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Posted by: Backgammon Sep 26 2013, 11:03 AM

Many valid point Fatum. Unfortunately I don't have the time I'd need to answer each point, so I'll just do what I can -

Vodka and Stalin: Another Russian reader actually had the same objection, and I explained my reasoning http://forums.shadowruntabletop.com/index.php?topic=12501.msg239118#new (starting at post #36)

Many Russian culture faux-pas: Apologies, I can't defend those. Those are all little things I simply didn't know, and it's not the kind of stuff some internet research will tell you (windows opening on hinges, people apparently don't say "I'm sorry" when someone is dead, etc). Regarding Kovalenka - my wife is Polish and I learned they did the o/a thing with their last name, and I incorrectly assumed it was the same for Russians. Again, I can only apologises for those kind of things.

Posted by: Fatum Sep 26 2013, 12:00 PM

I'll have to agree with Elektrycerze3 on this one: it does seem that everyone constantly drinks vodka, and nothing but vodka. Minding that statistically Russians drink thrice more beer and twice more cocktails than vodka, about as much wine as vodka, and again about as much cognac, tequila and other hard liquors, well, it does seem to be playing into the stereotype heavily.

For Stalin, I guess, you could argue that the authoritarian Russian government whitewashed his image, since they needed a strong authoritarian figure in the relatively recent past (so Ekaterina or Peter wouldn't work), but I kinda doubt it'd be done for the same reason it's not done today: it'd empower the communists.

As for the cultural realities, yeah, I guess nothing short of a Russian proofreader could help with some of those - but it's easily possible to find one on the net, or in RL if you're in a first world nation. On the other hand, well, it's not like the vast majority of the readers will notice.

Posted by: Sendaz Sep 26 2013, 12:57 PM

Что ни город, то норов, что ни деревня, то обычай.

Posted by: Tymeaus Jalynsfein Sep 26 2013, 02:23 PM

Exactly... Well said Sendaz...

Posted by: Angelone Sep 26 2013, 03:22 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYEUJQ7zZNk

Posted by: Hamsnibit Sep 26 2013, 09:21 PM

I have to admit, this sounds quite bad.

Probably not as bad as slaughtering your way through the spirits of deceased victims in order to salvage a "necromantic artifact" biding its time in the apparently still standing Auschwitz camp as suggested in some ... other "sourcebook"

maybe ill take a look at this thing if i get my hands on it ...

Posted by: Backgammon Sep 26 2013, 10:37 PM

Well, certainly without saying Fatum doesn't have valid points, he may be a little exceptional in his attention to detail - he is writing a gargantuan book of Russia as a fan project, after all. Again, hes not wrong, but other reviews have focused more on what, admittedly, I focused on as well, which is the characters, the story, the flow, the mood. And those reviews have been pretty positive. So long as you don't know or dont care Russian windows open on hinges, you may walk away with a different opinion of the book.

Posted by: Angelone Sep 26 2013, 10:41 PM

I enjoyed it.

Posted by: Fatum Sep 27 2013, 01:53 AM

QUOTE (Hamsnibit @ Sep 27 2013, 01:21 AM)

QUOTE (Backgammon @ Sep 27 2013, 02:37 AM)