"Power of force" by Vitaly Zykov: summary, reader reviews

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Vitaly Zykov is not accidentally considered one of the best young Russian science fiction writers. In just ten years, he managed to publish several dozen books, about a hundred stories and several works written in collaboration.

The writer's works have gained wide popularity among lovers of historical fantasy. This is partly due to the fact that the writer uses in his novels the classic “guest from another world” system, when a person from earthly reality enters the fictional universe.

Zykov's novels received a great response from the reading masses and caused a real hurricane of positive feedback. The writer himself is very adequate to the criticism and wishes of his readers. This is partly why he created a unique cycle about his universe, not completing the story in his debut book The Nameless Slave and continuing it in many other novels, including the sensational two-volume Power of Power.

Biography

The writer was born on October 5, 1979 in the city of Lipetsk. He spent his childhood in a small parental apartment. The father of the future writer was a professor in LipetskState Pedagogical Institute, and the mother worked as a doctor in the city hospital.

In 1986, Vitaly went to school. The boy studied well, his favorite subjects were the Russian language, literature and history. He differed from his peers by great perseverance and great erudition.

Early years

In 1996, Zykov graduated from high school with honors and entered the first year of the Lipetsk State Technical University. Vitaly was actively engaged in scientific activities, and, having completed his studies in 2001, he immediately entered graduate school, simultaneously starting his career as a teacher.

Degree

Three years later, Zykov successfully defends his dissertation and receives the title of candidate of technical sciences. In 2004, Voronezh State University became interested in his success, and the future writer was invited to work in one of its branches.

Literary career

During the summer vacation of 2003, Zykov decides to collect all his youthful literary achievements and turn them into a meaningful work. For several months he has been painstakingly working on a novel that tells the story of a great warrior and magician who went from slave to king. The novel covered only the first part of the idea, reflecting the difficult period in the life of the protagonist.

The following year, a book called "The Nameless Slave" was published by one of the largest Russian publishing houses - "Alpha-book". A month later, a freshly written novel was awarded the prize. A. Sapkovsky "Sword withoutname.”

After the publication of his debut novel, Vitaly makes the first drafts for the continuation of the story, which in the future will be called "The Power of Force". Between it and the first book will fit a few more parts with no less exciting storylines. But it is "The Power of Force. Volume 1" that will become a direct continuation of the sensational debut novel. The writer thought for some time whether it was worth combining two new stories under one title, and even wanted to give the second part a new name for the first time, however, the publisher was able to convince Zykov that the story was, in fact, one, and the second part should be released together with the first. Thus, the book "The Power of Power. Volume 2" appeared on the shelves of bookstores.

Road Home

A series of novels of the same name about the so-called "fallers" - people from our world who find themselves in a parallel fictional universe. It was he who glorified Vitaly Zykov and brought all-Russian popularity to his creative opuses.

List of cycle books:

1. 2004 - "The Nameless Slave". The writer's debut novel about the protagonist, who is, rather. A collection of legends and a description of the dream of a simple medieval city dweller - the desire to rise from the mud and become a respected person.
2. 2005 - "His Majesty's Mercenary". A continuation of the first book, describing the protagonist's rapid career growth.
3. 2006 - "Under the Banner of Prophecy". A deeper and more psychologically subtle part of the story than the rest, reflecting the character's religious quest.
4. 2009 - LordSarduora". A book in which a former slave finally becomes king.”
5. 2015 - "The Power of Strength". Zykov distinguishes this novel from the rest. Partly because he describes more complex feelings that are already experienced by not one, but several characters.
6. 2018 - Great Sleepers. The end of the story started in the last novel. It finally becomes known the fate of the main character and several people, like him, who fell into a parallel universe.

The power of strength

This two-volume book is part of the epic "The Road Home", on which the author began working back in 2003. Initially, the writer did not plan to work with such a voluminous cycle, however, after the publication of the book “The Nameless Slave” in 2004, he felt the strength to continue the story of the protagonist. So there were six more parts of the story, which were issued in 8 books.

The Power of Power turned out to be much more voluminous than other parts of the epic, so the writer planned to publish it in three volumes, but later decided to publish the book in two, moving some of the material to the next saga - The Great Sleepers.

Narrative features

The book differs from the rest of the saga in its complex plot, an abundance of dramatic and tense scenes, as well as a more complex narrative language. The main character has grown psychologically, and already Zykov's "Power of Force-1" is forced to re-acquaint the reader with a completely different person.

He has completely different problems, he faces radically different tasks, and he himself is looking for completely non-material benefits in thislife, again giving priority to philosophy.

Storyline

The story tells about a group of people from our world who ended up in an alternate reality, and ended up in another world against their will. Two guys and three girls for a long time could not understand what to do in a parallel world, but soon realized that only by uniting and yielding to each other, they could survive on the planet Thorn.

The fact is that Thorn completely lacks the concept of "science", instead of which the locals actively practice magic and sorcery. Habitual ideas about life are unusable, skills are useless. Trying to find at least some shelter for the night, a group of young people find themselves in the forest, where they fight with a representative of the local fauna. After the battle, the settlers notice that one of the guys was dragged away by the beast.

From now on, the plot of Vitaly Zykov's "Power of Force" is completely concentrated on the kidnapped young man named Yaroslav.

By the will of fate, he ends up in an abandoned sanctuary, where he meets the spirit of one of the ancient magical creatures and becomes his student.

Reviews

Reviews of a new work by Vitaly Zykov are always full of warmth and sincere wishes to the author. Admirers of the writer's work were looking forward to the release of the two-volume book and literally tore it apart after publication, noting, first of all, the extremely interesting and intricate plot of the story, the rich literary language of the writer and the fascinating manner of narration. Also without the attention of the devoteesreaders are left with a large number of historical and cultural realities of the work, masterfully recreated by the author in the universe he invented.

However, some readers are dissatisfied with the political overtones in the author's works. In particular, Zykov is reproached for the excessive politicization of the characters. Since the heroes of the work have a direct connection with our world, sometimes they recall any incidents from real life. This does not please many connoisseurs of literature, who believe that fantasy should in no way be mixed with political aspects in any way.