The ancient past and fiction, or about the construction of worlds by humanities scholars: A review of books
This paper reviews three novels by different modern authors, all published in 2020 and applying to the realities of Ancient Rome. Marik Lerner’s science fiction novel “Practical Ufology” fits within the subliterary genre of “accidental travel”, and any background information from the Roman-Byzantine...
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| Language: | English |
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Kazan Federal University
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Ученые записки Казанского университета: Серия Гуманитарные науки |
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| Online Access: | https://kpfu.ru/uz-eng-hum-2021-1-18.html |
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| author | D.E. Martynov |
| author_facet | D.E. Martynov |
| author_sort | D.E. Martynov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper reviews three novels by different modern authors, all published in 2020 and applying to the realities of Ancient Rome. Marik Lerner’s science fiction novel “Practical Ufology” fits within the subliterary genre of “accidental travel”, and any background information from the Roman-Byzantine life is not very appropriate in the adventure text. The new novel “The Triumphant” by Olga Eliseeva, a professional historian, can be labeled as a form of the “science novel” genre, because it has numerous references and “anchors” that only an educated person is able to understand. The main canvas of O. Eliseeva’s novel is a synthesis of the personalities and actions of Julius Caesar and Constantine the Great, so the writer used the motif of the fantasy world, in which the Roman Republic and Rome are replaced by Latium and Eternal City with the Nazarenes (i.e., Christians) playing an important role in its future. The trilogy “Divine World” by Boris Tolchinsky, a professional politologist, is the most radical inversion of the reality with its own alternative history. The world of the Amorian Empire is a synthesis of the ancient Mediterranean and the ancient Egyptian civilizations. These texts can be considered as “imperial literature” tied to the post-Soviet realities and projects aimed to find a better future. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2524472925d549508b978b5504232915 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2541-7738 2500-2171 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-02-01 |
| publisher | Kazan Federal University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ученые записки Казанского университета: Серия Гуманитарные науки |
| spelling | doaj-art-2524472925d549508b978b55042329152025-01-03T00:42:27ZengKazan Federal UniversityУченые записки Казанского университета: Серия Гуманитарные науки2541-77382500-21712021-02-01163119020510.26907/2541-7738.2021.1.190-205The ancient past and fiction, or about the construction of worlds by humanities scholars: A review of booksD.E. Martynov0Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008 RussiaThis paper reviews three novels by different modern authors, all published in 2020 and applying to the realities of Ancient Rome. Marik Lerner’s science fiction novel “Practical Ufology” fits within the subliterary genre of “accidental travel”, and any background information from the Roman-Byzantine life is not very appropriate in the adventure text. The new novel “The Triumphant” by Olga Eliseeva, a professional historian, can be labeled as a form of the “science novel” genre, because it has numerous references and “anchors” that only an educated person is able to understand. The main canvas of O. Eliseeva’s novel is a synthesis of the personalities and actions of Julius Caesar and Constantine the Great, so the writer used the motif of the fantasy world, in which the Roman Republic and Rome are replaced by Latium and Eternal City with the Nazarenes (i.e., Christians) playing an important role in its future. The trilogy “Divine World” by Boris Tolchinsky, a professional politologist, is the most radical inversion of the reality with its own alternative history. The world of the Amorian Empire is a synthesis of the ancient Mediterranean and the ancient Egyptian civilizations. These texts can be considered as “imperial literature” tied to the post-Soviet realities and projects aimed to find a better future.https://kpfu.ru/uz-eng-hum-2021-1-18.htmlscience fictionfantasyalternative historyliterary worldantiquityancient rome |
| spellingShingle | D.E. Martynov The ancient past and fiction, or about the construction of worlds by humanities scholars: A review of books Ученые записки Казанского университета: Серия Гуманитарные науки science fiction fantasy alternative history literary world antiquity ancient rome |
| title | The ancient past and fiction, or about the construction of worlds by humanities scholars: A review of books |
| title_full | The ancient past and fiction, or about the construction of worlds by humanities scholars: A review of books |
| title_fullStr | The ancient past and fiction, or about the construction of worlds by humanities scholars: A review of books |
| title_full_unstemmed | The ancient past and fiction, or about the construction of worlds by humanities scholars: A review of books |
| title_short | The ancient past and fiction, or about the construction of worlds by humanities scholars: A review of books |
| title_sort | ancient past and fiction or about the construction of worlds by humanities scholars a review of books |
| topic | science fiction fantasy alternative history literary world antiquity ancient rome |
| url | https://kpfu.ru/uz-eng-hum-2021-1-18.html |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT demartynov theancientpastandfictionorabouttheconstructionofworldsbyhumanitiesscholarsareviewofbooks AT demartynov ancientpastandfictionorabouttheconstructionofworldsbyhumanitiesscholarsareviewofbooks |