Andrei Belyanin
Encyclopedia
Andrei Olegovich Belyanin (born 24 January 1967, Astrakhan
) is a modern Russia
n science fiction
and fantasy
writer, who wrote at least 15 novels with many of then selling over 2 million copies. He is especially known for humour and parody in his fiction. Belyanin's novels are mostly ironcal chrono-operas, where the pun is based on anachronism
s.
Belyanin is married. He had a son, Ivan, who was kidnapped in 2004 for sake of ransom
. Although the kidnappers were arrested a few days after, Ivan Belyanin was found dead, as they killed him at the day of the kidnapping. The criminals, brothers Kirill and Ivan Kostylev, both were sentenced to prison.
Astrakhan
Astrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
) is a modern Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
writer, who wrote at least 15 novels with many of then selling over 2 million copies. He is especially known for humour and parody in his fiction. Belyanin's novels are mostly ironcal chrono-operas, where the pun is based on anachronism
Anachronism
An anachronism—from the Greek ανά and χρόνος — is an inconsistency in some chronological arrangement, especially a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other...
s.
Belyanin is married. He had a son, Ivan, who was kidnapped in 2004 for sake of ransom
Ransom
Ransom is the practice of holding a prisoner or item to extort money or property to secure their release, or it can refer to the sum of money involved.In an early German law, a similar concept was called bad influence...
. Although the kidnappers were arrested a few days after, Ivan Belyanin was found dead, as they killed him at the day of the kidnapping. The criminals, brothers Kirill and Ivan Kostylev, both were sentenced to prison.
Series
- Sword with No Name ("Меч Без Имени")
- Sword with No Name ("Меч Без Имени", 1997) - a modern-day man visits a medieval castle. After trying to show off to his wife by fighting with a fake sword, he comes upon the sword without a name, which choses him as it's wielder. He is transported into a kingdom which an evil sorcerer has taken over after the rightful king's death. As the wielder of the mystical "Sword with No Name", the man must end the threat of the sorcerer, while trying to preserve his own skin and find a way home.
- The Furious Landgrave ("Свирепый Ландграф", 1998) - the protagonist of the first novel returns to the medieval land to find that the son of the sorcerer he defeated is scouring the land for his father's Teeth, which he plans to use to revive his father's soul in his own son. Reunited with his "Sword with No Name", the hero must save the day once more.
- The Age of Saint Skiminok ("Век Святого Скиминока", 1998) - the final book of the trilogy has the protagonist of the series taking on LuciferLuciferTraditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"...
himself, while trying to find a trace of his kidnapped son and, finally, sort out all the women in his life.
- Jack the Mad King ("Джек Сумасшедший Король", 1999)
- Jack the Mad King - An amnesiaAmnesiaAmnesia is a condition in which one's memory is lost. The causes of amnesia have traditionally been divided into categories. Memory appears to be stored in several parts of the limbic system of the brain, and any condition that interferes with the function of this system can cause amnesia...
c of clearly royal blood shows up on the doorstep of an old wizard. Naming him Jack, the wizard and his apprentice follow him on his quest to rediscover his identity. On the way, they encounter a beautiful daughter of a knight, who joins them for the time being. On their way they are pursued by the queen's assassins, and feeling that this is linked to Jack's lost identity, they travel to the capital to confront the queen herself. - Jack and the Mystery of the Ancient Castle ("Джек и Тайна Древнего Замка") - Jack and his companions enter a strange land where the people are being ruled by an odd woman from an old castle. As the woman makes the travellers her guests, things get even stranger.
- Jack in the East ("Джек на Востоке") - Jack and his friends travel to a kingdom in the East to find the sultanSultanSultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
's missing daughter.
- Jack the Mad King - An amnesia
- Tsar Gorokh's Detective Agency ("Тайный Сыск Царя Гороха")
- Tsar Gorokh's Detective Agency("Тайный Сыск Царя Гороха", 1999) - Mladshiy Leytenant (Third LieutenantLieutenantA lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
) Nikita Ivashov is a modern-day fresh-out-of-training policeman who finds himself in the ancient fairy tale tsardom ruled by the benevolent Gorokh, who asks the cop to open up a detective agency. The agency consists of Ivashov, Baba YagaBaba YagaBaba Yaga or Baba Roga is a haggish or witchlike character in Slavic folklore. She flies around on a giant pestle, kidnaps small children, and lives in a hut that stands on chicken legs...
(specialist in all things magical and an amazing cook), and Mit'ka (strong but simple-minded assistant). Their first case - a stolen ring and a chest of gold. The simple case unravels into a race to stop a conspiracy take over the tsardom. - The Plot of the Black Mass ("Заговор Черной Мессы", 1999) - a series of minor crimes take place after a GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
ambassador arrives to the tsardom along with a CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
priest. Investigation into the crimes uncovers a plot to summon a demonDemoncall - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
to upset the delicate balance between good and evil. - The Flying Ship ("Летучий Корабль", 2000) - when the tsar's mistress is found dead and the royal blueprints for a flying ship are discovered missing, the detectives must rush to find and recover them, before the thief can sell them to a foreign power. As the investigation progresses, Ivashov begins to feel attracted to a young woman that seems to be involved in the case. However, an old adversary may be responsible for the crimes committed.
- Bride Elimination ("Отстрел Невест", 2002) - the tsar's palace is overrun... by princesses from all over the world, seeking to marry the tsar. However, as princess after princess begins to turn up comaComaIn medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
tose, Tsar Gorokh and the detectives must find the person responsible before the whole thing turns into a big international scandal and, possibly, a war. - The Case of the Sober Buffoons ("Дело Трезвых Скоморохов", 2004) - Girls begin to turn up missing in the tsardom. All clues point to a travelling circus. As Mladshiy Leytenant Ivashov investigates the circus, several characters enter the scene to complicate the case: a comic-book hero, a familiar young woman, and an old enemy who seeks to make open war on the tsardom.
- Detectives on Vacation ("Опергруппа в Деревне", 2006) - Tsar Gorokh sends the detectives to the countryside to rest after their last case. However, strange persons are after Ivashov, allegedly working for the greatest criminal mastermind in all the world - Koschei the DeathlessKoscheiIn Slavic folklore, Koschei is an archetypal male antagonist, described mainly as abducting the hero's wife. None of the existing tales actually describes his appearance, though in book illustrations, cartoons and cinema he has been most frequently represented as a very old and ugly-looking man...
. - To Merry and Neutralize ("Жениться и обезвредить", 2009) The detectives finally return home after their vacation, only to encounter new problems in the capital, the tsar has turned Japanese, Ivashov's bride-to-be will arrive any minute, and a new threat to take over the tsardom has taken root.
- Tsar Gorokh's Detective Agency("Тайный Сыск Царя Гороха", 1999) - Mladshiy Leytenant (Third Lieutenant
- My Wife Is a Witch ("Моя Жена - Ведьма")
- My Wife Is a Witch ("Моя Жена - Ведьма", 1999) - Sergey is a poet who finds out that the librarian he recently married is descended from a long line of witches. After he burns a lock of wolf fur he finds in his wife's hair, she vanishes. Along with his personal angel and devil, Sergey must go into the realms of magic to find his wife and discover an ancient prophecy involving him. The novel makes a point that not everything "other" is necessarily "evil".
- The Little Sister from Hell ("Сестрёнка из Преисподней", 2001) - when Sergey's wife's cousin comes to visit them, he finds that she is dressed and behaves like Sailor MoonUsagi Tsukinois a fictional character in the Sailor Moon metaseries and the main protagonist of the franchise, as well as its title character. Her civilian name, , becomes Serena Tsukino in the English-language versions...
. Things turn for the worse when she disappears after touching his wife's amulet. Sergey, his wife, his angel, and his devil must once again travel to the magical worlds to find the girl, who, apparently, gains the powers of the above-mentioned cartoon character. They must find who is behind this transformation and what that person plans to do with her.
- The Thief of Baghdad ("Багдадский Вор", 2002)
- The Thief of Baghdad - Andrei Belyanin retells the story of a friend of his who describes how he was sent to ancient BaghdadBaghdadBaghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
by a genieGenieJinn or genies are supernatural creatures in Arab folklore and Islamic teachings that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind. Together, jinn, humans and angels make up the three sentient creations of Allah. Religious sources say barely anything about them; however, the Qur'an mentions that...
to become the famous Thief of Baghdad. He loses all his memories, but has one goal, to somehow put an end to the Emir's tyranny, and somehow stay alive himself. - The Shamer of Shaitan ("Посрамитель Шайтана", 2006) - Belyanin continues the story, as the Thief of Baghdad returns to Ancient Arabia to continue his adventures in other cities. This time, he must face Shaitan himself.
- The Thief of Baghdad - Andrei Belyanin retells the story of a friend of his who describes how he was sent to ancient Baghdad
- Professional Werewolf ("Профессиональный Оборотень") — co-authored by Galina Chornaya.
- Professional Werewolf ("Профессиональный Оборотень", 2002) - the life was normal for a young female college student. Everything changed the night she was bitten by a werewolf in an alley. She was taken in by a duo of agents (a man and a talking cat) from the future, who travel to different time periods stopping evil creatures from gaining foothold. They persuade her to join them until they can find a cure for her condition, before she fully turns into a werewolf.
- Werewolves' Vacation ("Каникулы Оборотней", 2003)
- Werewolves' Chronicles ("Хроники Оборотней", 2004)
- The Return of the Werewolves ("Возвращение Оборотней", 2007)
- Werewolves' Stories ("Истории Оборотней", 2009)
- Cossack ("Казак")
- Cossack in Heaven ("Казак в Раю", 2005) - a modern-day man dressed as a cossackCossackCossacks are a group of predominantly East Slavic people who originally were members of democratic, semi-military communities in what is today Ukraine and Southern Russia inhabiting sparsely populated areas and islands in the lower Dnieper and Don basins and who played an important role in the...
is hit by a car. At the same moment, a suicide bomber kills a female soldier in IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
. Both find themselves in what they believe to be HeavenHeavenHeaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
. They soon find out that afterlife may not be same as what they were taught since childhood. - Cossack in Hell ("Казак в Аду", 2008)
- Cossack in Heaven ("Казак в Раю", 2005) - a modern-day man dressed as a cossack
- Aargh ("Ааргх", 2007)
- Aargh ("Ааргх", 2007)
- Aargh in the elf-nursery ("Ааргх в эльфятнике", 2007)
- Aargh on the throne ("Ааргх на троне", 2007)
Single books
- The Redheaded Knight ("Рыжий Рыцарь", 2000) - a medieval knight travelling to the Holy Lands to join his king in a Crusade gets kidnapped by an evil witch and sent to modern-day Russia. He encounters a teenage girl, who, at first, doesn't take him seriously. However, when strange creatures begin to attack them, she changes her mind. The two, along with the girl's gay friend, embark on an incredible adventure to find and put an end to an ancient evil kingdom that was trapped in time by the forces of good. Their adventures will take them to times both past and future, unknowingly fulfilling a prophecy spelling an end for the witch.
- Taste of the Vampire ("Вкус Вампира", 2003) – vampires?! Imagination quickly draws a pale infernal creature with bloodred lips and... well, the avant-gardeAvant-gardeAvant-garde means "advance guard" or "vanguard". The adjective form is used in English to refer to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics....
artist Dan Titovsky from AstrakhanAstrakhanAstrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
is not at all like that. He is an energy vampire who feeds on the "silver feelings of trusting girls." Despite the long trail of broken hearts, he has a long attachment - a mostly harmless female member of the local Shadowless Clan. She is the magnificent vamp Sabrina von Strastenberg. It is she who is the target of the pointing finger of Destiny. The stormclouds are gathering above her in the person of the irreconcilable warrior - the green-eyed threat to vampires Eve Lopatkova, who stepped on the hunting path as per the task given to her by the secret Hound Order.
- The Hunt for the Hussar ("Охота на Гусара", 2004)
Short stories
- Cossacks' Fairy Tales ("Казачьи сказки", 2006)
- Diary of Cat with Lemonade Name ("Дневник кота с лимонадным именем", 2007)
- The Wishes of Demons ("Чего хотят демоны", 2008)
Fairy tales
- Red and Striped ("Рыжий и Полосатый") series
- Red and Striped ("Рыжий и Полосатый", 2000) - a children's story about two kittens born on the same day to two different families but share the same taste for adventure.
- The Return of Red and Striped ("Возвращение Рыжего и Полосатого", 2000)
- The Order of Porcelain Knights ("Орден Фарфоровых Рыцарей", 2000)
Translations into Russian and editions
- Khristo Poshtakov. Sword, Might and Magic ("Меч, Магия и Челюсти", 2005) – a down-on-his-luck knight attempts to impress a princess by killing a local dragon. To this end, he enlists the help of a half-educated wizard. The dragon turns out to be just like them - a loser who can barely find food. The wizard attempts to cast a spell, but it goes awry and sends them to modern-day Hollywood, where the three are forced to live.
- Khristo Poshtakov. The Conquest of America ("Гаси Америку!", 2009)
- Andrzej PilipiukAndrzej PilipiukAndrzej Pilipiuk , Polish humoristic science-fiction and fantasy author. He debuted in 1996 with short story "Hiena", which featured the first appearance of Jakub Wędrowycz, an alcoholic exorcist. Since that time, Pilipiuk has written several dozen other short stories about that character.Nine...
. Jakub WędrowyczJakub WedrowyczJakub Wędrowycz is the protagonist of a number of short stories by Andrzej Pilipiuk, a renowned Polish writer. Wędrowycz is an elderly alcoholic, moonshine producer, poacher, amateur exorcist and fighter against all sorts of supernatural forces dwelling around Wędrowycz's village, from the aliens...
("Якуб Вендерович", 2006–2007) series - Karen Mahony & Alex Ukolov. Shadow of the Vampuss ("Тень кота-вампира", 2007)
External links
- http://www.ozon.ru/context/catalog/id/1072109/ List of Belyanin's books with brief plot summaries in Russian.
- http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3714063.stm BBC article about Belyanin's tragedy.