Friday, July 7, 2017

Nicholas Kotar Pens Russian Fantasy -- Review of his "The Song Of The Sirin"

NEW SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY REVIEWS
Reviews Of Recently Published Science Fiction And Fantasy Books
Reviewer: Forrest Schultz schultz_forrest@yahoo.com 770-583-3258


July 7, 2017

Nicholas Kotar Pens Russian Fantasy:

The Song Of The Sirin Retells Prince Ivan And The Grey Wolf

A Review of

Nicholas Kotar Raven Son Book One – The Song of the Sirin (Waystone, 2017)
                            373 pp   $11.34   ISBN: 9780998847900

Reviewer:  Forrest W. Schultz

     Nicholas Kotar is an American of Russian descent who has embarked on a mission to revive Russian fantasy beginning with the story under review here.  (This is a change from his original plan three years ago in which Raven Son was the title of the first book, rather than of the series.)  The Sirins in this tale are very good and exalted beings whose songs lead to great blessing, so that they must in no way be confused with the Sirens in Homer’s Odyssey, whose songs lead to destruction.  Another difference is that the Ravens here are much more wicked than the Poe-ic Ravens:  their blackness is comparable to the blackness of Black Holes.  These are but two examples of the uniqueness of the story’s Russian fantasy context, which is suffused with all kinds of concepts with which Americans are unfamiliar.  So, the reader should prepare himself for a wild old-time Russian Ride through all kinds of strange places with all kinds of strange fantasy beings!


    You can get some idea of the author’s perspective by visiting his beautiful and informative website www.nicholaskotar.com.  

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