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Ring
of Darkness-ten years later.
I
think so far it’s early to exclaim “Hedin-Gracious,
Rackot-Defender, time runs so fast!” It was this autumn which
was already past that i had my first big literal anniversary. It
wasn’t a dote day from my birth. I don’t see any sense in
such celebrations and prefer real doing.
Nevertheless,
in September there was a reason for celebration-ten years ago,
at the end of September 1991, I placed the final full stop in
“The Ring of the Darkness”. Though then it was called “Descending
of the Darkness or MiddleEach , 300 years later”.
On
October 16,
1991
, the
contract on my book was singed with “Kavkazskaya biblioteka”
publishing house. Royalties for my book amounted to a huge for
that time sum of 75000 rubles, calculated according to the norms
of Writers’
Union
.
Many
times I was asked one and the same question, how it could be
possible for an unknown writer to be published without any
connexions in the publishing house; be published in the period
of total collapse and food cards.
Now,
ten years later I can’t give the proper answer. I guess that
such a phantastic affairs was possible due to the chaos and
disturbance of early 1990s. Another favourable moment was in
1996, it was the First boom of the Russian fantastics.
Anyways,
“The Ring of Darkness” then caled “Pescending of Darkness”
was published in “Kavkazskaya biblioteka”. How it could have
happend is another pair of shoes.
In
late 1980s the total control of CPSU of social life was
weakening with every passing month. But Party-members did their
best to retain their power, so they set up semi-controlled
organizations, e.g. the so-called “Youth cultural centers”,
which assembled the “informal youth unions” and joined them
with members of decomposing Young Communist League. There were
set up literal unions, music bands, self-made theatres and an
exotic service-“telephone air”-a forerunner for rubric 801
in an SPb free ads newspaper “Iz ruk
v ruki”, FIDO and Internet as means of communication.
Telephone air was a kind of radio broadcast. Several people
dialed special numbers and they could talk with each other at
the same time.
At
that time, at the end of 1980s, I met Andrew Korotayev, now a
successful businessman who runs ‘East market” company from
the first days of free entrepreneurship in
Russia
. But then Andrew worked at SPO
“Positron” along with kulturtregerstvo
under the aegis of
Kalinin
’s Youth creative center. I studied
biophysics at the
SPb
Polytechnic
University
. And my group mate Lyuba Schilova introduced
Andrew and me to each other.
Andrew
involved me in Literal union “Et caetera”. We didn’t show
ourselves worth there, the sole attempt to publish collection of
poems failed. Then the life itself was changing dramatically.
The Party and the YCL were deconstructing, as well as
“cultural centers”. The life was telling. Andrew started his
own business on computers. “Kavkazskaya biblioteka”- a
publishing house of
Stavropol
department of the Soviet cultural fund was
one of his clients. Andrew told them about my book. The
publishing house-Eugenie Panasko and Vasilii Zvyagincev, a well
known fantast-got interested in a manuscript by unknown research
officer
Perumov
N.D.
In
spring, 1991 the manuscript was passed to “Kavkazskaya
biblioteka”.
Now,
after the lapse of ten years I don’t remember the way I got
the “affirmative reply”. My attitude to this was as if it
was a game. Fascinating, exciting it was, but still a game. I
worked in SRI of especially clean
preparations in SPb, studied science, and wrote a thesis.
And I couldn’t even imagine that my manuscript would ever be
published. That’s why the possible publication of the “RD”
was just a game for me. Besides, events of 1991 took much
attention and left little room for books.
So
the contract was singed. I remained only to wait.
But
before I move on to the history of ‘RD” publication itself,
and the quest on of why it was published in “Severo-Zapad”
earlier than in any “KB” let’s return 20 years back, to
the time when many of the visitors of this site hadn’t get
existed.
The
end of “Zastoi”. The very beginning of 1980s. No signs of
collapse so far.
Leningrad
is drowsy
dozing. In kitchens intelligentsia under their breath abuse
secretary-general L.I. Brezhnev, get limited provisions
everything on holidays. Nobody thinks of stocking up with salt
and sugar, hiding them into their couches; is quiet peaceful.
Control seems all-embracing, the Party power- unshakeable. In
1982 in Detgiz without any
pomposity the first part of “Lord of the Rings” translated
by A. Kistyakovskii and A. Muravyov was published. “The
fellowship of the Ring” commenced mass Tolkeenizm in
Russia
.
I was it’s fan as well, one of many, I was charmed with
its poetic narration, which as no other translation created the
sensation of the magic world, of cozy Sheer and severe, hostile
world outside.
“The
Fellowship of the Ring” for many years was the only
translation that had been published in
Russia
. The
publication of “Lord of the Ring” was ceased. But I
couldn’t stop at one the third of the great book. I managed to
get the whole book in English. And in 1983 along with studying
quantum mechanics and mathematic physics, I started translating
“LR” into Russian. In the couch of my old flat huge pipes of
paper were left containing the story, that won’t ever be
published.
I
told and wrote many times that in 1985 I finished the
translation and started its continuation from the clean sheet of
paper.
It
was not more than just a literal game; no hope for publication.
It sounds unreal now, when there is no censorship, no obligatory
membership in Writers’
Union
. But it was
so.
Really,
“RD” primary was the next part of “LR”. Though its
original plot was contradicting reality. What if 9 Rings
survived in the fire, and somebody found them?
Despite
this heretical assumption it could logically continue the
primary book. Just create a new Dark
Lord who found the Rings and let him build new Barad-Dur.
Thought i didn’t really intent that the construction of the
first chapters is ”tolkeenistic”.
Peaceful Shire; a sudden dwarv’s appearance; immediate leave -
the events practically coincide with "Hobbit" and
"LR". Though even then
my concepts on “LR” didn’t fully coincide with Tolkeen’s
ones, my own book was the continuation of the Tolkeen’s
plot.
I’ve
been asking myself questions on when appear the “starting
point” of “RD” as an independent book not a continuation.
By the time I finished the translation of “Lord of the Ring”
into Russian, ideological and literal differences were only
taking shape. The battle on “Kormalen field” already seemed
to me over-ceremonial and pompous; Sauron’s stuff and nonsense
as well as Frodo’s and Sam’s
incredible luck, perplexed. But
it didn’t matter then. I still lived in
Tolkeen’s world, world of black and white with no half-tints.
Besides, the plan of my “RD” contained only a few first
chapters. I had no idea of writing big, multiplanned
book. Thus, the whole book is just a prologed monoroman.
So “RD” is written through Folko’s
senses, his feelings. Hobbit was to meet the dwarv, then go
traveling. That’s all.
A
qualified reader may exclaim, that books are not written like
that. And I would absolutely agree. Who has started is not a
beginner any more. Remember that “RD” during the period of
its creation (that is 6 years) remained a game!
Looking
now at 15-year-old manuscript and the book that has been on the
market for 8 years, I realize that the ”starting point” of
“RD” was the chapter “Lessons of Bree”.
By
that time the reader had got enough signs of “troubles in
MiddleEach”: someone was “mustering evil troops”, building
walls around Grey Havens, Barrow
Downs were coming to life. Three chapters were written to the
Tolkeen’s taste. And in the forth chapter it was time for
villains to appear.
The
draft of the “Lessons of Bree”:
-
Folko
and Torrin stay at the inn
-
Show
the carelessness of the inhabitants
-
People
don’t want to hear about any danger
-
Folko
fights against Asgab
-
Asgab beats the
Hobbit
-
Torrin
stands up for the hobbit, but he failed
-
Asgab tells a
few contemptuous phrases about Arnor
and Bree inhabitants and goes away.
This
is the first draft of the scene in the inn. On the whole, it
remained the same, but the offender character was re-vamped.
First,
he was just a tall man with rough face of an unclear kith or kin.
And he was a severe killer, feeling pleasure from his murders.
No ambiguity, no half-tints, no “truth” inside him.
But
while writing this scene I felt false, false in the character of
Asgab.
I
stopped.
The
character needed a different name and a different attitude.
That’s
how appeared the name Sandello.
Then a hump. Asgab turned into
an ugly hunchback as outcast
among people, as the hobbit and the dwarv. And Sandello
feels sorry for the hobbit, but he can’t break the law of
honor, he must defend peoplefrom his group.
It
caused more changes in the plot, like a little stone leads to an
avalanche. Hunchback Sandello couldn’t
serve a certain gangster. It had to be a person for whom the
hunchback could die. A banal Dark Lord
didn’t fit.
That
is how Olmer appeared. He was
created at the same time with Sandello.
In the scene of Bree inn we can
only hear the voice of Olmer.
But even then he played a key role along with Folko. It was Olmer
who moved the plot ahead. Even describing the hobbit, i had to
check situation from Olmer’s point.
It
was a crucial point for the plot of the book. Olmer
played a “revolutionary role”. Folko,
Torrin and the Kid were
only defenders. Their roles were a little bit passive.
Nothing
of these was in the primary project. There was even no project.
My book started from that scene in the inn.
Critics
will definitely throw this paragraph away from the context. But
I’d like to tell them, that in 1985, when it was just
beginning, I thought of writing as an amusement. Publication?
How could it be possible, when even the “LR” itself was
forbidden? The only reader I had was my father. And he would
understand.
Nevertheless,
the “RD” starts from the scene in the Bree inn.
While
Folko and Torrin were moving
towards Annuminas, the Olmer’s
character was getting his shape, free of senseless passion for
power. The enemy cannot remain the same. He shouldn’t be Enemy
with the capital E actually. Thought it goes without saying that
the characters of the book are to change him this way till the
certain point. I told it many times, that you can’t understand
Sauron’s actions from a
position of logics. You can understand them from a position of
Christianity and Catholicism. Their devil also is doomed to fail,
he has no chances to win: he gains absolutely nothing from
tormenting people, and those, who serve him, get to Hell and
expose endless torments there. Of course, the Hell doesn’t
belong to Sauron (though he
worked as a prison supervisor for Melkor).
Christian idea of Evil stupidity states, that it inevitably will
be defeated (“Revelation”). Though this victory will end
with collapse of the whole world (Tolkeen’s
Dagor Dagorrat with further “the second music Ainur”).
Lord of the Ring’s victory wouldn’t be possible without “Sauron’s
stupidity”. How could it happen that Sauron
with all his mayar wisdom would not think of such a simple thing
like to strengthen security around Orodruin.
I got many answers to this question. They all meant that
Sauron couldn’t do this according to his description.
“Primitivisation” of evil is obvious. It is natural that
after Sauron knew that the Ring
had been found, and “was going to the south”, first of all
he had to surround the
Mount
Doom
with
rings of stilness or
appoint at leas two Nazguls for
patrolling.
These
and other questions turn’d up when i was creating Olmer’s
point of view.
First
of all, Olmer is a ”clever”
Evil. Hence, destroying the Ring can’t defeat Olmer
(like in the “LR”). He must be killed from real
weapon.
Sauron
couldn’t offer his followers anything, but fear and torments.
Even Adolph Hitler offered his nation something more definite,
like economic prosperity, expansion of the national boarders,
“life
space”. Hitler’s predecessor canceller Bruening
tried to take lands of the bankrupted “Unker’s”
departments and give them to landless peasants. He was dismissed
from his post of canceller.
Hence,
Olmer had to have a policy. He
had to be able to attract followers not by lies and fear. It
could be shown only through the Olmer’s
conflict with the main characters. Olmer
was to win over his main enemies in leisurely fashion (like
targeted lies).
Then
we see Folko starting to
hesitate.
After
Olmer’s character the main
idea of the “RD” became clearer: all characters were divided
not in black and white, but in gray and its half-tints.
Defeating
banners were rendered their due. Why orcs
serve the Dark Lord? Why they sacrifice their lives for him? Tolkeen explains
it by their primordial evil. They can’t be any what else. But
sometime there were scenes contradicting religious concepts.
I
mean the dialogue between orcs of Shagrat and Gorbag in
Kirit-Ungol.
Gorbag:
“But
anyway, if it does go well, there should be a lot more room.
What’d you say?-if we get a chance, you and me’ll slip off
and set up somewhere on our own with a few trusty lads,
somewhere where’s good loot nice and handy, and no big bosses”
“Ah!”,
said Shagrat, “Like old times”
“Yes”,
said Gorbag. “But don’t count on it/ I’m not easy at my
mind. As I said, Big Bosses, ay” his voice sank almost to
whisper “ay, even the Biggest, can make mistakes”
But
orcs are not pleased with the
situation at all. They’d like to get away from Mordor.
They have their own opinion. They can think and hesitate. It’s
another matter, that Professor didn’t develop this theme, but
I did- within the bounds of polemics.
If
orcs have a normal thinking, a question arises-what will happen
when Sauron’s superpower
disappears? I assumed that they (orcs)
would become normal people; of course, first they would rob and
plunder (according to Tolkeen’s idea that these are the only
things they could do). But in 300 years there would survive only
those, who manage to get on with the neighbors; or those, who
would be so clever as to move to new uninhabited lands. That’s
how orcs possessions in Adamanta
Henna appeared.
Fear
and torments won’t be enough any more to make the peaceful
tribes wage war. I showed, that Olmer
didn’t use the superpower inherited after restless majars.
The
main idea of the “RD” is that the nine Rings survived on the
fire. Was it possible? I read all 12 books of Professor but I
can’t give the answer. The hypothesis on their survival came
immediately after reading the “LR”. What if their remains
were in the people’s world?.. What if someone could gather
them together? In that case he would be a likeness of Dark
Lord; I’ve described the Olmer’s
transformation. But along with Olmer’s character there had to
be a problem of reaching the goals of human beengs by the means
of superpower.
So
my book became an alternative to the “Middle
Each”. Some of my opponents judge the book from Tolkeen’s
world. But it is a mistake. Only the author can write an
“authentic” continuation of his book. Tolkeen
tried to do this (his famous “New
Shadow”), but he gave it up. It would be shallow
without a new “motor”, new idea.
It was a wise decision. Tolkeen created Arda
and he could create anything he wanted. But he did not do this.
Why? The answer is it would go against “religiosity” of the
black and white “ LR”. Otherwise Professor would definitely
come to the character of Olmer.
Someone is mustering troops? What for? War? Why? Orcs
are weak-willed slaves of Sauron.
No Sauron- no orcs. The other
important thing is that Professor himself used to step back from
his own scheme. Hence one should gather troops consisting of the
weak-willed slaves again or take
points to understand their motives of willing to meet
death.
We
know what German soldiers fought for in WW2 as well as Japanese,
Italian, Slovakian, Croatian, Finnish and other soldiers. In
1941, Finns came up right to the former boarders with
USSR
and did not make a single step forward. In
the heat of the battle in South approaches to Leningrad Zhukov
dauntlessly drew his troops off Karelian neck. There was nothing
to worry about there…
There
was a need to give the basis to the war. Lame excuse that “orcs
wage war because they are mean” did not work. There had to be
a sensible ground for war, new characters were needed. People
Age seemed boring to Professor Tolkeen.
Elves migrated to Valinor
from troubles of this land; Magic vanished into thin air, and
only remained year out increasing people tribes. It’s
senseless to write about them.
So
new characters in “RD” separated it from the “LR”, they
set up its own outline. We can argue, which characters were
really necessary, which not. Everybody has his own MiddleEach,
his own “continuation”, “end” or “alternative”.
Great books (“LR” surely was one of the literal masterpieces
of last century) generate “ripples on water”.
Further
history of “RD” is known. First published in December 1993
it has been published till now. And this fact is the best answer
to those who considered and still consider it a shallow commerce
imitation doomed to oblivion.
Nick Perumov
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