Good day to you, dear reader of this stock. The author of the following stories would like to express their gratitude to you for, in our age of endless scrolling and short memes, daring even to pick up a book, let alone manage to read it, comprehend it, and make what you glean from it part of your inner world. I hope that you are exactly such a reader.
So, what is this book about?!
In your hands, you hold a collection of works primarily in the genre of science fiction. Why primarily? The thing is, over time, the boundaries of what constitutes a fantastic work have become so blurred that it seems fantasy has knocked on our door and become a part of our everyday life. It’s not like the 1960s-70s, the golden age of what was called science fiction, or simply “hard” sci-fi. Back then, everything seemed simpler, at least to the author. But now, as the author is sure, it’s far more interesting.
But let’s not wander into historical thickets and return to this collection. So…
This anthology includes works by Fedor Tytarchuk / Fedir Tytarchuk that have not been previously published or translated.
The collection contains individual stories from several of the author’s series, such as Roblings or His Highness’s Creative Bureau, as well as standalone works that are not connected to each other. The works are rich in humor, irony, and sometimes even sarcasm, and therefore, at first reading, may seem more entertaining than thought-provoking. But believe me, as with any multilayered work, behind the veil of lightness and irony, you can always discern what truly interests and concerns the author.
The theme of this collection, as mentioned earlier, is science fiction. However, the author does not limit themselves to this genre alone. Their “arsenal” also includes a children’s series about a girl named Alenka and the Little Steam Engines living in an enchanted forest… or much “sharper” works, closer to art-house or urban fiction (for example, I Offer You Contempt), which we hope will also be translated from Russian and Ukrainian into other languages. And believe me, this is not the full extent of the author’s repertoire…
For now, you hold the author’s works in the genre of science fiction, and if you enjoy the stories, you are welcome to write to the author, share your impressions, and even support the author in translating their works into other languages. Unfortunately, the rules of this publishing house do not allow an email address to be placed at the beginning of the book (only at the end), so you can find the contact information by scrolling to the final pages.
And yes, the illustrations… The publisher requests that the authorship of the graphic material used in the book be indicated (such are the rules), so I comply — all images used in this book belong to the author and were either created by him or, at his request/assignment, by his wife and daughter. Links to their accounts will also be provided at the end of the book.
And now, dear reader — onward! Read and enjoy!!!
