▶ Who is Alexander Sylazhov and what is this site about?
This is a space where I explore my passion for Russian culture, from its portrayal in video games to its rich literary and poetic traditions. While current events make discussing Russia a sensitive topic, this blog takes no political stances. Instead, I focus on analyzing how Russians are represented in games and diving into the beauty of Russian language, poetry, and literature.
Join me in exploring these cultural aspects with curiosity and respect, as we look at Russia through the lens of art, gaming, and translation!
For more information on the author and the contents of this site, please refer to this section.
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What can I find in the BOOKS section?
Books can be purchased at the ‘BOOKS’ section. The novel SOVREV: The Faith Endeavor may be purchased in digital or printed formats. You can also download free samples in various formats.
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What can I find in the ARTICLES section?
Articles may be read at the ‘ARTICLES’ section. The articles deal with Cold War-related topics, ideologies, geopolitics, sociocultural analysis and literary analysis. There are many articles devoted to analyzing videogames and how these themes are applied in them, mixing research with opinion. There are also research articles published in scientific journals, as well as literary translations.
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What can I find in the NEWS section?
All important news of the site (and of references made to it in other sites) may be read at the ‘NEWS’ section.
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What can I find in the EXTRAS section?
In the 'EXTRAS' section you can find several subsections, such as the 'DOWNLOADS' section, where you can download artwork, wallpapers, avatars, banners, etc.
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What is SOVREV: The Faith Endeavor about?
SOVREV: The Faith Endeavor is a psychological novel with certain dystopian, coming-of-age, social satire, philosophical, political thriller, surrealst and romance elements, divided into three parts: The Faith Endeavor, The Apostasy Canon and The Renaissance Forge.
The novel takes place in an undefined alternative reality, somewhere in the 21st century, in Loynne’s Island, a fictional island nation in the North Atlantic Ocean. The world finds itself undergoing a heavy economic crisis, isolated Intranets limited to each nation replace the World Wide Web, world superpowers are closed within themselves and tense supranational blocs are at the order of the day.
The story is narrated in the first person by the main character Sonny Zharostin, a teenager from a surviving Soviet-styled communist state somewhere in Eastern Europe, which finds itself transitioning to capitalism. Fearing instability and civil war, he is forced by his parents to flee his home country in order to secure a living abroad, and hopefully one day be reunited with them. When Sonny receives a mysterious parcel containing the unlikeliest of objects, his life changes forever, and his safety and that of his loved ones is put in jeopardy. There is more to the parcel than he could possibly imagine, and soon he is immersed fully into a game of love and infatuation, betrayal, terrorist intrigue, political conspiracy and unspeakable acts of violence, all of which put his ideology and dearest values to the test.
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What is the difference between SOVREV: The Faith Endeavor and the Abridged Edition?
SOVREV: The Faith Endeavor - Abridged Edition is an 434-page edition trimmed to approximately half the length of the original edition, with many details changed, omitted, condensed or simplified for a more straightforward and light reading while maintaining the same plot, tone and mood of the original. Please refer to the original unabridged edition if you would like to experience the SOVREV story in full detail, with more fleshed-out characters and settings, enhanced scenes and descriptions, extended in-universe lore and longer dialogues.
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What is Loynne's Island?
Loynne’s Island is a fictional location created by the author, where the story of SOVREV: The Faith Endeavor and other works take place.
For more information regarding Loynne’s Island, please refer to this section.
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Is all of your content copyrighted?
Alexander Sylazhov is, aside from the author's pseudonym, a commercial brand protected by Spanish coypright law and holds the protected services to (under class 09, 16 and 41) downloadable publications (class 09), printed publications (class 16) and electronic book, journals and newspapers online, aside from book publishing and editing.
SOVREV: The Faith Endeavor and its derivatives is protected by Spanish copyright law.
Regarding Internet articles and essays, the author acknowledges that the copyright owners of the photographs of personalities, historical events, videogames, motion pictures and concept artwork that have been used in said essays are purely non-profit, freely distributed and for purposes of commentary, criticism, and scholarship under the Fair Use Doctrine.
All original content is Alexander Sylazhov intellectual property.
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I'd like to reference or cite the author's work. Are there copyright issues?
Feel free to reference or cite the author, but please respect copyright laws and authorship, as well as citation conventions.
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How can I contact the author?
If you’d like to contact the author to give your opinion on his work, ask a question or request a written interview, you may do so here.