Review of Styx: Shards of Darkness. An old thief is better than two new ones

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One of the popular science fiction writers of our time is Artem Kamenisty. "Styx" - all books in the series and "Ninth" by series in chronological order. All his books are collected in this list. Don't miss a thing. 😉

Forbidden World

Forbidden World

Why does an intellectually developed society need weapons for ballistas and slings? What secret does the Forest with heavy stones and unsightly plants hide? For what purpose does the Star Commonwealth Empire use abducted earthlings? Nick Sobolev is ready to sacrifice his own life to uncover the mysteries of the planet. The chosen path leads him to the Heart of the World. Further

• Heart of the World - continuation.

Border River

Border River

A human settlement is formed in the wilderness. But the environment here is harsh and unpredictable. The deadly territory of Khaitana is divided by a river, separating earthlings from another race, previously unknown creatures. This place has become the ruins of a once prosperous city. Now it is inhabited by hermits who do not agree to be slaves in the civilized world and will not allow the destruction of their people by insidious raiders. Further

Lands of Khaitana

A catastrophe on their home planet throws earthlings into another world in which they have found their refuge. The fragmented settlements of Khaitana face difficult choices. They need to forget past grievances and unite for their salvation. The Hait army advances faster and faster and leaves behind a trail of burned villages, whose inhabitants disappear without a trace. Further

After a tragic incident, a team of four guys and a young female trainee are sent to the scene of the accident. For 49 hours without rest they comb the surrounding area. The last 8 hours seem like an eternity. Having received permission for a five-minute rest, the girl, hiding in the shade of the trees, clung to the cool ground. She heard the men arguing uselessly, but in an instant their voices died down. They breathed their last. The heroine survived by chance, now her task is to find the culprit. Further

Leaving the Monastery, Alina had no idea what difficulties awaited her. Big world The girl is not greeted hospitably. On the streets of the city she feels completely alone and defenseless. Strange people, intelligence agents, the Thirteenth are hunting for her. But what's special about it? Faced with her enemies - zombies and non-humans - the pupil shows her true essence. Further

Nameless Empire

The world will never be the same again. After the great battle, little remained of the usual way of life. On the ruins of the past, civilization is trying to rise from its knees. For some it turns out well, but for others it fades. The Empire is no longer able to hold the reins of power in its hands, and hordes of enemies are rushing to tear it to pieces. But is it too early? Further

Death Roads

The world has not felt the full brunt of war with the use of all kinds of weapons for a long time. However, representatives of the south are ready to do a lot for the sake of victory: rocket bombing, sabotage special forces, genocide and even weapons of mass destruction. There is not enough space in the remaining ruins. The new generation is replacing the old. But they have no idea who is closely watching their bloody massacre. Further

Ninth

Ninth

The book is filled with a fast-paced plot, subtle humor and thoughtful characters. He is the Center's ninth attempt to create a super fighter. The previous ones did not live up to expectations. But the work on the “ninth” was not perfect. Without having superpowers and full preparation, the “experiment” will have to prove itself. But he can expect no one to help him except his faithful parrot. People raise doubts in him, because not all of them are friendly towards him. Further

On the ruins of Malroc

In pursuit of laurels, luxury and unlimited abilities, he had to pay a heavy price and undergo trials of fate. But the hopes were not justified. After the horror experienced, the hero can only hide in Mezhgorye. But in still waters there are devils. Even the fearless warriors of the King's army do not live in this place. Did he choose the right place to spend the rest of his days in peace and quiet? Is there a chance for a happy ending or will the almighty forces of darkness turn everything in their favor? Further

Birth of a winner

This is a continuation of the adventures about the Ninth. In the given situation, he finds himself at the limit of his capabilities. Not having the necessary abilities and a trained team, the hero leads himself into a dead end. But folding his hands and obeying the will of fate is not about him. He - a real man, capable of taking responsibility for his own actions and not ready to break under the pressure of the surrounding world. Further

Admiral of the South Seas

Daniil, a representative of earthlings, gets a chance to try to build own life again. But fate is not always so favorable. Once in the fading Mezhgorye, he faces a lot of problems, but over time he gets used to the new way of life. The role of a guard helps him a lot in this. Together with the captain of the ship, Daniel goes to another city in search of craftsmen and specialists who are able to restore a dying civilization. Further

Heart for the Guardian

This book is the fifth in a series describing Daniel's incredible journey into a parallel universe. Daniel has already seen a lot, but life's troubles only contributed to the manifestation of increasing courage of the young adventurer. Thanks to sharp mind, he rose to the rank of fleet admiral. But due to an absurd mistake, he is left without a ship and a loyal crew. Alone with a maniac. Further

Secrets of the Order

An inexorable desire to reveal terrible secret leads a loyal crew of adventurers across the dark seas, led by a restless captain. Everything seems to be going well: there is an informant and cash to reveal the secrets of the order. But the danger lies in the location of the final destination. This is the southern coast, which is not famous for its special hospitality. Further

Paradise is merciless

Paradise is merciless

During the fall of a star, many people make a wish in the hope that it will come true. What if, in your passions, you wished something on an annoying friend, and the wish came true with you? Once on paradise island, you can enjoy all its delights. Swim in the sea, drink fresh coconut milk, bask on the white sand. But it’s worth thinking about your own survival. Further

On the edge of the archipelago

Hell can be interpreted in different ways. Here it is tropical. But even in it it becomes crowded and everyone tries to win their warm place. The eternal struggle takes place with dicks, with rivals and Mother Nature. Here everyone lives by different laws: at 14 you are a fighter, and at 25 you retire. But there is one legend that unites all people, about the existence of black ships that sometimes fly across the starry sky. Perhaps they can explain the meaning of their existence? Further

The place of rescue is a shabby bunker that does not inspire much confidence. The menacing catacombs are a meeting place for several entities: the “Red Nest” and the mysterious status controller. The intricate labyrinth of tunnels looks intimidating, but Vladimir's shotgun is capable of opening any door. Techno-creatures are ready to do anything to save their own skins - this is their only purpose. But Vlad is not ready to sacrifice himself because of the mistakes of the past. Further

In this part, the reader will meet a new character - Vladislav. Having emerged from centuries-old imprisonment in a remote cave, a young man is ready to take revenge on his offenders. Churchmen, radicals and many others are out for Vlad's blood. After terrible war the foundations of life were turned upside down. And even the Guardian of Harmony is unable to see the truth. But the mountaineers, winning victory after victory, are moving towards their goal. Further

After fierce fighting, most of the population died, and those who remained fight every day for own existence. There is no longer any strength to resist, and only the clergy still have a glimmer of hope for a retaliatory attack on the machines. This is an unequal battle between equipment and people. Vlad was the least fortunate of all; he found himself at the epicenter of the battle. But true man doesn't give up. Further

New science fiction action series from Eksmo

S-T-I-K-S. Six days of freedom

The World of Styx is a large construction set, the components of which are scraps different worlds together with its residents. New arrivals retain their humanity for some time, but those who are in this mystical place for a long time, cease to be similar to their former selves. Now they are bloodthirsty killers. The Duke is the head of the Azov Union. With an explosion atomic bomb he is trying to stop the Black Brotherhood's attack. The students of the Flower Garden, whose future was already predetermined thanks to the outbreak of war, are fleeing to save their lives. They have six days to fight for their freedom, but the Duke's curse tirelessly follows in their wake. Further

S-T-I-K-S. Double

The Hive is a scary place to travel. However, Leonid Pogorelov with the new name Amper will go there long journey. They started chasing him. Moores, people and bounty hunters all need him. But the outsiders thirst for his blood more than anyone else. There is a large reward on Ampere's head, as he is a copy of the General of the Empire. In the whole world he has no one else to trust but himself. Further

S-T-I-K-S. Territory of the lucky ones

You are the person who knows the secret of treasures, you know how to get to them and you know the surest path. All in your hands. The plan is very simple and quite feasible. But Styx is an all-seeing eye, from which little can be hidden. Many people know about the existence of the treasure, so the road to it can cost their lives. Moreover, it is for your head that your enemies will get a good jackpot. You need to be careful even in safe place. Further

S-T-I-K-S. Human hive

The Hive is a terrible place where people have turned into animals. Every day they face mortal danger. Who and why persecutes the unfortunate human representatives and brutally kills them? Mercenary soldiers, attack drones, zombies - that's just small list creatures that started hunting people. Once you enter a restricted area, it is almost impossible to find a way out. What is he capable of? main character to pave your way to freedom? Further

S-T-I-K-S. Her eye color

The Beehive is Ella's birthplace. This area is inhabited by frosted zombies, squads of infected people and many other monsters. Each species lives according to its own rules. In the Union of Azov, in the center of civilization, in order to give joy to people from high society, a Flower Garden with beautiful orchid girls was built. The heroine is engaged to the quasi Zen, but not of her own free will. Is she ready to spend her whole life as a slave or will she fight for her happiness? Further

S-T-I-K-S. Man with a cat

Incredibly separate parts different worlds united together with their inhabitants into a terrifying symbiosis - the Hive. Most of people mutated and became walking dead or just creatures. Karat and a couple of other people had immunity to infection in their blood. The position of a raider and many mortal dangers in the guy’s life turned him into a winner. But there is still a whole life ahead. Further

The weirdest noob

The weirdest noob

Every day Computer techologies develop at an elusive speed, especially games. Perhaps in one of them humanity awaits immortal life. Second World is shrouded in speculation on this matter. Evgeniy has to find out the whole truth. But as a result of the experiment, the hero’s body can only exist in an artificial coma. And consciousness is in the Second World. Further

Slave of the Locked Lands

The first book is simple and easy to read, the second is full of unexpected twists storyline. Fantasy is intertwined with excellent humor. These qualities can describe the printed version computer game. This is a true surprise for fans of the action style, and for beginners this book will be a new discovery. Further

Gigran

Imposter Demon

An incredible story about a time traveler who finds himself in a parallel world, very reminiscent of America of the last century. The representatives of the animal world are amazing. On his deathbed, a master pickpocket finds himself transported to another dimension. Thanks to his sharp tongue, the hero quickly becomes close to the local population, who see him as a terrible demon from the southern lands. Impenetrable forests, theft aircraft and much more awaits the young adventurer. But the disease forces the man to fight for his life and the outcome of the story will surprise many. Further

The median ridge separates the two parts of Gigran. After a horrific apocalypse, the two sides come to their senses in their own ways. The south is full of secrets and magic that is at war with black magic. The North is thriving thanks to the development of technology - they are building railways, the heavenly space is conquered, everything magical is introduced into the ranks of the ridiculous. But the two worlds are united by the complete confidence of their inhabitants that there is no life on the other side of the mountains. The higher circles are trying with all their might to keep the people in this ignorance. However, Leon discovered this hidden secret. Further

No series

The uncontrollable System took everything from you: memories, past life and turned into nothing. The road to recovery will not be easy. Repeated death is now your everyday condition until you find out the necessary information. Single codes are not helpful in this, and those who have the power to guide you to the truth are not eager to reveal it. But every new death reduces your number possible lives. What happens after they are all over? Further

In cities there is nowhere else to hide; not a single room can protect you from hunters. Everything has fallen in this world, there are no rescuers, no army. Having fallen from the pinnacle of evolution, man has become a bait. People are left with nothing: panic, fear, madness fill the big cities. And the worst is yet to come. A group of brave souls decides to find the culprit of the disaster and force him to answer. Having acquired homemade weapons, fellow travelers are ready to fight with unequal enemy forces. Further

It was Artem Kamenisty - “The Ninth”, “Styx” - all the books in the series in order. Share in the comments if you have his favorite books. 😉

Sunrise

The first thing he felt was that it hurt to walk. My head was buzzing, but worse than that was a small pebble that got into my shoe. A small but very sharp piece of asphalt. He bent down to shake out the annoying hindrance, his eyes darkened again, he had to sit down, and suddenly the asphalt, not yet properly warmed by the morning sun, roughly touched his cheek. But consciousness did not go out, as before, when it barely glowed in him like a thin wick of a smoldering candle, but suddenly flared up, like a fire into which a can of gasoline had been generously poured. It flared up, and the whole body was flooded with new, deafening pain. He groaned, crawled to the side of the road, and began to feel himself.

First the head. There is a huge lump on the back of the head, but the pain is no longer sharp, but dull, dull. The pain goes away, as if from a blow that did not reach the target. But it makes me sick. Very nauseating. My mouth is sour. He spat on the road, then groaned in shame. It seemed that all this was alien: the road, the clothes, the pain, and the body. The arms and legs were in place, intact. A car drove by. He realized that no one would stop, even if he lay down in the middle of the road. They will go around. And they won't stop.

There was only the road ahead. A strip of gray asphalt, lined with white strokes in the middle, and on both sides there is a forest. Most of all I wanted to turn there, into the forest, lie down under one of the birch trees with a smooth, thin, like beautiful woman, skin, look at the bottomless sky and, together with the clouds, white and sterile, like cotton wool, surrender to the wind and float away, float away, float away...

He only knew that it was impossible. Need to go. If you live, then go. If you die, then go there, under the white birch tree. “Die,” suggested the mind, tormented by pain. “Live,” the body shot, and he got up and stuck to the road again. I wandered.

Walked for a long time. I didn’t think about anything, because I didn’t yet feel like a person with a future and a past. I only knew that he was there, he existed. That he once had both a dad and a mom, because he couldn’t be born any other way. There was a name. Which? No options. Go. But my mouth is still sour. The road forked ahead. Near the sign with an inscription that he was not yet able to understand, sat a woman in a padded jacket and a colorful scarf. In front of her stood a wooden box, on the box were plastic one and a half liter bottles with something white. He only guessed that he could drink this white, and there would be less sour in his mouth. Maybe it will go away completely.

When he approached, the woman yelped in fear. She recoiled and became deluded. He grabbed a bottle of white, brought it to his mouth, and began to swallow greedily. Warm, alive.

The woman grabbed a large, bitchy stick from the ground and swung it. He took the bottle from his mouth, white, warm and alive spilled onto his chest and onto his dirty shirt. “Milk,” he remembered and laughed happily: “Milk!”

Vasya! Basil! - the woman squealed.

From the bushes at a distance, a bearded man was running, buttoning his pants as he went, shouting words that he didn’t like. Bad words, as my mother used to say. Can not be so. This is bad. Not good. Clutching the bottle of milk to himself, he walked away. The man, having reached the woman and the box, stopped and began to look around. A car drove by and didn’t even slow down. The man said hesitantly:

Maybe he's sick? Blissful? Well, him, Nyura. Let him go.

I should call the police! Look how dark he is! He looks like a gypsy, he's a thief! Woohoo! Brat!

What kind of police do you like here? When he gets closer to the capital, he will be wrapped up there. They'll either end up in jail or in a mental hospital. What eyes, Nyurka, look! Crazy, for sure.

He walked further and further away from these two, walking away smiling, almost happy, clutching the still not quite empty bottle of milk. Now he knew for sure that it was milk, and he felt better. About two hundred meters later I noticed a large blue shield and now I understood what was written on it:

"Moscow - 78 kilometers"

And it became absolutely clear that he needed to go there, forward. That he would have to live, because he had to do something very important. Remember everything and do it.

Noon

The milk had run out, the sun had long risen, and it became hot and stuffy. There were a lot of cars on the highway, but still no one paid attention to him. The people he began to meet occasionally shied away, although he did nothing wrong. I was just walking.

They called out to him near a white car with blue stripes. There was a flashing light on the roof of the car.

Hey man! Do you have any documents?

A huge guy in a police uniform climbed out of the car, yawning. Another guy sitting behind the wheel shouted:

Come on, Seryoga! It’s not our business to pick up homeless people!

What if he is a terrorist? They will give a bonus.

Yes, the most ordinary homeless person! He probably stinks! Put on your gas mask!

At first he stood, listened, then suddenly turned around and ran.

Stop! - the one they called Seryoga rushed after him.

He caught up quickly, threw him to the ground, wrung his hands, and rummaged around.

He doesn’t have any documents, and look, his face is black!

Yes, maybe he is a wandering gypsy? - a second guy in a police uniform also came up.

Yes typical face Caucasian nationality! Let's go, let's hand him over where he should go. I’m telling you exactly: they will give you a bonus.

Evening

They interrogated him for a long time. He covered his head with his hands just in case, but they didn’t beat him.

Who are you? - the duty officer at the local police station, in a small town with an unfamiliar name, kept asking everything: he never made it to Moscow.

I do not remember.

Don't remember at all?

No. Nothing.

Did they hit you on the head?

I do not remember.

You don't have any documents. What is your nationality? Georgian? Chechen? Armenian? Gypsy?

Standard sequel: will appeal to fans of the original, but is unlikely to attract others.

Gambling addiction https://www.site/ https://www.site/

Eh, old Styx... The malicious, big-eared, agile goblin Styx. You're still unlucky. IN Of Orcs and Men you were pushed in for show, but humor and charisma alone won’t pull you out of a mediocre game. And the debut Styx: Master of Shadows, although stealth fans liked it, everyone else found it a less than stellar game.

Did luck smile on the gloomy goblin scout this time, in Styx: Shards of Darkness? In short, no. However, this does not mean that the continuation turned out bad.

The hero is not very strong, but he is dexterous and agile. At each location, several dozen enemies will be waiting for players at once, so Styx will have to use his entire arsenal to stay in the shadows.

The good, the bad, the green

Shards of Darkness does without preludes. Time has passed since the events of the first game: the World Tree, the source of the magical substance - amber, is destroyed, and with it the floating city of Akenash, which literally fell from heaven to earth. Hastily packing her things, Styx goes to the fishing town of Toben, infested with criminals of all stripes. A perfect place for our “hero”.

But even there he did not find a quiet life. Due to Styx's direct participation in the destruction of the Tree, the world was overrun by hordes of mindless goblins. Dark elves capture greenskins alive, smugglers trade them, and human clans equip punitive squads to hunt crazy dwarves.

It is from the leader of one of these detachments that Styx receives a contract. The contract is deceptive in its simplicity. Oh, the poor guy shouldn't have agreed...

Welcome to Toben. A hole is a hole, but for a goblin it’s heaven.

The plot seems intriguing, but the plot cannot surprise. It doesn't compare to the story in Styx: Master of Shadows. By the way, she didn’t shine there either, but she was saved by the bright plot twist, presenting all events from a new perspective. In Styx: Shards of Darkness, the authors tried to do something similar, but the “shocking ending” here does not cause anything but indifference. There is no talk of a decent presentation of the plot.

The most offensive thing is that Styx himself suffered at the hands of the scriptwriters. IN rare moments He, as of old, makes caustic comments, curses dirty and looks very menacing, despite his small stature. However, most often he just makes stupid jokes. And he often tries to flirt with the “fourth wall.” Styx muses about the architecture “as if it was created for him,” constantly sprinkles in references to modern pop culture, and after death he even directly addresses the player in scenes similar to those in Batman: Arkham Asylum .

“I read the script and I know that we will go further. It's just a matter of time".

Since when does Styx realize he's inside the game? Mystery. Of Orcs and Men and the first Styx were serious projects and this sudden change in tone seems out of place. Various scenes in the case of Game Over, of course, can amuse, but was it worth radically changing the mood of the game for this?

One way or another, you will probably be pleased (or, conversely, disappointed) by the fact that we have almost the same game as three years ago. Only with a bigger budget. Developers from Cyanide Studios They didn’t break what worked well in the original, but they also worked hard to correct the errors.

Goblin - there is a plug in every barrel

The level design in the first part was praised even by those who did not like the game. In the spacious Akenash there were plenty of places to climb, sneak, perform acrobatic somersaults and hide in the dark. Wherever you go, there is a way to go further. Styx: Shards of Darkness remained true to this tradition and was even able to multiply the achievements of its predecessor.

Terrible on the face, but kind inside. And the eyes finally changed color.

Moving to the engine Unreal Engine 4 benefited the series. The locations in Shards of Darkness are huge and never boring. Wherever Styx’s troubles take him—whether it’s the garbage slums of Toben or the ominous elven capital of Corrangar—dozens of routes open up before him. The levels are even “higher” than before, and running along rooftops and cornices is combined with an intense game of hide and seek on the ground, where there are a lot of guards. And the game has improved a lot. Cyanide Studios has a hard time animating cutscenes (the characters move too jerkily), but playing with lighting sometimes brings back fond memories of the early parts Thief.

Despite the scale, the levels are always built to highlight the unprecedented agility of Styx. Everywhere there are sure to be huge chandeliers that want to “fall” on the guard’s head, or bowls of water that can be poisoned. You can almost always get to the goal in almost a dozen ways: climb a rope, crawl through ventilation, jump along roofs and cornices, or bypass the guards through vegetable gardens. Most often, the player is required to combine all this.

It's funny, but while the player always has a chance to use an ability, the game doesn't force you to do so. At all. You can simply forget that the goblin spy is capable of magic, because he is so good at climbing steep walls.

The abundance of possibilities can be confusing, but the developers have tried to make sure that the roads are always obvious. Thanks to this, in the shoes of Styx you feel like a truly elusive goblin, playfully diving from one loophole to another. How a real master shadows, and Styx, for a minute, is like that.

At the gates of Corrangar, sometimes you feel dizzy from the heights. But what a view!

A couple of little things ruin the whole positive thing. Like its predecessor, Styx: Shards of Darkness shamelessly uses already completed levels several times, slightly changing enemies. A great deal, considering that (ideally) Styx will not catch anyone's eye anyway. And this spoils the impression: exploring locations is always exciting, but different, and not the same. In addition, the game likes to throw the hero from time to time into places where acrobatics are impossible, and “corridor” stealth is noticeably more boring.

Jack of all trades

In the intervals between missions, the hero finds himself in a shelter - a safe corner where he can take a break, upgrade his skills and replenish his supply of items.

Styx may be an excellent scout, but he is not much of a fighter. Firstly, any enemy will kill him in one or two hits. Secondly, the combat system still does not stand up to criticism. Therefore, the goblin compensates for its growth with all sorts of cunning skills scattered throughout the leveling tree. At the top of each branch there is always a special skill, one of two to choose from, but it can only be obtained in exchange for quartz, a rare elven mineral.

In addition to the usual bonuses, like “jump higher” or “run faster,” there are also unusual finds: how do you like a skill that makes Styx hum thoughtfully every time he catches his eye on something valuable?

Local enemies maliciously ignore safety precautions. Barrels of acid are not even marked with ribbons! It's worse for them...

The goblin's signature ability - summoning disposable clones - has not gone away. Here, unlike the first part, the copies are not inferior in dexterity to the “original”: they can climb and hide no worse. Very convenient, especially if you acquire a skill that allows you to swap places with a clone. If the dummy dies along the way, climbing into especially dangerous wilds, it’s not a pity; if it gets to the place intact, you can immediately move into it. But hiding clones in closets and chests in order to ambush, alas, is no longer possible.

But simple crafting appeared. From scrap materials on workbenches you are allowed to collect things useful for the household: bolts for a mini-crossbow, health potions, master keys, etc. Some Styx instruments are more surprising than others.

For example, a cocoon for remotely calling a clone or a special cologne that masks the goblin smell, otherwise local gnomes can easily smell Styx in any shelter. If you do everything meticulously Additional tasks and search all the hidden corners of the levels, you can get hold of new weapons and armor. Alchemist's robes, for example, will allow Styx to craft items whenever he wants, but armor full of flasks will clink loudly when running and rolling.

The hero's modest but cozy nest also serves as a great place to wait for a co-op partner! You can play through the entire game from start to finish with a companion, a “perfect clone,” whom Styx summons to make things easier for himself. Alas, the multiplayer here is purely for show, since the levels are designed to be completed alone and teamwork is not required anywhere.

Although the roofs beckon with safety, you will definitely have to go down. And then try to find the way up again.

And also read Artem Kamenisty’s books dedicated to the “S-T-I-K-S” universe.

Only texts posted in their entirety on the competition page can be accepted into the finals.

The competition accepts novels from the genres of hit and miss, post-apocalypse, adventure fiction, and action. You don’t have to submit your entire work for the competition at once; you can work on your book right during the competition, adding new parts. Novels with a length of 420 thousand characters with spaces (10.5 author's pages) can take part in the competition.

Only works that have been posted on other resources will be accepted for the competition. no more than 120 thousand values. with ave. Your work participating in the competition cannot be posted for free(more than 120 technical points, etc.) or sell on any other resource. Violation of this rule entails removal of the work from the competition and termination of its consideration for publication in the series.

We repeat! The work submitted for the competition cannot be sold on other resources or its text larger than 120,000 characters can be posted. with ave.

The "S-T-I-K-S" competition will run until April 30, 2017. Throughout the season, novels are selected for publication in the series. The jury will closely monitor the ratings and reviews of participating works. Often success on the Internet also means good sales of the book, so the number of readers, their ratings and criticism will definitely be studied.

To participate in the competition you must:

1. Register on samizdat Lit-Era (after registration, it is not necessary to use your nickname from the social network on the site, because when you post your first work on Lit-Era you get the opportunity to create your own literary pseudonym).

2. Post the already written part of your work no less than 40 thousand characters with spaces (!) or the entire work. .

3. Go to the competition page and add your work to the competition.

After passing moderation, your work will appear in the competition feed. One author can submit no more than three works to the competition.

4. If you initially posted only part of the work in the competition, then after you complete and place this entire work in the competition, you need to send a letter to the competition moderator at [email protected], with notification that your competition entry is complete. If you immediately posted full text works, you also need to notify the moderator about this in a letter and send a file with the text.

Important! In addition to the text in the letter, you must send a short (1-1.5 pages) synopsis of the novel, from which its plot will be clear. This is an indispensable and important condition. Finalist novels will not be considered without a synopsis.

Letter form:

subject: S-T-I-K-S competition, the novel is completed

text: I, so-and-so (first name-last name-pseudonym + link to your Lit-Era page) such and such a date finished my novel "Name of the Novel" and posted it in its entirety at the competition. Please include my novel in the season finale.

Be sure to attach to the letter doc files with the text of the novel and synopsis:

The file with the text of the book must be named as follows (in Latin): “Author’s last name_title of work”, and the file with a synopsis: “Author’s last name_title of work_ sinopsis" Example: "Ivanov_ Name" And "Ivanov_ Name_ sinopsis».

It is in your best interests to lead readers to the competition page. The competition jury pays attention to page traffic, reviews and ratings from readers no less (and often more) than to the literary and artistic merits of the work. After all, in any case, the publishing house carries out editorial and proofreading work with the text, but if the novel does not captivate readers and does not evoke a lively response from them, then this means that the book will not sell very well.

Good luck and may your novel be the winner!

Competition moderator: Artem. For all competition questions, please contact him only at [email protected] . In the subject line of the letter, be sure to write: “question about S-T-I-K-S ". On the competition page there is "Comments on the competition" , where the moderator must look. There you can discuss the general course of the competition, technical and organizational issues.