Брент Уикс, «Чёрная призма».
Почти не читаю фентези, но наткнулся в сети на обсуждение книги, купил и прослушал две части. Остальные, к сожалению, на русском не вышли, и неизвестно, выйдут ли (издательство отвечает отписками). При этом история сквозная, так что сами решайте. Потому что нереальная годнота как раз для тех, кто фентези считает менее умным и серьёзным жанром, нежели обычный сайфай.
В этой вселенной маги могут колдовать, создавая из света разных цветов материальную субстанцию — люксин. При этом от цвета зависят физические свойства люксина: красный, например, липкий и взрывоопасный, синий прочный как металл, из зелёного можно делать верёвки и так далее. Большинство магов извлекают люксин одного цвета, реже двух соседних. Ещё реже больше. Причём, магия вполне подчиняется обычной физике: если маг наденет очки с цветными стёклами, то ему колдуется гораздо проще. Каждый извлекатель может за жизнь совершить некоторый конечный объём магии, после чего сходит с ума, и текущее состояние на этой шкале всегда видно по степени перекрашивания глазных белков.
И первый любопытный факт, что главный герой уже самый могущественный маг и правитель империи, способный неограниченно использовать все цвета. Нередко в таких произведениях герой либо скрытый избранный, внезапно обнаруживающий в себе особые способности, либо поднимающийся со дна простолюдин (вор, маленький человек итд). А тут положение героя сразу концентрирует сюжет вокруг политики, управления страной и прочих масштабных вопросов.
Второй любопытный факт, что автор явно гик, так что в сюжете вы найдёте реализацию реактивной тяги на люксиновых деталях, создаваемые магами полиспасты, отсылки к оптике, строительству, и в целом очень логичный, продуманный и непротиворечивый мир. Упоминаются маги, работающие с инфракрасным и УФ-диапазоном и даже с микроволновым излучением.
Отдельный респект за то, что элита и всякая пафосная знать в этом мире играет не в какой-нибудь унылый покер, который и игрой то назвать нельзя, а в настоящую ККИ, правила и геймплей которой тоже описаны с неплохой степенью подробности (думаю, писатель вдохновлялся реальной Magic The Gathering).
Из недостатков могу отметить неспешный сюжет — событий происходит очень мало. Вроде как всего уже написано 5 или 6 книг, но, как я уже сказал, придётся ждать. Ещё в книге есть один раздражающий, на мой взгляд, персонаж, неправдоподобно везучий. И стоит упомянуть, что переводчики первой и второй книги разные, и они почему-то друг с другом не синхронизировались по именам. Но в остальном, пожалуй, самое интересное на мой личный вкус фентези, из тех, что я читал, если вообще такое жанровое определение применимо.
Кстати, озвучку аудиокниг на русском записал профессиональный диктор Илья Дементьев, и это просто офигеть как круто звучит. Есть много хороших чтецов, но профи с 20-летним стажем поднимает чтение на какой-то нереальный уровень, как по мне.
#fiction
📖Title : The Da Vinci Code
✍️Author : Dan Brown
⭐️Rating : 3.93/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Mar 18, 2003
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Summary:Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code follows Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu as they investigate the murder of a Louvre curator. Their search reveals cryptic clues hidden in Leonardo da Vinci’s works, leading them through Paris and London in pursuit of the legendary Holy Grail. Along the way, they uncover secret societies, religious conspiracies, and shocking truths that challenge traditional Christian history. As Langdon and Sophie unravel codes and puzzles, they confront betrayal, danger, and centuries-old mysteries. The novel blends art, symbolism, history, and suspense, raising questions about faith, truth, and the power of hidden knowledge.
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#thriller#fiction#mystery#adventure#suspense@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@thesciencelabs
📖Title : Gone Girl
✍️Author : Gillian Flynn
⭐️Rating : 4.14/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : May 24, 2012
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Summary:“Gone Girl” follows Nick and Amy Dunne, a married couple whose seemingly perfect life collapses when Amy mysteriously disappears on their fifth anniversary. As police and media focus on Nick, his lies and strange behavior make him the prime suspect. But Amy’s secret diary reveals a darker, twisted side to their relationship. The story shifts dramatically when it’s revealed that Amy orchestrated her own disappearance to frame Nick for murder. What follows is a tense psychological battle between two deeply manipulative people trapped in a toxic, performative marriage where control, revenge, and deception drive every move.
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#thriller#mystery#fiction#crime#suspense@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@eternalmantra
📖Title : His & Hers
✍️Author : Alice Feeney
⭐️Rating : 4.07/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Jul 28, 2020
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Summary:His & Hers by Alice Feeney is a psychological thriller that alternates between three narrators: Anna Andrews, a BBC news anchor; Jack Harper, a detective; and an unknown killer. When a woman is murdered in the quiet village of Blackdown, both Anna and Jack become entangled in the case—professionally and personally. As the investigation unfolds, long-buried secrets resurface, and both Anna and Jack find themselves suspects. The story blurs the line between truth and perception, with each narrator revealing different facets of the mystery. Twisty, dark, and full of suspense, the novel explores guilt, revenge, and the complexity of memory.
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#thriller#mystery#crime#suspense#fiction@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@the_ancient_library
📖Title : Never Flinch
✍️Author : Stephen King
⭐️Rating : 3.94/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : May 27, 2025
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Summary:Stephen King's Never Flinch (2025) is a gripping crime thriller featuring private investigator Holly Gibney. The novel intertwines two intense storylines: one involves a vigilante threatening to kill fourteen people as retribution for a past injustice, and the other follows feminist activist Kate McKay, who is being targeted by a relentless stalker. As Holly delves into these cases, she confronts complex moral dilemmas and psychological traumas. The narrative builds to a chilling climax, showcasing King's signature blend of suspense and character depth. Never Flinch stands out as a compelling addition to King's body of work, offering a thrilling exploration of justice and obsession.
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#horror#fiction#thriller#mystery#crime@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@the_ancient_library@thesciencelabs
📖Title : The Metamorphosis
✍️Author : Franz Kafka
⭐️Rating : 3.89/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Oct 01, 1915
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Summary:In Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis, Gregor Samsa, a hardworking salesman, wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a monstrous insect. Struggling to adapt, he becomes increasingly isolated from his family, who once depended on him financially. As Gregor’s physical condition worsens, his family's patience wears thin, and their initial concern turns into shame, resentment, and neglect. Eventually, Gregor dies alone, and the family feels relief rather than grief. The story serves as a powerful allegory for alienation, the loss of identity, and the crushing expectations of society and family. Kafka blends surrealism with existential dread in this haunting tale.
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#classics#fiction#fantasy#philosophy#horror@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@the_ancient_library
📖Title : NOS4A2
✍️Author : Joe Hill
⭐️Rating : 4.08/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Apr 30, 2013
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Summary:NOS4A2 by Joe Hill is a chilling supernatural horror novel about Victoria "Vic" McQueen, a girl with a unique ability to find lost things by riding her bike through a mysterious bridge. She discovers a terrifying adversary in Charlie Manx, a sinister, immortal figure who abducts children in his Rolls-Royce Wraith to a nightmarish place called Christmasland, where it’s always Christmas—and their souls are drained. As Vic grows up, she tries to escape her past, but when Manx resurfaces and targets her son, she must confront her deepest fears. The novel explores trauma, resilience, and the cost of imagination.
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#horror#fiction#fantasy#thriller#paranormal@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@thesciencelabs
📖Title : The Tangled Lands
✍️Author : Paolo Bacigalupi, Tobias S. Buckell
⭐️Rating : 3.63/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Feb 27, 2018
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Summary:The Tangled Lands by Paolo Bacigalupi and Tobias S. Buckell is a dark fantasy set in the decaying empire of Khaim, where every use of magic causes deadly bramble to grow, choking the land and threatening human survival. The empire, ruled by the oppressive Jolly Mayor, hoards magic for the elite while commoners suffer. The book comprises four interlinked novellas, each exploring resistance, environmental ruin, and personal sacrifice. Through the eyes of different characters—an alchemist, a thief, a child, and a warrior—we see a world caught between corruption and hope, where the cost of magic is far greater than its power.
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#fantasy#fiction#sciencefiction#magic#adult@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@the_ancient_library
📖Title : Enigma
✍️Author : RuNyx
⭐️Rating : 3.91/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Apr 29, 2025
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Summary:Enigma by RuNyx is a steamy dark academia romance that follows Salem Salazar, the black sheep of a wealthy family, as she enters Mortimer University to uncover the truth behind her sister's mysterious death. Obsessed with death and driven by secrets, Salem is soon entangled with Cazimir van der Waal—a chaotic, brooding artist and teaching assistant with a hidden past. Their intense, rivals-to-lovers relationship unfolds amid secret societies, missing girls, and deadly mysteries on campus. As danger closes in, passion ignites between fire and ice. *Enigma* is a twisted, suspenseful tale of obsession, love, and peril set in an academic underworld.
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#fiction#darkromance#fantasy#romantasy#darkacademia@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@the_ancient_library
📖Title : Forget Me Not
✍️Author : Stacy Willingham
⭐️Rating : 3.96/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Aug 26, 2025
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Summary:Claire Campbell has spent decades trying to move on from her sister Natalie’s mysterious disappearance. When her father calls her back home, she reluctantly returns, taking a summer job at Galloway Farm, a vineyard steeped in memories of Natalie’s last days. What begins as a quiet escape quickly unravels when Claire discovers a hidden diary belonging to one of the owners. Its entries, at first innocent, reveal disturbing links to long-forgotten crimes. As Claire digs deeper, she becomes consumed by the haunting possibility that Natalie’s fate is connected. Galloway, once a refuge, pulls her back into danger and dark truths.
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#thriller#mystery#fiction#suspense#adult#crime@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@thesciencelabs
📖Title : Conjure Wife
✍️Author : Fritz Leiber
⭐️Rating : 3.80/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Apr 1, 1943
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Summary:In Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber, Norman Saylor, a rational-minded sociology professor, is shocked to learn that his wife, Tansy, has been secretly practicing witchcraft to protect him from harm and academic sabotage. Believing it's mere superstition, he convinces her to stop. However, as soon as she does, Norman's life begins to unravel—he faces inexplicable misfortunes and threats from unseen forces. Realizing too late that the magical protections were real, Norman must confront a hidden world of witchcraft and rival sorcery. The novel explores themes of gender, power, and the clash between rationalism and the supernatural in modern society.
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#horror#fantasy#fiction#wicthes#gothic@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas
📖Title : I, Medusa
✍️Author : Ayana Gray
⭐️Rating : 4.14/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Nov 18, 2025
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Summary:I, Medusa reimagines the legendary figure as a vulnerable yet fierce young woman named Meddy. Living in a world ruled by unpredictable gods, she longs for dignity and safety beyond her village’s expectations. Chosen to serve Athena, she believes she has finally found purpose — until a devastating betrayal by Poseidon shatters her life. Punished instead of protected, Meddy is transformed into the infamous Gorgon, her hair becoming living snakes and her gaze turning lethal. Exiled and feared, she slowly embraces her new identity, reclaiming her voice, power, and destiny. The story reframes Medusa as survivor, not monster.
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#fantasy#mythology#fiction#greek#historical@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@eternalmantra
📖Title : The Palace of Illusions
✍️Author : Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
⭐️Rating : 4.20/5 (Goodreads)
📆Published : Feb 12, 2008
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Summary:The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a retelling of the Indian epic Mahabharata from the perspective of Draupadi, the fiery and fearless heroine. Born of fire, Draupadi narrates her journey from a curious, ambitious princess to the wife of five Pandava brothers and a central figure in the epic war of Kurukshetra. The novel delves into her inner world—her desires, doubts, and defiance against societal norms. It reimagines mythological events with a feminist lens, portraying Draupadi as a complex woman driven by love, pride, and fate. The story blends magic, politics, passion, and pain into a lyrical narrative.
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#fiction#mythology#fantasy#india#historical@Bookslibraryofficial@free_novellas@the_ancient_library@thescienceroom