Worl of Fantasy №7-8 (ENG)

a magazine of your universe

Siver Vikings Odessa Comic Con Cloudshunter from Lviv Dniprohills’ Superwitch

ENGLISH EDITION

July August

2014

№7-8

monthly

magazine

World of Fantasy â„–7-8 (10-11). July-August 2014 Since September 2013.

EDITORSHIP Editor-in-Chief: Victoria Vakolyuk Deputy editor-in-Chief: Artem Ostrozhynsky Literary editor: Yaroslava Zuyenko Proofreader: Vlada Solovyova Design: Oksana Pronko, Victoria Vakolyuk Contributors: Victoria Vakolyuk, Inna Kovalyshena, Artem Ostrozhynsky, Oksana Pronko, Vlada Solovyova

Cover artist: Vlada Solovyova Model: Natalia Holemba Translators: Masha Khomych, Olya Tarasenko, Oksana Pronko, Oksana Vasurchak, Nika Boychuk, Margaret Marchenko Š World of Fantasy. All rights reserved.

It is special English edition. It has less articles than original one. If you want more read the Ukrainian issue.

E-mail: svit_fantasy@ukr.net

by Lui XIV

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RELEASING BOOK LIST

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RELEASING CINEMA LIST

WIZARD REPORTER

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Siver Vikings

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10 Odessa Comic Con:

Cosplayed Ukraine

INK SPELLS

14 Dniprohills’ Superwitch 19 Magic of the Sun

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ANIMATION 22 We are all united whole!

CRYPTOFANTASY 24 Ukrainian Mythology

and Fantasy

BARDS’ SUCCESSORS

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30 Shadow of the Sun

AUTHORS’ CHRONICLES

32 A Fairy Tale of Joanne Rowling 35 PRATCHETTY 36 WOF RECOMMENDS

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38 GALLERY

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RELEASING BOOK LIST The Outsorcerer’s Apprentice Tom Holt (Orbit) A happy workforce, it is said, is a productive workforce. Mmm.Try telling that to an army of belligerent goblins. Or the Big Bad Wolf. Or a professional dragons layer. Who is looking after their well-being?

Who gives a damn about their intolerable working conditions, lack of adequate health insurance, and terrible coffee in the canteen?

Thankfully, with access to an astonishingly diverse workforce and limitless natural resources, maximizing revenue and improving operating profit has never really been an issue for the one they call «the Wizard.» Until now. Because now a perfectly good business model is about to be disrupted by a young man not entirely aware of what’s going on.

There’s also a slight risk that the fabric of reality will be torn to shreds. You really do have to be awfully careful with these things.

Save a Dragon (Спасти дракона) Ilona Volynska, Kyrylo Kashcheyev (EKSMO) She is Irka Hortytsya, a daughter of the pagan god Simargl, a master of the Dnipro Ukraine magic and a witch-werewolf.

She is used to overcome any obstacles, but all of her abilities appeared not to be enough, when the girl found herself in Vyriy, the magic world of snakes. Irka betook herself there to save Ait, a Great Water Dragon, but was taken herself like a prisoner very soon. Strange world wasn’t hospitable. And Irka’s best friends, Tetyana and Bohdan, left in that world, came across new problems and dangerous ancient mysteries.

But we shouldn’t underestimate true friendship, sincere love and… witches! Irka and her friends would try to do

Way of Mantis. The emperor of Flood (Шлях Богомола. Імператор повені) Volodymyr Yeshkilyev (Folio) The middle of IX century. Eastern Europe is embraced the war. Pre-Ukrainian tribes move back to West, being pressured by khazars and servants of demonic idol called Mantis. However, enemies don’t leave them being even at their new homeland — Subcarpathia. From the ages a mystic inheritor of wizards appears and menaces an every being. Either human Middleworld or God’s high world is rooted to the spot with anxious expectation. In this tempestuous time fate meets protagonists together to change the march of history once more.

The events of the novel “Emperor of Flood” happens 7 centuries later: Karna, a mother of Mantis, is still alive…

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RELEASING CINEMA LIST Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Release date in Ukraine: 14 August Genre(s): fantasy, adventure, comedy, action Country: USA Cast: Megan Fox, Alan Ritchson, Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek, Noel Fisher, Will Arnett, Danny Woodburn, William Fichtner A city needs the heroes.

Darkness has settled over New York City as Shredder and his evil Foot Clan have an iron grip on everything from the police to the politicians. The future is grim until four unlikely outcast brothers rise from the sewers and discover their destiny as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Turtles must work with fearless reporter April O’Neil and her cameraman Vern Fenwick to save the city and unravel Shredder’s diabolical plan.

The Secret of Four Princesses (Тайна четырех принцесс) Release date in Ukraine: 14 August Genre(s): fantasy, comedy Country: Russia Cast: Orbakayte, Sergey Zhyhunov, Alexander Strizhenov Once in a faraway kingdom a merry kind tailor, named Hans, lived. Fate brought him to the palace of the King, who charged him with discovering a secret of his daughters, four princesses, who disappeared every night. Meanwhile, in another kingdom, Queen Gurunda decided to marry her princes-sons with the daughters of rich kings-neighbors. Unfortunately, her sons had already found their brides. Their disobeying made Gurunda furious. She cursed them and turned into ravens, giving them only few hours being the humans — from the midnight to 3 A.M.

Magic stories: the Elixir of Kindness (Чарівні історії: Еліксир добра) Release date in Ukraine: 25 August Genre(s): fantasy, music, family Country: Ukraine Cast: Volodymyr Horyansky, Oleksiy Ahopian, Alexander Ilvahin A story tells about a young whimsical ruler Unur, who spends all time in his joyroom surrounded by biorobots. It happened that prince Unur became an orphan very early and the speaking Helmet became his counsellor. But it’s more complicated, than you think.

The Helmet is operated by the evil technical genius from the hidden room, however prince Unur suspects nothing. When his actions cross the line, a good wizard doctor Holf appears out of blue. He changes prince’s life giving him opportunity to decide himself what is the closest to his heart — life of illusions or bright and vivacious, however nonperfect reality.

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WIZARD REPORTER

iver vikings New festival was organised in Chernigiv Region The festival of medieval culture named “Siver Vikings” took place near Shestovytsya Village July 12-13. According to festival’s programme there were: medieval tournaments, a craft fair, training of making pottery wares, the Middle Ages dancing class, fire show and performance of local rock bands.

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egistration took place just on the spot, everyone could register at the entrance. Admission was 50 hrn/per day, 80 hrn/per 2 days. The police and ambulance were looking after participants in order to provide maximum security and safety. The festival gained popularity among people: from those who desired to have fantastic time outdoors to professionals interested in viking’s everyday life.

The fact is everybody found something worth attention, especially loyal and friendly atmosphere was appreciated.

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WIZARD REPORTER The festival began with alignment of participants from all over Ukraine.

Then it was time for tournaments.

They held in several categories: swordsword, buckler-sword, shield-sword, battles 5x5 and professional battles.

Four judges and one marshal supervised tournaments. Participants were: Ayna Bera(Kyiv), Knyaz(Kharkiv), Tamerlan (Sumy), Arkona(Vinnytsya), M&M — Maranon&Milanlen (Kharkiv), Kneht (Kyiv), KFK (Kyiv Fencing Club).

«TribalBorn» TDS dance group from Chernihiv impressed participants with their historical eastern dancing while intervals. Simultaneously an exclusive craft fair was available where people had an amazing chance to buy: wickerwork, leather wares, beads wares, pottery, jewelry made of stones. Traditionally, cuisine was very symbolic and tasty: borsch, pilau, meat kebab. Moreover, prices were reasonable and affordable. As the location of the festival was on the shore of the Desna River, participants lived in tents and were lucky to have possibility to admire picturesque views.

Unfortunately, because of the bad weather, some tournaments were postponed. However, closing of the festival was marvelous. Rock bands such as Atrium, FTrio and Mayakovskiy band were performing first. Then followed fire show from Pulse group, and at the end Diana’s Best fantastic dancing with a sword.

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WIZARD REPORTER

During the second day single and group tournaments went on. What’s more, a great variety of trainings took place while breaks.

Amazing equestrian show was held by group “Victorivka”. Dancing training consisted of ancient, historical dances such as a horse branle, Turkish branle, kastervart, European pea branle. Dancing were organized by dance studio “Reverance” under guidance of Olga Bliznuk.

“Siver Vikings” has been organized for the first time. Even despite the bad weather conditions it managed to be successful and definitely worth of visiting next year.

Yevheniy KALNYTSKYI Photo: Olena Stepanchuk, Yevheniy Kalnytskyi

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WIZARD REPORTER

Odessa Comic Con: cosplayed Ukraine The first Odessa Comic Con International festival started on 19th -20th of July 2014. The title of it is not coincidental: the organizers decided to recreate the conception of the Big Brother, San-Diego’s Comic Con, on Ukrainian land, combining fans of cosplay, anime, movies, music, games, fiction crafts and literature. The event took place in Odessa Sports Palace.

The main entertainment of the festival appeared to be the cosplay show. The contestants were competing in different nominations, such as ‘Best Solo Costume’, ‘Best Duo’ and ‘Best Group Costume’ and locked horns in the ‘Most Complicated Outfit’ for 2 days, about 8 hours each. The photoplace with its professional photographers, mainly interested in cosplay, was helping to perpetuate every pretty dress and shiny armour. Multitudinous master classes were organized specially for cosplay fans about makeup, bedding hairstyling and wigs, sewing costumes and creating accompaniment from favourite fandom universe.

The game world headliner appeared to be Wargaming company, which actively promoted World of Warplanes. The visitors were suggested to take part in various competitions such as: DoTA2, League of legend, console games and even old and black hearted Mortal Kombat 3.

Resting from cosplay part, visitors were able to pay a visit on a fair, where they could find stuff, every nerd would kill for. Posters, Cd’s and USB flash driver’s with games, collectional toys, things from different movies, animes and game worlds, hand worked jewellery and divers kinds of things for cosplay. ‘Daohopak’, ‘Patriot’, ‘Plague Doctor’ stands were waiting for comics lovers, warhammers’ fans were taking pictures with

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Commissar and hers Lefovers, and those, who prefer sweets and girls in black and white dresses, were standing in line to the Maid Café.

The second and the last day of the festival brought more delights to the visitors – a real tournament of knights was organized at the Sports Palace area on Sunday.

We should commend the literature part of the event, which was more than some bookstands and shelves. Tabito-san gave a lecture about founders-fathers of SciFi. Great writers such as Wells and Jules Verne, grand trio of Azimov, Heinlein and Clark were mentioned, utopias and dystopias were spoken of. Majestic Mary Shelley and her “Frankenstein” were honoured especially.

A debating club took place the next day, dedicated to the struggles of a young writer, including Volodymyr Arenev, Ludmila Astakhova and Oleh Silin. They were talking about creating logical world, about principles in the Middle Ages and future world, about

novels and stories, about letters to the editors, synopsises, covers and annotations, deals and royalty, popular books and famous genres, light novels and comics. Korean dramas were highlighted as evident handbook for an author and the lecturer mentioned moves, which free authors of fanfictions from the hand of law. Helping topic was heartily supported by creator of “Plague doctor ”Alissiya Truelove, who presented an algorithm, which successfully helped her to build a plot and invent characters of the comic books for a long time.

The festival was visited by 3000 people daily even despite the entrance fee. It is planned new one Odessa Comic Con in July 2015 with more exciting things to be seen.

We thank sincerely the organizers and personal thanks to Constantine Rays for the opportunity of visiting the festival.

Oleh SILIN Photo: Lyudmyla Lui, Oleh Silin

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INK SPELLS

Dniprohills’

superwitch The sun sets over the horizon, night falls on quiet water of the Dnipro. The stars light up, the full moon is rising up… Silence… Suddenly on the background of the full moon slim figure of a girl with luxuries hair, who is flying on the broomstick, becomes clear…

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© Photo: Vlada Solovyova

rom ancient times at the Dnipro area they tell legends about witches and witchers, being gifted with the ability of transformation and flights, ability to mislead and become invisible, and terrible power to rule the nature…

These legends became the basic of books whose authors are Ilona Volyns’ka and Kyryl Kashceev. One time the press wrote about “Irka Khortytsa – Dniprohills’ witch” as a Ukrainian version of “Harry Potter”. The cycle really was conceived as a Ukrainian response to cycle of books about British witcher, but almost the only what is similar in “Irka Khortytsa” with “Harry Potter” this is trio of mean characters gifted supernatural abilities: halfgoddess Irina Khortytsa, witch Tatianka and warrior of dreams Bohdan. Adventures of tree friends connected with the Ukrainian magic elaborately inscribed in the realities of modern life. Authors intentionally chose the main protagonist as a girl, not a boy, because considered that Ukrainian magic always has women’s accounting.

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INK SPELLS

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INK SPELLS

Irka Khortytsa is a twelve-year girl, who lives with her granny in an old house, one of those which located between two areas of Dnipropetrovsk. Like other teenagers, she has many problems, but when to this all added witch abilities, her life stopped to be the routine. She opened hidden for ordinary people magic part of our world.

But witch craft is not only night flies and meeting with unusual creatures, but many dangers. You need a lot of effort to achieve something good, only troubles happen by themselves. Also magical abilities can’t help you with parents, friends, first love. But experience, knowledge, friends, ordinary human value helps in the magic world.

Story about Irka and her friends do not give any opportunity to feel relaxed. All books have unexpected plot twist, «live» language characters and rich humor.

Previously being unknown and unfamiliar to readers many characters of Ukrainian mythology astonish and amaze, thanks to the new information about them and unexpected scene interpretation.

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Philologist, teacher Ilona Tarnopols’ka and journalist Kyryl Shyhov (Volyns’ka and Kascheev – aliases) are Dnipropetrovsk mariage successful writers, Ph. D. in history. Upon learning huge amount of folklore, ethnographic material, they learned that the Ukrainian mythology is surprisingly rich in original, bright, funny and frightening fairy creatures, most of which is not even known to the public.

Cultural heritage of Dnipro area appeared to be a real treasure. In interviews the writers noted that all the magic world of the «Irka Khortytsa» based entirely on authentic Ukrainian mythology. All evil, monsters and all customs, rites and rituals are absolutely authentic. Even the text of spells is authentic. So in the books authors warn that they don’t answer for the consequences, because ancestors made it working. The series of Irka Khortytsa isn’t just teenager’s fantasy, even magic and legends come to life in the modern era of science and technology. It is also a way to tell the young readers half-forgotten world of the Ukrainian mythology of ancient culture.

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t present, it is written 12 books of the series. Since 2006, a series of «Irka Khortytsya — Dniprohills’ witch» was being published Ukrainian language by publishing house «Ranok» and the Russian publishing house «Family Leisure Club.»

First six stories was issued as individual books by «Family Leisure Club», while «Ranok» issued in three books: «Irka Khortytsa — Dniprohills’ witch» (books: «Season of witch hunt» and « Witch gift»); «Irka Khortytsa takes the challenge up» («Witchcraft for hire» and «Werewolves island») and «Irka Khortytsa and a magic cross» («Bride for a snack» and «Witch circle»). Covers of the books from different publishers are different: one edition is based the pictures, another — on the photos; one is full of details, other is minimalist. But in both

INK SPELLS occasions you immediately understand the overall atmosphere of the book, feel that something mystical and unusual is waiting for you.

In 2009 «Family Leisure Club» published the seventh book of series «Wild hunt or Apocalypse canceled»: warrior of dreams and young witches come to grips with the terrible demons that can destroy our world. The same year «EKSMO» reprinted whole series. The first four books came out in two volumes, the other three separately. Not only the name of series was changed to «Irka Khortytsia — superwitch!», but the titles of all books were either, except the second. From new descriptions a mention of Dniprohills’

© PHOTO: Vlada Solovyova

Each book of series is a unique, exciting and interesting in its own way. The three main characters fall in new adventures: come to grips with the evil witch and her companion, fly to the Sabbath Kupalo (and then they are forced to flee from evils during more than week), launch a detective investigation, are embroiled in a bloody war of werewolves: wolves and falcons, and play a magical city-quest. Some stories of the series have particularly the cultural significance. Thus, in the fourth book reader along with the characters discover the beauty ancient sorcery of Khortytsya, meet magical inhabitants of the island and learn the secrets of the pagan temples.

The fifth and sixth books describe the adventures of the characters in KamenetzPodilsk, and the reader not only gets to

the old castle, but travel in the time from the Middle Ages to the Present (on pages you found legendary Ustym Karmalyuk, open the horrors of the Inquisition, and urban legends come true), meets different social strata (from Roma to Polish nobility), learns the story of seven ethnic communities of Kamenetz-Podilsk (they are symbolizes by a monument near the castle called «Table of consent»).

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INK SPELLS witchcraft was cut, but it, in fact, is the basis for these works, and ethnography series was presented as common, so the authenticity of the original gave a way to the commercial expansion of the readers.

Covers of the revised series are very beautiful, colorful and detailed, made in style of the video game graphics, though the protagonist is a little bit older than in the plot. The publication of the next books about Irka («Shadow of the Dragon», «Thunderstorm lady», «Guest from the hell», «Witch’s Birthday») has continued only in «EKSMO». External changes in the design did not influence the plot, the content of the book remained the same: about the real Dniprohills’ superwitch Irka Khortytsa. Further topics are closely linked with legends about dragons, they open ancient secrets, add even more dangers, challenges and ... romance.

This summer, a new book of the series called «Save the Dragon» was released.

Irka’s friends, Tetjana and Bohdan have

to deal with new challenges and old secrets, when Irka travels to Vyriy to save her beloved Ait from a mysterious enemy.

Currently, work of the next book is going on. According to the official information of publisher, series will consist of 13 novels.

On the pages of their books Ilona Volyns’ka and Kyryl Kascheev revive a spirit of antiquity; maintain a long tradition, enduring charms into the present and combining them with a normal life. Readers are immersed in the bright and original world of Ukrainian magic, the magic that still exists since the days of yore. So you shouldn’t be surprised when you see a witch in the sky above the Dnipro... Who knows, maybe it is Irka Khortytsa?..

Artem OSTROZHYNSKYI

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INK SPELLS

Magic of the SUN “When you are reading it, you feel a tender breeze of Ukrainian enchantment around you”, said a writer Luko Dashvar in her preface to the book “Cloudshunter” that was published by “Family Leisure Club” in 2010.

This debut novel of author from Lviv Dara Korniy (her real name is Myroslava Zamoyska) won a third reward of “Word Coronation” in 2010 and was recognized as “The best debut novel” by web-site “A Reader Friend”, and then appeared in the longlist of BBC’s “ Book of the year 2010”.

A main character is Alina, 19 years old, a student of Art Academy. She is a pretty girl with green hair, who loves trying the world’s strength and her own, that makes her reserved and mysterious for others. She reads works of the famous philosophers, debates with lecturers passionately, even doesn’t watch TV. Art is her life: Alina paints with inspiration, devoting all herself to it. Moreover, as all women in her family, she has magic power of herbalist but she doesn’t know it until a certain moment.

One day she meets an enigmatic young man Sashko, being called by his friends the Bat. He is a student of Art Academy, too. Though he always wears black clothes and seems a ladies’ man, in fact, he is a romantic tending to drink a coffee with cloves, to play the pipe floyara, to love cornflowers and the rain. And he keeps a great secret. Sashko is a cloudshunter and has two souls: one is his own, another’s possessed by Hailbender, a creature being not good, but having its own importance in the world, as manages to control wild and powerful, menacing and brutal elements of heaven and rain.

Alina and Sasha fall in love, but they cannot be together because of an ancient curse associated with Hailbender. Alina decides to fight in order to interrupt a series of misfortune that has been haunting several generations of her family. But to save the most precious — her beloved one, she would have to sacrifice the most precious — love... But love is stronger than the fate.

Dara Korniy’s book is a story about light and strong feelings and willingness to do everything in honour of love. In addition to the main storyline, secondary lines are also well-developed, such as drama of Alina’s best friend Martha, Alina’s relationships with parents and friends, the love story of Irina, mother of the protagonist (and thus «Cloudshunter» is interesting not only for younger generation).

According to the genre «Cloudshunter» is urban fantasy. The main events unfold in Lviv, full of legends and mysteries. In the words of the author, devoted to the City of Lion, you can feel sincere love and respect. Lviv is not a scene, but the one of characters. The guy in the white, Yurko (aka Yuriy Victorious) is the soul of the city, its guardian angel, who knows each of its inhabitants, every house and street. Moreover, sometimes story takes the reader from Lviv to the mystical underworld, the so-called timeless and into the village, surrounded by forests of Volyn in the Carpathian mountains, where people discover other sides of themselves.

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INK SPELLS Legends, that Alina tells, are transmitting the unique atmosphere of magic of the Carpathian and Volyn. The novel is filled with natural images and symbols that are recognizable to Ukrainian readers primarily on the mental level: rain, lightning, clouds, the moon, the sun. Artistic language of the book is fascinating, pure and melodious.

The reader even more flavors a spirit of Western Ukraine thanks to the dialect, which occasionally occurs in the text (a vocabulary presents at the end of the book with meanings of words).

Depicting the book « Cloudshunter» as a vast canvas, you can see the view of modern, but ancient Ukrainian city; summer sky, overcasted, lightning splits in a distance; profuse rain smoothly falling in the streets of Lviv; in the window of a house two figures can be seen: a boy and a girl, embracing.

Moreover, it will be triptych painting, one of which is the urban panorama, on the other — a beautiful mountain landscape, on the third — the magic forest landscape.

Accepting novel like music, we’ll get a gentle melody of floyara, which goes back to the breath of the wind, with thunder, with noise of the city and knocking of raindrops, the leaves rustle. It will be presented through a combination of lyrics of the band Plach Yeremii, «When lips remains halfbreath, when your lips are left half-step... « Such visual and auditory images arise while reading the novel. Moreover, even taste and olfactory sensations (coffee with cloves, the smell of ozone in the air, the scent of cornflowers and silk braid) and tactile (warm rays of the sun on your face, gentle wind in your hair, soft rain drops on the palms). This manifests the power and magic of the word art!

The novel has a unique composition: it includes seven chapters, each is divided into three or four paragraphs. The epigraph to each unit — lines of Ukrainian poetry and songs — for meaning and mood correlated the plot. The book contains eight beautiful

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illustrations of artist Anna Eryemina. It is unfortunate that none of these drawings was not used for the cover. Actually, the cover is only a significant disadvantage of the book and, of course, it’s not the author’s fault. The semantic concept is successful, but the technical implementation and choice of models are frustrating. There is a strong feeling of imitation of the «Twilight Saga» and on the back of the book it is written clearly, “Dara Korniy can become Ukrainian Stephanie Meyer”. Really, vampire Edward and cloudbender Sasha are similar in some ways, but girls’ characters are very different personalities, and plots of the stories differ fundamentally. The main thing is that the basis of the novel of Dara Korniy is Ukrainian magic and that’s what makes it so special: the author completed an obscure image of cloudbender and moved it in a modern environment.

In «Cloudshunter» we observe the magic that comes from the sky, from the earth and from the heart. After reading the novel, you start thinking of many issues: the importance of friendship, close relationship with loved ones; about the importance and impact of art (literature, painting, cinema, music); of the mystery and mysticism that are so close to us; around nature and the structure of the world; the fate and events in our lives; and of course, the strength and invincibility of love. The book demands to be read and re-read, to be quoted in accurate beautiful expressions. «Cloudshunter» proves that you shouldn’t give up when grey clouds are closing the sun. You must be confident, fight and disperse the cloud: to trust, to hope, to love. After all, love is eternal, it does not disappear. After rain a rainbow comes, sun will rise and give its fruitful rays, warming not only the earth but also souls and hearts. This is the main idea «Cloudshunter»: love is a powerful force, it is the sun.

Artem OSTROZHYNSKYI

ЧОРНИЛЬНІ ЧАРИ

© Dara Korniy «Cloudshunter» © Artist: Artem Ostrozhynskyi

un! s e h t Love is

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ANIMATION

We are all united whole!

Mushi are no more, no less than the part of our world.

(Ginko)

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magine a green mountain valley, in which small villages are scattered in wooden houses. And if you go along, you will see the sea and the fishing boats. Ordinary people with everyday problems live here. Live without any idea about the existence of mushi – bizarre creatures that coexist with plants and animals: «Neither alive nor dead, neither good nor evil, looking like not anything, they are found in different guises.» And there are those who see them and know their nature – the wandering mushishi. One of them is Ginkgo – a man with a strange appearance: silver hair and green eyes. Mushi often cause grief, but, according to mushishi, through no fault of their own – it is only a part of the everlasting flow of life.

Title: Mushi Master Original title: Mushishi Type: ТV (2 seasons) + special Country: Japan Year: 2005, 2014 Genres: fantasy, occult detective, drama Based on: manga «Mushishi» by Urushibara Yuki

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Ginko wanders the world by himself, having only wooden backpack with different inherent in the possession: all kinds of powders and herbs. Bumping into a man who has experienced trouble from an invisible creature mushishi helps to fix this problem. This applies to mushi, when they occur any problems, the man also tries to rectify.

It’s wonder, the background of the anime «Mushishi» is very similar to Japan of the Edo period, but without political inclusions.

Prototype of the mushishi is pharmacists of that time, who were just carrying boxes of medicines on their backs and travelled the villages, selling herbal powders to ordinary people.

So all his life Ginko holds on the road, meeting on the way different people. Each episode is a different story from his travels. Sometimes fate brings mushishi a friendly family, where he is greeted with relief of his help offer, and there are also some terrible situations where his interference is not desirable at all.

ANIMATION It is curiously enough that the protagonist often retreats into the background, playing the role of the observer. Ginkgo serves a link between the world of mushi and humans and wants them to get along with each other. He acts as scientist studying every unusual creature, trying to figure out the specifics of its behavior and applies this knowledge in practice.

«Mushishi» is philosophical anime, a little bit melancholical, as Ginko himself, but brings a lot of humour in the story and events solutions usually cannot be predicted. The story is not without «permanent» character: in particular, the doctor Adashino – Ginkos’ friend who is not able to see Mushi, but desperate wants to get close to the invisible world, buying all sorts of weird things from mushishi. And this character is not so simple as it looks like firstly: as every anime episode, he proves that all of us are the particles of one whole. No matter who you are a mushi or a human, everyone lives by his own rules, is committed to something. Therefore, it is necessary not to jump to conclusions and try to communicate.

Wonderful music and lyrics create peaceful and relaxed atmosphere, and openings are written in English that is odd enough.

Technique of depicting is also quite interesting.

The surrounding landscapes are drown to the smallest details: you can easily discern the smallest leaf trembling. It will benefit the different colors of a drop of water. In contrast, people are depicted much easier, but thanks to well-chosen colors and clean-cut fit perfectly into the overall picture.

Anime is a screen adaptation of the manga of Urushibara Yuki, that was published in 2000.

Currently, it consists into two seasons and one special and continuing is scheduled to air this fall.

«Mushishi» is translated from Japanese into Ukrainian by Minus-one, who added the good explanatory comments of obscure points.

Subsequently, the entire anime series was dubbed by Gwean & Maslinka. However Japan lies far-far from us, due to our own «mushishi» we can contemplate and understand it.

Oksana PRONKO

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CRYPTOFANTASY

Ukrainian Mythology & Fantasy U

«Viy», Dmytro Zinchuk

krainian mythology is a huge untouched material for works of fantasy. When you begin to explore it, you wonder why domestic authors have ignored this field so long and use again and again the foreign mythology, which should have to rest a long time ago.

And it happens during the time when the unique and unused material is a stone throw of you. As all of us know something about the beliefs of our ancestors although we don’t think we know that even we sometimes use remnants of ancient wisdom. Although, our knowledge is incomplete and fragmentary, nobody hurries to make an effort and collect it. But it is exaggeration that Ukrainian myths research doesn’t stop during the XIX century, but the trouble is that it is interested only in narrow circles of enthusiasts.

However, in recent years when the classic fantasy genre is in crisis, Ukrainian mythology quite quickly began to gain popularity as a basis for fantasy works.

In this paragraph we try to analyze some works of fantasy authors who drew inspiration from the Ukrainian mythology.

NIKOLAI GOGOL AND HIS ‘EVENINGS ON A HAMLET NEAR DIKANKA’ AND ‘VIY’ Perhaps the story of Ukrainian fantasy began with Gogol’s works. It is noticeable that exactly Ukrainian because the Ukrainian spirit in his writings is very strong as Ukrainian folk traditions are basis of his works. We can also say that Gogol had not much changed mythological ground of his works but just recorded and supplemented heard stories. This is particularly evident in the collection of short stories ‘Evenings…’

Here, in fact, every story is a literary done legend. Author doesn’t alter the mythological base by simply adding the necessary details and surroundings: all witches, devils, mermaids and other creatures of folk imagination were presented with minimal descriptions and without any analysis. The

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average Ukrainian knows about them as much as Mr. Nikolai. We can say more, older people in remote villages can tell you much more about Ukrainian mythical abomination.

Nevertheless Gogol created the entirely romantic atmosphere works, interesting and revolutionary for his time with relatively poor folklore.

Such happened with ‘Viy’. Gogol admitted in a footnote, ‘Viy is a powerful piece of national imagination. Ukrainian people call at that way senior dwarves whose eyelids are down to the ground. This whole story is a popular legend. I don’t want to change it, so tell almost as easily as I had heard.’

According to this note, the writer did not hold any substantial research of Ukrainian mythology, even didn’t make an attempt to understand the classification of abomination, about which he wrote. By limited studies in collecting legends, he laid the cornerstone of a Ukrainian fantasy and used the national mythology and its surface material.

CRYPTOFANTASY TARAS SHEVCHENKO. BALLADS Because of an crest of romanticism and European interest in folklore lots of Ukrainian folk poets began to write poems based on folk legends and tales. Special place among them Taras Shevchenkos’ romantic ballads are occupied. All of them (‘The Mighty Dnieper’, ‘Mermaid’, ‘Poplar’, ‘Lily’) have the basic plot of girl’s tragedy with the addition of supernatural elements, including magical metamorphosis.

With these ballads later the world-famous ‘Catherine’ appeared, however it has been devoid of any supernatural elements.

LESYA UKRAINKA AND HER ‘A FOREST’S SONG’ ‘A Forest’s Song’ probably is the bestknown work which is based on Ukrainian mythology. There are Mavka, Water Goblin, Rusalka, and Perelesnyk, and many others, even non-existent Ukrainian mythological creatures (like He, Who Dwells in Rock). In short, Lesya Ukrainka managed to collect all the supernatural powers of Volyn in a single work and also make them unique and lively characters.

«Mermaid», Dmytro Zinchuk

In the book besides Ukrainian myths you can see the influence of other legends and literary

works. So you can feel a significant influence of Legends of The Arthurian literary cycle in the play, for example Lukash’s image recalls with the image of «foolish knight» Parsifal, the man, who is the only one of the knights of the Round Table was able to find the Holy Grail. Also the image of Mavka conformed to the image of the forest fairies Rautendelein, that is the character of Hauptmann’s play ‘The Sunken Bell’. You should know that the similarity does not mean ‘identity’ in this case and despite these parallels the characters «Forest Song» are unique and inimitable.

While other writers have used and treated ancient myths, Lesya Ukrainka created her own. The myth of loyalty and betrayal, love and indifference, the search for soul and destiny.

And this myth has become an essential part of European culture and proved again that Ukraine is an integral part of Europe.

MYKHAILO KOTSYUBYNSKYI ‘SHADOWS OF FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS’ Kotsyubynskyi went to Hutsulshchyna for the sake of this story and collected ethnographic material by himself. The consequence of this titanic work is history of ‘Ukrainian Romeo and Juliet’, who are Ivan and Marichka. However, the work of Mykhailo Mykhailovich doesn’t look the same as classic Shakespeare’s tragedy, because this story isn’t about love. More precisely, love doesn’t play so important role there.

‘Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors’ tells us about the conflict of material and spiritual in human life. Huzuls believed in the supernatural in 19th century, and even perceive it as something familiar, even commonplace. And Kotsiubynsky managed to convey a purely Ukrainian bizarre fusion of Christianity and paganism, and you can’t distinguish where one ends and another begins. And Scheznyk and Chuhayster and all other members of the «abomination», came out just as real people, and sometimes they are more real.

The author describes the world in small and seemingly obscure details as it is seen by hutsuls. The world where existence of supernatural is not in doubtful, but life conquers death even at the funerals.

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CRYPTOFANTASY VOLODYMYR RUTKIVSKYI. TRILOGY ‘JURAS’ This trilogy could have been attributed to historical works if it hadn’t had the presence of harakternyks-characters. Strictly-realistic historical formation of Cossacks diluted patches of supernatural to involve young readers, because the novel is marked as children’s.

At the beginning of the trilogy supernatural power of harakternyks looks like a God from the machine, that appears in the most difficult moment and solve complex problems instantly.

But then line of harakternyks unfolds and, as result, became more important and magic power begins not only to rescue the heroes, but also to cause them outstanding trouble.

The percentage of supernatural in trilogy is low and it does not seem that the author conducted serious research for story writing.

But the characters from writer’s pen are endowed with magical powers and they are interesting, authentic and believable.

VITALIY KLIMCHUK «RUTHENIA» It was the first time in the history of Ukrainian fantasy when the author created his own unique world with using Ukrainian mythology. This world is very similar to Kievan Rus’ pre-Christian period, but there are not only usual people but also there live other magical races. The writer created these races by using the image of Ukrainian mythical creatures such as mermaids, forest nymphs, chuhaistr, poverty and many others. However, the races of the Ruthenia’s world look like their mythological prototypes such as elves of Tolkien look like the Irish fairy, which are their prototypes. Moreover, unlike the races of Middle-earth all the races in the Ruthenia’s world are usually connected with people or depend of them.

Putting into shape the mythology of this novel is a really high level work, changes in appearance of supernatural characters do not entail a change in their essence. Also psychology of all these characters is successful because they are not people, so their opinions and feelings must differ from humans’. This makes them much more plausible. The concept of the universe in the book, which is based on

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the ideas of our ancestors, tells us that three worlds are united with the World Tree.

Perhaps the greatest mystery of the story is the circle of characters called rahmans.

There is almost nothing about them. Although rahmans disappeared before the beginning of the novel, they have some influence on world events. The author does not explain the reader the rahman’s mystery even in the last chapter. Does the reason lay in the fact that information about rahman mentioned in the works of ethnographers and researchers only in connection with «Rahman Easter», which is the twenty-fifth day of Easter, and word interpreted as «righteous, virtuous man» (Dictionary of Hrinchenko)?

VOLODYMYR ARENEV ‘DEVIL’S SOUL, OR THE ACCURSED TREASURE» This fantasy story has a a powerful ethnographic and literary base. The author uses a wide range of Ukrainian mythology, so here you can ‘meet’ harakternyks, werewolves,

CRYPTOFANTASY vampires, and even well-known to us from our childhood Baba Yaga, who finally appeared before the readers in her true appearance of a forgotten pagan goddess’. This is not a complete list of characters endowed with supernatural powers.

Of course, the most interesting characters are rahmans. There is not much information about them, however their power is impressive.

Rahmans called themselves Guards, but the name does not explain their origin and only a few hints at their purpose. In short, rahman – the darknest character throughout the story.

‘Devil’s Soul’ describes the universe as it was imagined by our ancestors. The world, in their opinion, consists of three linked parts Jav, Prav and Nav. This an idea is not responsible to Christian faith and most heroes have internal conflict, which they fortunately honorably overcome. But the reliability of the transmission of the internal conflict is amazing such as show of perception pagan beliefs in the light of Christianity.

The only downside of the mythological basis of the work can be considered only the term

«keepers» and its interpretation. Somehow inexplicably, good spirits guards turned to evil in the story. Also author called so such characters as forest nymph, mermaids, niavok, because they living on the banks of ponds.

Although forest nymph, for example, always prefer the backwoods.

However, «Devil’s soul, or the accursed treasure» is a good story, which grown on soil of Ukrainian folk beliefs.

DARA KORNIY ‘CLOUDSHUNTER’, SERIES ‘BACK SIDE’ The name of Dara Korniy is associated with fantasy genre, which was created on the basis of old Ukrainian myth. Her debut book ‘Cloudshunter’ was promoted as ‘The Twilight Saga’ by Ukrainian, although there are nothing similar in these two works. ‘Cloudshunter’ is a synthesis of Ukrainian myths and myths of writers, built in the same anteyistic-romantic vein (anteyism is the cult of the earth; it inherent Ukrainian culture in general and in particular mythology). In addition to the usual pattern you can also find in work characters like harakternyks, witches, symbols of the sun, the sky and the earth, and the central character of the work is an obscure mythological image of Cloudshunter, which doesn’t appear in most of the books of Ukrainian mythology. But a wealth of details of the life and «work» of cloudshunters depicted in the novel makes us believe that these creatures really existed, at least in the imagination of our ancestors.

ILONA VOLYNSKA, KYRYL KASCHEYEV. SERIES ‘IRKA HORTYTSYA — DNIPROHILLS’ WITCH’ This series of teen books entirely based on Ukrainian mythology, revealing the each volume in the series of their many different aspects. As the main character of the work is a young witch, most mythological elements is associated with witchcraft. Moreover, the authors deal with topics of serpents and dragons, and werewolves, and even the devil, so the breadth of covered topics is impressive.

Although cycle is adolescence, mythology is not just for teens and authors processed material

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CRYPTOFANTASY describes the life of mankind after the fall of civilization. Apart from purely environmental and social issues, children, who are the heroes of the trilogy, faced with the characters of myths and legends such as Baba Yaga, goblins, mermaids and Werewolves, as well as magical objects like mortar for flights or pot of dead water.

Mythological foundation of trilogy is rather weak because most of the material was taken from folk adapted tales. Supernatural characters, except the mermaids, were simplified and they do not keep any supernatural experience. For example, although Baba Yaga is a powerful goddess, she appears in the work as cruel old woman who accidentally got a little bit of magic power and now takes revenge over the world for some unknown reason.

seriously and responsibly, didn’t forget about the seemingly insignificant details. Author’s often reassessing folk tales and legends. Thus, the victim of copyright tyranny became tales «Ivasyk-Telesyk» and «The Princess-Frog», suddenly their characters turned from positive to negative, and epic fight of heroes and snakes become barely or not at family showdown.

Authors used the images of ancient gods in their writings. However, they played a minor role in the series and almost did not appear in the books personally.

Besides the series was based precisely on the vividly expressed Dnipro area mythology, later new publishing house has positioned a new series of book as a series based on Slavic mythology. However, the original background is shouting, «This is a book about the Dnipro Ukraine! About the former Cossack lands!

About old Ukrainian beliefs! «.

The book series combined fantastic components and relevant topics very harmoniously. The authors were able to link reality with fiction, so the reader does not even doubt magic that exists very close to him!

SERHIY OKSENYK TRILOGY ‘BY FOREST, BY AIR, BY WATER’ This trilogy (which is currently still incomplete) is an unusual fusion of fantasy, post-apocalyptic fiction and children’s tale. It

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In general, the author doesn’t want to tell us more about the details of magical creatures.

Maybe he holds an intrigue, or simply hasn’t thought through all the details yet. Anyway, the two books, written of planned three, leave behind themselves a lot of questions, so maybe everything will be revealed in the third part.

By the way the trilogy was planned as children’s adventures, in which the fantasy elements are introduced into the story mainly for interest of reader and for all the same features as ‘god from the machine’, so as a result, we see the surface treatment of myths, legends and fairy tales without attempting to reach to the point.

NATALIA TYSOVSKA ‘THE LAST SHAMAN’ This work is interesting because the author uses not only Ukrainian mythology, but also the beliefs of the peoples of the Siberia, including the Yakutia. She even managed to hold between this mythologies some parallels, but according to the opinion of author of this article, similar parallels can be drawn between all the mythologies of the world.

There are such characters of Ukrainian mythology in the book: nyavka, chuhayster, hovanets, upyr, some more minor evil and goddess Mokosha, whose image of the village witch, in which she appears to people (and even married!) perhaps strikes the reader mostly.

Also in the novel unusual is the attitude of

CRYPTOFANTASY the abominations to themselves. Hovanets really impress them (and itself at the same time) evil beings, just because it is customary; while niavka tries to convince the opposite him, because of what, in fact, the whole plot develops.

Particularly interesting is the author’s attitude, which you can read between the lines, to the supernatural creatures. The writer does not explain their nature. They just are, therefore have the right to exist. And those who try to help people also deserve respect. This attitude to mythological creatures is typical for the Siberia, whose mythology also occupies an important role in the book.

However, this novel is anthropocentric and the main characters nyavka and Hovanets are dependent on the people and all their actions are aimed at the cooperation with humans.

Well, it’s also one of the main motives almost for all cultures in the world.

VICTORIA HRANETSKA ‘BODYTM’ In this novel, what is remarkable, fantasy elements are only for simulations and disclosure psychology characters. Victoria Hranetska uses the supernatural as the instrument and not as an objective like George Martin. All details of supernatural are changing according to the wishes of the author and for creating the situation in the novel. Molfars’ abilities of the characters and the firm ‘BodyTM’ which engaged in a transfer shower are only to show the painful split human body in which live two soul cynic for whom nothing is sacred and romantic guy ready to give their lives for their beloved homeland, that was wiped off the map with the more powerful state.

Summarizing, we can say that Ukrainian mythology is used as the basis for some works of fantasy, and, as the result of this, there are high-quality and interesting works, the only drawback is the lack of their quantity. We wish authors from Ukraine and all over Europe to make more use of these motives in their works to the next article on the subject could describe the whole group of books with common motives, but won’t disassemble each book separately.

Inna KOVAKYSHENA

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BARDS’ SUCCESSORS

__ SHADOW OF THE SUN Their music comes to life in every song. It inspires and leads beyond reality, revealing new unnoticed verges. This music really disturbs imagination and evokes petrified feelings.

Пісня Чугайстра У предвічних хащах, де не тліє цвіт болота, Де лягла Батия Чорно-Золота кіннота, Часом в білій свиті зачарований блукає Лісовик-Чугайстер і стиха промовляє: Якщо можеш, завітай до мене ти, Якщо хочеш, спий моєї води, Якщо Віриш, розкажи мені, Про що ти мрієш, коли живеш на самоті...

«Shadow of the Sun» is a folk band from Kyiv that performs songs in a unique genre called «Cossack rock.» It was founded 15 years ago by brothers Vasylyuk and today it has acquired enormous widespread popularity and gathers a large audience at every concert. The cast of the group was constantly changing, and currently has six people: Sergey Vasylyuk (vocal), Ivan Luzan (Bandura), Nicholas Luzan (guitar), Ruslan Mikayelyan (guitar), Ivan Hryhoryak (bass), Vladimir Havruk (drums).

Стогне хижим плачем трясовина на Поліссі, Попелом укрите листя у древлянськім лісі. В безнадії квола похилилася тополя, Дме тривожний вітер з отруєного поля.

The first album «The Holiness of faith» appeared in 2002, but wasn’t officially released. And now, in 2014, the group has a legacy of full six albums, the latest of which is titled «Thunder in the Forge of God» is particularly relevant in light of current events in Ukraine. In addition, there are several different projects, among which Sergey Vasyliuk’s solo album «Hidden Face» is to be noted particularly. The group is often invited to the various festivals, musicians has visited with performances Belarus, Poland and Russia.

Все, що наснилось, більше не вернеться — Казкові мрії в небутті. Занадто рано зупинилось серце: Ми вмерли надто молоді. Мій голос з неба чорний крук принесе, Спливе по Прип’яті вінок. Чекайте вістки під Похмурим Сонцем, У сяйві жалібних зірок.

The group also saw a considerable number of fantastic compositions, including mythological motives: «Song of Chuhaistr», «Hnylhorod», «Christening of werewolf», «Windmill», «Sword of Ares», «Sunman», « Horizon paths «, «Blood Dance» «Whisper of the water», «Color of the night», «At this field, blue as flax», «Sky». For example, in the song «Goldenword man», which is an abridged version of popular carols,

Брами павутиння від сосни і до берези — Вартові чекання — Долі зламані терези. Полум’яна рута життєдайно розквітає, Та ніхто не бачить! Ніхто того не знає!

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describes World Tree and the creation of the world, and «On the morning stars» shows a figure of bizarre girl, whose description is similar to the nymph.

Interesting motive sounds in «Road to the forest»: people have erected a wall between themselves and evil spirits, but the lyrical hero boldly «jumps» to communicate with the spirits of nature, claiming his actions stupidity of voluntary isolation. Combined with authentic instruments such rock songs sound particularly nice, and charming lyrics reflect as vivid images in the minds of listeners. When we are talking about domestic fantasy music, we are talking about this!

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AUTHORS’ CHRONICLES

A Fairy Tale of Joanne Rowling A fashionable car arrived to the house in a grim suburb of Edinburgh. A passenger came out of it, not very tall blond woman looking like a school teacher. She raised her head and stared at the window on the one of top floors. She seemed as if there was another dark-haired woman behind the window – pale, stooping and sad.

Blonde was looking on a ghost from her past, tears were running down her cheeks and lips were whispering, «Everything is too hard but then it’s going to be better.

You can’t even imagine how great it would be...»

A foggy spring day of 1964 London was wet and cold. Peter Rowling noticed a young slim girl muffling in a jacket in a train leaving from Kings-Cross station to Scotland. The lad took his coat off and offered it to her, smiling.

Lady’s name was Anne Volant. Peter and Anne liked each other at once so much that they married in a year and settled in a little town in West England. 31 June 1964 Anne gave birth to their daughter, later named Joanne. ...In December 1990 Joanne Rowling, not very successful young secretary, was travelling by train from Manchester to London. The train delayed for three hours and bored Joanne was looking through the window when suddenly in her mind a portrait of thin green-eyed boy, wearing glasses and having the bolt-shaped scar on his forehead, appeared. Undoubtedly, but Joanne knew clearly that soon this boy will get a letter from school of witchcraft and wizardry and the adventures will start!

Not accidentally they began from HogwartsExpress that leaves from Kings-Cross station from magical platform №93/4. If there weren’t those two trains in Joanne’s life, there were neither Harry Potter nor Hogwarts and 400 million sold books. Life will give Joanne some important lessons before she started writing about magic on her pages.

LESSON ONE. POTIONS Маленька Джо Ролінґ росла фантазеркою і A little Jo Rowling was growing as a dreamer, she always imagined something and liked to tell stories, created by herself. Her first listener was her younger sister Di. Peers sometimes

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© Artist: Henry Wong

PROLOGUE. HOGWARTS-EXPRESS

teased plump Jo but respected her because of her storytelling gift. Her best childhoodfriends were neighbours Ian and Vicky Potter.

Ian often put on a long robe and wizards cap and began to «charm» and «brew potions» with girls-»witches».

Joanne and Di’s childhood was usual, with fun and normal teen’s problems. In Rowlings’ family “cauldron” was usual English oatmeal, family’s head earned good money working at Rolls-Royce factory, and mother was a school teacher.

At school Jo mostly liked languages and literature lessons, and sciences were not her cup of tea. But strict teachers didn’t let her loaf, and John Netshile mostly. Being adult Jo revenged him using his character as the

AUTHORS’ CHRONICLES most malicious teacher in Hogwarts - Severus Snape, Potions teacher.

Joanne was fifteen when her mother’s disease-sentence was realised: dispersed sclerosis. Her mother could be saved only with magical potion. Jo was studying at school, then in the university of Exeter and was always thinking about a thin border between life and death and how fruitless are our attempts to save our fragile lives. Anne Rowling’s body was becoming the half-living ruine, her mind was going, like goes sand between fingers. When Joanne came home after that fortune train, she began writing down her ideas. In December of that year her mother died. This tragical event had a great influence on Joanne’s book and she described death of Harry’s parents more detailed because now she had such awful experience herself.

LESSON TWO. DEFENCE AGAINST THE DARK ARTS After mother’s death Joanne went to Portugal, city Portu, to work as an English teacher. There she met a television journalist Jorge Arantes. They got married in October 1992 and 27 June 1993 their daughter Jessica was born. But the family idyll didn’t live long.

One November morning of that year, after the new argument Joanne took her daughter and left. In December, with three chapters of

«Harry Potter» in suitcase and a little daughter she moved to Edinburgh to be near to her sister (their father suddenly married a young secretary and had no time for daughters).

Joanne rented a small flat. Public help — about £70 per week — was hardly enough to live. Such unhappy events seemed endless.

The only thing which distracted Joanne from her problems was her favourite job. Joanne walked with daughter until baby was falling asleep and then went to one of the city cafés (for example, «Nicolson’s» and «The Elephant House»). There she dived into the magical world of her book. The heroes of it started looking more realistic. For example «Miss-Iknow-all-that-stuff» Hermione Granger is Jo in childhood, though Hermione has a bit of Jo’s sister - beautiful Di. Ginger-haired Ron Weasley seems like Joanne’s school friend Shon Harris, who had his own «Ford Anglia».

And the orphan Harry, he’s also the part of Joanne’s childhood. She gave him her secret fears and feelings with her birthday. Life circumstances of that time influenced the story and in the book for children appeared really grim episodes. At night, sitting near the Jessica’s bed and listening how mice are running under the floor, Joanne feeled like there were dementors — ruthless guards of magical prison Ascaban, creatures that suck from soul all fun, happiness and, the most important, hope, — flying nearly.

© Photo: Аrtem Ostrozhynskyi

LESSON THREE. CHARMS

«It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.»

But underwater stones became the basis for Jo’s new life. Five years passed before her first book. It was ended only thanking to Scotland Council which gave Joanne a little grant because of financial support to children books writers. In 1995 the book was finished and Joanne told her sister Diana about it. She liked the idea and her reaction inspired Jo. Typed on an old typewriter, book was sent to the literary agent but was soon rejected because of agent’s opinion that children fantasy wasn’t profitable. So Jo’s sister advised her to try another agent. «Cristopher Little Literary Agents» agreed to represent Joanne in her search for publishers. Book was sent to twelve publishing companies but was rejected by all of them. At the time Joanne started working

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AUTHORS’ CHRONICLES as a French teacher. Only after the year of search editor of London publishing house Bloomsbury Barry Canningem agreed to publish the book after he gave his daughter the first chapter. But as publishers were afraid that boys may not buy books written by woman, it was decided to use Joanne’s initials. As Jo had no second name, she used name of her grandmother and became Joanne Kathleen Rowling.

26 June 1997 the book was published and after five monthes got it first award Nestlé Smarties Book Prise. In the beginning of 1998 in the USA an auction for the right to publish the book took place. It was bought by Scholastic for $105 000. On her first money from book Joanne bought the house in a good city district and moved there with Jessica.

Hogwarts-express was going to be world famous. Joanne came to her first ceremony award wearing old shoes bought on sale, brand clothes came to her wardrobe later.

The first circulation of «Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone» was only a thousand items - and now more than 300 million Harry Potter books are sold in the world. On the first reading came mostly bookshop workers, but soon Jo had to give not so many interviewes because they took much time.

Joanne’s life magically changed. Poor teacher was shocked to realise that she was so suddenly famous. Nothing really changed and she’s still Jo Rowling but who are all that people with microphones and sofits and why are they listening every her word? And what to do with all that money? Jo didn’t like the idea to spend such money only on herself - it was a waste of money while so many people all over the world were hungry and sick. Now she is a head of some charity foundations and pays much money in inventing the medicine against the diffused sclerosis that had killed her mother.

The second book, the Harry Potter continuation was published in July 1998 and in October the film company Warner Bros. bouught the right to film first two books.

On the set Joanne came as a queen. The film company considered Joanne’s wishes to casting, scenery and filming. The story, written by herself, was coming to life and she could see this process.

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LESSON FOUR. DIVINATION A successful writer, millionaire, loved by children and adults all over the world, Jo always remembered that she’s just the lonely mother and seemed she would be always lonely mother.

For a long time she was unlucky in family life.

But not occasionnally Divination is one of the hardest Hogwarts subjects: you never know what is after the next turn of your life path.

Year 2000 gave Joanne the Order of British Empire and the best acquaintance in her life.

While being at friend’s home she met doctoranesthesiologist Neil Murray. Jo was shocked: he was just like adult Harry Potter, who became an imposing tall brunet wearing glasses. The most strange was that he didn’t read any of Harry Potter books but was interested in their author. Not as a writer-millionaire but as a woman. On Christmas of 2001 they got married.

24 March 2003 their son David Gordon and 23 January 2005 daughter Mackenzie Jean were born, whom Joanne devoted the sixth Harry Potter book. «I always wanted to have three children so now I’m really happy!» says Joanne.

EPILOGUE. THE HAPPY END The last book Joanne ended in a hotel room.

There was silence and nobody mattered her calling so she could dive into her world that was becoming the more and more dark and tragical. Writing the last word of last chapter, Joanne was crying. The story ended, only epilogue left but it was written a long time ago, Joanne always knew how it all would end. The book was ended 11 January 2007, the author wrote the date on a Hermes bust, which was in her room.

The most popular fairy tale in the world ends with words, «Scar didn’t hurt for nineteen years. All was good.» Long, sometimes scary but always magical personal story of Joanne Rowling is near to its final. But this final is going to be so long...

Artem OSTROZHYNSKYI

PRATCHETTY

well, well, corpses, treat yourself!

— I think you’ve cursed me…

— What a chitchat? We are living in the XXI century, you are a corn-ball! For Perun’s sake!

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— Hello! What’s going on?

— Well, you know, I’ve got married to the witch.

— Wow! And who is family’s head?

— I am!

— Indeed?

Artist: Octane

— My wife had taken such a decision, and you know, I have no time, I’m hurry up to pick herbals because it’s waxing crescent now.

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wear

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You are slim, pretty, study and cook well — you are the witch!

ool

House of Arenev

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You realize that people treat you strange when you mark they are checking if you can come at their places without permission and making ice of holy water for cocktails.

unc

Artist: Mysterious_fan_of_Arenev’s_T-shirts

Don’t

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T- rts shi

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Look at your muggleboyfriend and then at me.

Exactly at your boyfriend and then at me again. Yeah, I’m on the broom.

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A son of Tolkienists was the only one who didn’t get a mark for his essay because he had wrote it in Sindarin.

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WOF RECOMMENDS

from

MYTHS to the

screen A FOREST’S SONG (1961)

only

Old movies 36

The spring is coming, trees are turning green, mysterious creatures that live on the branches and in the water are waking up… This time uncle Lev with his nephew Lukash come to the forest going to build a new house.

Lukash is a young well-knit lad, not seduced by work yet. All days he is treading the paths and playing a carved pipe charming melodies. His music roused Mavka from sleeping, a beautiful forest princess, who was enchanted by the sounds of the young soul. So they met and fell in love. However unhappy, it was delightful.

“A Forest’s song” celebrates freedom and spirit of love. Weird creatures of water and trees, always listening to their hearts, don’t see in their lives any obstacles, they live easily, passionately, as for the last time. Absolutely not like humans…

WOF RECOMMENDS

SHADOWS OF FORGOTTEN ANCESTORS (1964) In a Carpathian village, Ivan falls in love with Marichka, the daughter of his father’s killer. When tragedy befalls her, his grief lasts months; finally he rejoins the colorful life around him, marrying Palagna. She wants children but his mind stays on his lost love.

To recapture his attention, Palagna tries sorcery, and in the process comes under the spell of the sorcerer, publicly humiliating Ivan, who then fights the sorcerer.

The lively rhythms of village life, the work and the holidays, the pageant and revelry of weddings and funerals, the change of seasons, and nature’s beauty give proportion to Ivan’s tragedy.

THE LOST HONOR (1972) Once a hetman ordered cossack Vasyl to deliver the tsarytsya toSt. Peterburg his honor. Without doubts, he sew up it in his hat, swung himself into the saddle and galloped somewhere, towards the capital of Russian Empire. So from that point you can start amusing and absorbing adventure , and it would make you smile and laugh greatly.

On his way brave Cossack Vasyl met a devil (the good one, indeed), mournful, but audacious Cossack Andriy, who becomes his chum, and… his wife who was either witch or tsarytsya in one person. He had much troubles, but Ukrainian strong heart cannot be defeated by any evil spirit. He only mustn’t lose the entrusted honor…

A comedy was directed by famous producer Borys Ivchenko, and soundtracks were recorded by People’s Artist of Ukraine Nina Matviyenko.

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Kateryna Byshyk «God of the Sun, Dawn and Evening glow»

Kateryna Byshyk «Hors»

Ukrainian weirdness A gallery of mythical creatures

Tetyana Tomylko «Lel’»

Dmytro Zinchuk «Molfar»

Lesyk Yusypchuk «Supreme lisovyk of Polissia»

Kateryna Zavodenko «Mavka»

Ukrainian weirdness A gallery of mythical creatures

Lesyk Yusypchuk «Vodyanyk»

Next time: • Artemis Fowl: Aurum Potestas Est • Shamrocon: fantastic Ireland • Killing chronicles of George Martin ...and etc!

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