for me, I think, are the characters and settings/world. I actually like the supporting characters, and enjoyed reading their conversations. ...I can only mourn the things that would had been lost in translation, as I have a feeling they're more entertaining in the original Russian.
And personally, I adore a well-built world/setting, and I found that reading and learning about Echo was enjoyable. I like how the details of the world was revealed bits by bits; the book never did an info/history dump on its readers.
I like the structure of the novel too... instead of 1 long story that spanned the whole book, instead you get 'cases', so in that sense this novel is more like a collection of short stories. And maybe that's a reason why reading this novel felt simply like reading the daily life of Max Frei. You don't get the tension of a reading a full-length mystery novel... instead you get smaller doses of mystery which served to introduce the world and its characters, and seeing how they spend their time in between solving mysteries.
Overall this was a chance purchase which I didn't anticipate liking... will be ordering the next books in the series soon.
Let's see... the main character was, to put it for better or worse, a Marty Stu. He's special with powers and talents which no one else in Echo seemed to have, and blessed with unusually good luck which got him out of sticky situations or delivered the solution to the current problem right into his hands. In other words, he hardly had to work for the achievements he accomplished in this novel. The only thing he failed to get was the girl, so I guess there's some sort of a balance there.
Despite how much of a Marty Stu the main character was, he didn't annoy me for some reason... I guess it's probably a wish-fulfilment. Everyone has, at one point or another, dreamed of finding out that s/he's special and not just an everyday joe... and Max Frei sort of provided a fulfilment of that fantasy.
The thing which saved this novel for me, I think, are the characters and settings/world. I actually like the supporting characters, and enjoyed reading their conversations. ...I can only mourn the things that would had been lost in translation, as I have a feeling they're more entertaining in the original Russian.
And personally, I adore a well-built world/setting, and I found that reading and learning about Echo was enjoyable. I like how the details of the world was revealed bits by bits; the book never did an info/history dump on its readers.
I like the structure of the novel too... instead of 1 long story that spanned the whole book, instead you get 'cases', so in that sense this novel is more like a collection of short stories. And maybe that's a reason why reading this novel felt simply like reading the daily life of Max Frei. You don't get the tension of a reading a full-length mystery novel... instead you get smaller doses of mystery which served to introduce the world and its characters, and seeing how they spend their time in between solving mysteries.
Overall this was a chance purchase which I didn't anticipate liking... will be ordering the next books in the series soon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2009
"Max Frei" - ie Svetlana Martynchik - has published this mammoth series Labyrinths of Echo of which The Stranger is the opening - I think it's 10 volumes so far - to great acclaim and success in Russia and Europe from the mid 90's on, so I was very curious about this book.
Overall I was disappointed because the book just did not engage me; it's not bad but I've read too many similar but better books to waste too much time on it.
I could not care less about its main character or the rest of the cast and the weirdness, the "unusual" of the book did not keep my attention for long.
I guess a shorter and more to the point review should just say "not for me", too little time, too many interesting books to waste it on something passable but not more...
August 23, 2010
Take Terry Prattchet and mix his Discworld with a bit of Harry Potter's adventures and you will get the general idea of the awesomeness of this book. It is ironic and funny, but not to the extent of Discworld, where there is more ironical discourse than action.
There is only one little criticism... Frei should never be read when hungry or full, because no matter what, it makes you crave food with its mouthwashing descriptions of Chakata pie and other magical foods. The best condition for this book is to read it at the dinner table - even the most simple sandwich will taste like heaven with a bit of help of Frei's magical words.
There is only one little criticism... Frei should never be read when hungry or full, because no matter what, it makes you crave food with its mouthwashing descriptions of Chakata pie and other magical foods. The best condition for this book is to read it at the dinner table - even the most simple sandwich will taste like heaven with a bit of help of Frei's magical words.
October 18, 2015
в мене так діти граються як автор пише. придумують персонажів дають їм чудернацькі імена та дають їм жити своїм життям. просто опис послідовних дій плоских як дошка. без якогось лихого сюжету цікавих описів і головне - ідеї яка б заставляла над чимось задуиатись. нуль.
October 8, 2011
What a complete waste of time. The idea that this is only the first in a series of volumes makes me contemplate dramatic self-injury. Seriously, given the choice of not being able to read for pleasure for a decade or reading the next installment of Frei's saga, I'd go philistine in a minute.
The premise of this book was so promising - indeed, I discovered it in the Russian section of Idlewild Books in Manhattan this summer, and later ordered a used copy on amazon. Looking back on the back cover pitch, I see now that the description was technically accurate, but not in any way I would have imagined. For the worse.
What makes me have such disdain for this book? Well, the dialogue, primarily. It singlehandedly ruins the potentially wonderful oddball bits. Instead, it is grandiose, mannerly, and pointless. And, worst of all, neverending. This book contains a handful of vignettes, but somehow stretches them to the point of several hundred pages. If you think that sounds like a lot of nonsense, you are right on the money.
The premise of this book was so promising - indeed, I discovered it in the Russian section of Idlewild Books in Manhattan this summer, and later ordered a used copy on amazon. Looking back on the back cover pitch, I see now that the description was technically accurate, but not in any way I would have imagined. For the worse.
What makes me have such disdain for this book? Well, the dialogue, primarily. It singlehandedly ruins the potentially wonderful oddball bits. Instead, it is grandiose, mannerly, and pointless. And, worst of all, neverending. This book contains a handful of vignettes, but somehow stretches them to the point of several hundred pages. If you think that sounds like a lot of nonsense, you are right on the money.
Read
March 27, 2012I read it in Russian (my native language) ... Believe me, in Russian it's really very funny and interesting book! " The Stranger" is just the first book in a series of " The Labyrinths Of Echo" But in series are 15 books! The eighth, ninth and tenth are my favorite .. But in English ... Sorry, but this is not such a good :( I hope that soon there will be more high-quality translation into English!
But take my word for it, Max Frei is really good writer, but his books are very hard to translate ...
P.S. Sorry for my bad English...
But take my word for it, Max Frei is really good writer, but his books are very hard to translate ...
P.S. Sorry for my bad English...
March 5, 2013
Перечитала в очередной раз, неспешно, урывками.
Приключения сэра Макса уже не приводят в такой восторг, как на первом курсе, и я долго колебалась в оценке =) Как было сказано в одной из рецензий это "библия для неудачников" - как оказаться всемогущим, не прилагая для этого никаких усилий. Волшебный мир, невероятные кушанья, путешествия и другие радости гедониста сваливаются на голову и остаётся только научиться с ними жить.
И любимая цитата про "Всё будет. Рано или поздно, так или иначе" тоже отсюда.
Приключения сэра Макса уже не приводят в такой восторг, как на первом курсе, и я долго колебалась в оценке =) Как было сказано в одной из рецензий это "библия для неудачников" - как оказаться всемогущим, не прилагая для этого никаких усилий. Волшебный мир, невероятные кушанья, путешествия и другие радости гедониста сваливаются на голову и остаётся только научиться с ними жить.
И любимая цитата про "Всё будет. Рано или поздно, так или иначе" тоже отсюда.
April 6, 2010
I read the first three long stories in the Echo series and found them surprisingly bland. The balance of whimsicality and darkness tilted much too far toward cute and atmospheric, and there was a lack of psychological, narrative, and philosophical substance. It's possible that the stories improve after Frei has introduced the characters to readers, but I don't have patience for much more!
(I read the stories in Russian.)
(I read the stories in Russian.)
October 26, 2008
Hmm. Has anyone out there read this in the original Russian? Or any language other than English?
I really hated the way it was written, but I think that might be the fault of the translator.
The story itself was actually kind of charming, in a Gilbert and Sullivan Meet Sam Spade in Oz kind of way.
I really hated the way it was written, but I think that might be the fault of the translator.
The story itself was actually kind of charming, in a Gilbert and Sullivan Meet Sam Spade in Oz kind of way.
March 30, 2014
Such a nice vacation for my brain
February 14, 2023
3,5*
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 19, 2020
Atėjūnas, pirma Echo labirintų dalis - maginė fantastika. Tačiau tai ne šiaip sau tipiška fantastika.
Knygos autoriumi vadinamas Maksas Frajus (po kuriuo slepiasi ukrainiečių rašytoja, gyvenanti Vilniuje). Knyga yra jo pasakojimas, tarsi memuarai. Ji susideda iš septynių detektyvinių istorijų. Taip, teisingai! Tai detektyvinė fantastika. Maksas atkeliauja iš paprasto ir nuobodoko mūsų pasaulio į nepaprastąjį ir nuostabųjį Echą, sapne gavęs darbo pasiūlymą tapti naktiniu sargu tam tikrame detektyvų biure, užsiimančiame tik pačiais įdomiausiais nusikaltimais.
Ši knyga tikrai ne apie herojaus augimą ir tobulėjimą, kilimą per kančias į žvaigždes. Maksas, niekuo neišsiskyręs savo pasaulyje, beveik nuo pat pradžių Eche yra tikra žvaigždė, su kiekviena istorija vis labiau žvaigždėjanti. Jam nepaprastai sekasi, jis per daug nesisieloja dėl rūpesčių, kurie dažniausiai ir taip išsisprendžia per kelis puslapius. Staiga laimingu ir ypatingu tampantis neypatingas vaikinas - tai galimai tiesiog skaitytojų norų tenkinimas, vadinamasis "wish fulfillment".
Labiausiai ši knyga yra apie tą paslaptingą ir gražų Echo pasaulį. Magijos sistema labai laisva, nutikti gali patys keisčiausi dalykai ir bandyti rasti jiems logiškas paaiškinimus neverta. Echo labirintų pasaulis įdomus, su daugybe savotiškų papročių, spalvinga istorija ir dar spalvingesniais personažais. Šią knygą skaitant reikia atsipalaiduoti ir tiesiog grožėtis, lyg plaukiant Venecijos kanalais. Jeigu ieškote tokio magiško pasiplaukiojimo, ši knyga gali būti kaip tik jums. O jei labiau trokštate realistiškumo, kruopščiai vystomų veikėjų ir logikos, galbūt vertėtų pasiieškoti kažko kito.
Knygos autoriumi vadinamas Maksas Frajus (po kuriuo slepiasi ukrainiečių rašytoja, gyvenanti Vilniuje). Knyga yra jo pasakojimas, tarsi memuarai. Ji susideda iš septynių detektyvinių istorijų. Taip, teisingai! Tai detektyvinė fantastika. Maksas atkeliauja iš paprasto ir nuobodoko mūsų pasaulio į nepaprastąjį ir nuostabųjį Echą, sapne gavęs darbo pasiūlymą tapti naktiniu sargu tam tikrame detektyvų biure, užsiimančiame tik pačiais įdomiausiais nusikaltimais.
Ši knyga tikrai ne apie herojaus augimą ir tobulėjimą, kilimą per kančias į žvaigždes. Maksas, niekuo neišsiskyręs savo pasaulyje, beveik nuo pat pradžių Eche yra tikra žvaigždė, su kiekviena istorija vis labiau žvaigždėjanti. Jam nepaprastai sekasi, jis per daug nesisieloja dėl rūpesčių, kurie dažniausiai ir taip išsisprendžia per kelis puslapius. Staiga laimingu ir ypatingu tampantis neypatingas vaikinas - tai galimai tiesiog skaitytojų norų tenkinimas, vadinamasis "wish fulfillment".
Labiausiai ši knyga yra apie tą paslaptingą ir gražų Echo pasaulį. Magijos sistema labai laisva, nutikti gali patys keisčiausi dalykai ir bandyti rasti jiems logiškas paaiškinimus neverta. Echo labirintų pasaulis įdomus, su daugybe savotiškų papročių, spalvinga istorija ir dar spalvingesniais personažais. Šią knygą skaitant reikia atsipalaiduoti ir tiesiog grožėtis, lyg plaukiant Venecijos kanalais. Jeigu ieškote tokio magiško pasiplaukiojimo, ši knyga gali būti kaip tik jums. O jei labiau trokštate realistiškumo, kruopščiai vystomų veikėjų ir logikos, galbūt vertėtų pasiieškoti kažko kito.
April 17, 2024
Лет через 15 решил перечитать настольную книгу своего детства, которая меня во многом, как ни стыдно признать, сформировала, и поискать там следы того вдохновения, которое магически действовало на детей 90-х. (По-моему это единственная пост-советская книжная серия, которая привела к возникновению костюмированного фандома, подобного толкиенистам).
Из 2024 года видно, что это чудовищно плохо написанная трэшатина, в буквальном смысле рассыпающаяся на глазах, но массажирующая чувства читателя с эффективностью вибродрели.
Если же внимательно эту магию деконструировать, то становится видно, что автора (авторов?) в момент написания больше всего заботило отсутствие еды, и во вторую - отсутствие денег, работы, жилья и признания. Поэтому у главного героя сказочно много денег, недвижимости, все его очень уважают и непрерывно дают совершенно гомерические дозы еды.
Поэтому магия этой книги все еще сильна, но довольно узконаправлена на людей, претерпевающих лишения и неустроенность, или прошлыми такими лишениями травмированных, и от этого даже интересно, действует ли она на людей, родившихся, скажем, позже 2000 года?
(Читатель, помоги в исследовании, если ты родился после 2000 года и прочитал Фрая, напиши понравилось или нет в комментах).
P.S. Если вам кажется, что автор одержим "камрой", столь своеобразно звучащей для англоязычного уха, и упоминает ее когда надо чем-то заполнить паузу, то вам не кажется - так, например в этом небольшом томе слово "камра" употребляется 159 раз. Насколько я знаю, это абсолютный рекорд среди всех книг всех трех серий (в следующем томе "индекс камры" составит почтительную 101 единицу, а далее будет колебаться в районе 30-50).
Из 2024 года видно, что это чудовищно плохо написанная трэшатина, в буквальном смысле рассыпающаяся на глазах, но массажирующая чувства читателя с эффективностью вибродрели.
Если же внимательно эту магию деконструировать, то становится видно, что автора (авторов?) в момент написания больше всего заботило отсутствие еды, и во вторую - отсутствие денег, работы, жилья и признания. Поэтому у главного героя сказочно много денег, недвижимости, все его очень уважают и непрерывно дают совершенно гомерические дозы еды.
Поэтому магия этой книги все еще сильна, но довольно узконаправлена на людей, претерпевающих лишения и неустроенность, или прошлыми такими лишениями травмированных, и от этого даже интересно, действует ли она на людей, родившихся, скажем, позже 2000 года?
(Читатель, помоги в исследовании, если ты родился после 2000 года и прочитал Фрая, напиши понравилось или нет в комментах).
P.S. Если вам кажется, что автор одержим "камрой", столь своеобразно звучащей для англоязычного уха, и упоминает ее когда надо чем-то заполнить паузу, то вам не кажется - так, например в этом небольшом томе слово "камра" употребляется 159 раз. Насколько я знаю, это абсолютный рекорд среди всех книг всех трех серий (в следующем томе "индекс камры" составит почтительную 101 единицу, а далее будет колебаться в районе 30-50).
December 2, 2015
For all of the English speaking readers out there I would like to point out that the translation of this amazing book has gone beyond salvagable. Not only do parts of text seem to be missing but also other parts of text seemingly appear out of nowhere(!). Some jokes have gotten simply scrapped, literally scrapped, and at parts the characters react differently from in the book. e.g.: somebody scowling at a joke instead of laughing out loud [page 107(E), 126(R)]. This is only one example among hundreds.
I can only imagine that the translators at some point went and said: 'Yeah, well you know, the English readers won't understand Max at all, so instead we will make his world a much darker place and leave out a lot of good humor and natural joie de vivre that was this book's major turn on. Why did they do this? I do not know, I simply canot believe that native English speakers are so much different from Russian readers that they had to adapt the book for them. At points I really wanted to cry seeing how they had mangled and torn at my favorite book.
One more thing. In the Russian edition there is an intro that fairly well explains how Max got mixed up in all of this and which sets the mood for the entire series. In the English translation it was simply scrapped. That is all. I do not have anything more to add besides how sorry I am for the people who will probably never get to read a decent rendition of this masterpiece. I am afraid the damage is done, and because of it's low success they won't retranslate it again. This makes me sad.
I can only imagine that the translators at some point went and said: 'Yeah, well you know, the English readers won't understand Max at all, so instead we will make his world a much darker place and leave out a lot of good humor and natural joie de vivre that was this book's major turn on. Why did they do this? I do not know, I simply canot believe that native English speakers are so much different from Russian readers that they had to adapt the book for them. At points I really wanted to cry seeing how they had mangled and torn at my favorite book.
One more thing. In the Russian edition there is an intro that fairly well explains how Max got mixed up in all of this and which sets the mood for the entire series. In the English translation it was simply scrapped. That is all. I do not have anything more to add besides how sorry I am for the people who will probably never get to read a decent rendition of this masterpiece. I am afraid the damage is done, and because of it's low success they won't retranslate it again. This makes me sad.
September 30, 2020
Escapism at its finest.
If you’re looking for a complex plot full of action and conflicts, this is not the book for you. I can only describe this book as cosy, a read that you really look forward to come back to after a day of hard work and worries IRL to be swept away into the fascinating and welcoming world of Echo.
Max is a young man in his twenties suffering from mild depression who cannot find a suitable place for himself in our world on Earth and has troubles accepting the mundane routine of our everyday reality. His only escape is dreaming - something he’s only able to do during the day - and in his dreams he gets a job offer that turns out to be a magical door to the life he’s always yearned for.
I haven’t read the Russian version of The Stranger and, while the translation is very good, I do appreciate that some of the humour does get lost. Still, though, if you enjoy rich world-building and a pleasant journey through calm waters into the sunset, definitely give this book a go.
If you’re looking for a complex plot full of action and conflicts, this is not the book for you. I can only describe this book as cosy, a read that you really look forward to come back to after a day of hard work and worries IRL to be swept away into the fascinating and welcoming world of Echo.
Max is a young man in his twenties suffering from mild depression who cannot find a suitable place for himself in our world on Earth and has troubles accepting the mundane routine of our everyday reality. His only escape is dreaming - something he’s only able to do during the day - and in his dreams he gets a job offer that turns out to be a magical door to the life he’s always yearned for.
I haven’t read the Russian version of The Stranger and, while the translation is very good, I do appreciate that some of the humour does get lost. Still, though, if you enjoy rich world-building and a pleasant journey through calm waters into the sunset, definitely give this book a go.
September 18, 2016
Сплошное разочарование. Каждая история начинается очень бодро, сюжет закручивается, вокруг загадки и тайны: становится очень интересно, как же всё это распутается. А очень просто: главный герой обязательно случайно встретит кого-нибудь, кто ему всё разжуёт, разложит по полочкам, и объяснит, вот и вся детективная история.
Кстати, главный герой - это вообще отдельная песня. Очень напомнило какую-то книжку Донцовой (не помню какую, да и не суть важно). Это мужчина, но в представлении женщины. То есть, в итоге, недалекая невинная девочка в мужском обличье. Интересы: сплетничать, пить местный аналог чая/кофе, и выслушивать комплименты от шефа. Странноватый, короче, получился мужчина.
В итоге имеем: сборник незамысловатых детективных историй в стиле Д. Донцовой - возможно чуть похуже, обрамлённых в обертку фэнтези. Любителям вышеупомянутой Донцовой должно понравиться, но остальным не могу порекомендовать эту книгу.
Кстати, главный герой - это вообще отдельная песня. Очень напомнило какую-то книжку Донцовой (не помню какую, да и не суть важно). Это мужчина, но в представлении женщины. То есть, в итоге, недалекая невинная девочка в мужском обличье. Интересы: сплетничать, пить местный аналог чая/кофе, и выслушивать комплименты от шефа. Странноватый, короче, получился мужчина.
В итоге имеем: сборник незамысловатых детективных историй в стиле Д. Донцовой - возможно чуть похуже, обрамлённых в обертку фэнтези. Любителям вышеупомянутой Донцовой должно понравиться, но остальным не могу порекомендовать эту книгу.
July 14, 2017
Ух, первая книга из первого цикла пролетела и уселась в голове.
Интересное дело, что читать я начал с последнего цикла, поэтому не все тонкости были понятны, сейчас же те книги воспринимаются немного по-другому. Это тоже интересный опыт и ощущения, когда прочитав одну книгу ты складываешь ещё одно отношение к другим, переосмысливаешь их.
Книга с серией рассказов, которые подробно рассказывают о становлении человека в новом мире. В мире, где у тебя не было жизни, а значит не было сожалений, мнений и опасений, что позволяет тебе совершенно иначе жить, ощущать Мир и, параллельно, приобретать и справляться со своими способностями.
С каждой книгой всё больше хочется в сновидениях увидеть Ехо, и однажды оказаться там.
"Вижу Вас, как наяву!"
Интересное дело, что читать я начал с последнего цикла, поэтому не все тонкости были понятны, сейчас же те книги воспринимаются немного по-другому. Это тоже интересный опыт и ощущения, когда прочитав одну книгу ты складываешь ещё одно отношение к другим, переосмысливаешь их.
Книга с серией рассказов, которые подробно рассказывают о становлении человека в новом мире. В мире, где у тебя не было жизни, а значит не было сожалений, мнений и опасений, что позволяет тебе совершенно иначе жить, ощущать Мир и, параллельно, приобретать и справляться со своими способностями.
С каждой книгой всё больше хочется в сновидениях увидеть Ехо, и однажды оказаться там.
"Вижу Вас, как наяву!"
August 8, 2021
Tai yra, mano galva, vieną geriausių fantasy knygų, nenusileidžianti Hariui Poteriui ar Žiedų valdovui. Skaniausias humoras bei nenuvalkiotas stebuklingas detektyvas. Nepaisant nuostabių Sigutės Ach iliustracijų, knyga suprasti vaikams būtų pernelyg sudėtinga. Sakau kaip žmogus, kuris skaitė ją keturiolikos pirmą sykį ir antrą kartą dabar. Taip pat tai viena mėgstamiausių mano tėčio knygų.
Pacituosiu Jurgą Ivanauskaitę: "daugelis autoriaus kuriamų situacijų yra tikrai juokingos, nors jo kūryba niekada nestokoja ir tikrojo egzistencinio liūdesio."
Beje, Maksas Frajus iš tikrųjų yra moteris.
Pacituosiu Jurgą Ivanauskaitę: "daugelis autoriaus kuriamų situacijų yra tikrai juokingos, nors jo kūryba niekada nestokoja ir tikrojo egzistencinio liūdesio."
Beje, Maksas Frajus iš tikrųjų yra moteris.
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