Marina and Sergey Dyachenko

Infobox Writer


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name = Marina and Sergey Dyachenko ( _ru. Дяченко, Марина и Сергей)
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birthdate = Marina - 1968, Sergey - 1945
birthplace = Kiev
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nationality = Ukrainian
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genre = Science-fiction, Fantasy, Fairy tale
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movement = "M"-realism
spouse =
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relatives =
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website = http://www.rusf.ru/marser/

Marina and Sergey Dyachenko — Marina Y. Dyachenko (Shyrshova) and Sergey S. Dyachenko are spouses and Ukrainian co-authors of novels and plays. They write in Russian and Ukrainian languages. The primary genres of their books are modern Science fiction, Fantasy, and Fairy tales. They also have an excellent ability to combine all these genres in a single work. They currently reside in Kiev.

Work

Marina and Sergey claim that the bulk of their work is "M"-realism (a possible guess is that "M" stands for Magic, but it was never confirmed by either author).

Their first work, "The Gate-Keeper" ( _ru. Привратник), was published in 1994. This novel received the "Crystal Table" prize ( _ru. Хрустальный стол) at the book festival Zoryany Schlyach, the novel was awarded the title "Best Debut Work" during EuroCon competition in 1995. "The Gate-keeper" became the first novel in Dyachenko's fantasy tetralogy "Wanderers" ("Скитальцы"). With publishing of "The Scar" ( _ru. Шрам) (1997), the sequel of "The Gate-Keeper", Dyachenko established themselves as masters of psychological fantastic fiction. "The Scar" has received [http://www.rusf.ru/awards/mechi/index.htm#1997 "Sword in the Stone" (1997)] award as the best fantasy novel from 1995 to 1999.

In 1996 a new novel "The Ritual" ( _ru. Ритуал) was published - a story about princess and the dragon. This work is very strange and unusual, since the dragon in this tale is a half-human. This novel did not receive much attention and was not awarded any prizes.

Novel "Age of the Witch" (1997) ( _ru. Ведьмин век) has a unique setting - it contains characters from various (mainly Slavonic) mythologies, creating a unique background. This novel received a literature award from the magazine "Rainbow" ( _ru. Радуга) in 1997 and the "Zilantkon" - [http://www.rusf.ru/awards/zil/index.htm#1998 "Great Zilant"] prize ( _ru. Зиланткон — Большой Зилант) in Kazan in 1998.

Novel "The Cave" (1998) ( _ru. Пещера) was awarded [http://www.rusf.ru/awards/mechi/index.htm#1999 "Moon Sword"] prize in 1999 for the best work in the genre of "mystical literature" in 1997-1999.

Novel "Burned Tower" (1998) ( _ru. Горелая Башня) received a prize at Interpresscon competition in 1999.

Novel "The Frontier" (1999) ( _ru. Рубеж), written in co-authorship with A. Valentinov ( _ru. А.Валентиновым) and H. L. Oldie ( _ru. Г. Л. Олди), was awarded the "Golden Caduceus" prize at the festival "Star Bridge - 2000".

Novel "The Execution" (1999) ( _ru. Казнь) received [http://www.rusf.ru/awards/strann/index.htm#2000 "The Wаnderer"] award in 2000 and the Reader Appreciation award [http://www.rusf.ru/oldnews/onews58.htm "Sigma-F"] in 2000 as the Novel of the Year.

Novel "Armaged-Home" ( _ru. Армагед-дом) (1999) is a result of the long-term effort, written in the genre of social science fiction. The book describes different periods of the female heroine's life and the society she lives in. In the opinion of many critics and readers, it is one of the best Dyachenko's novels.

"The Green card" (2000) ( _ru. Зелёная карта) - this work is not a fantastic novel. It is a tale about people from Kiev, who have received an opportunity to immigrate to the U.S. A screenplay was based on this book.

A variation on Cervantes' classic, novel "Last Don Quixote" (2000) ( _ru. Последний Дон Кихот) became a base for a theatrical play. The novel was awarded the "Bronze Snail" ( _ru. Бронзовая Улитка) (2001).

Novel "Magicians Can Do Anything" (2001) ( _ru. Магам можно всё) was awarded the "Golden Caduceus" award at the "Golden Bridge - 2001" festival.

In 2001 Marina and Sergey Dyachenko were awarded the "Aelita" ( _ru. Аэлита) prize.

Novel "Valley of the Conscience" ( _ru. Долина Совести) was awarded the following prizes: [http://www.rusf.ru/awards/ulitka/index.htm#2002 "Bronze Snail - 2002"] , [http://rusf.ru/nagrada/ "Russian science fiction - 2002"] , [http://www.rusf.ru/esli/sigmaf02.htm "Sigma-F - 2002"] , and the "Golden Caduceus" award at the festival "Golden Bridge - 2002".

Novel "Pandem" ( _ru. Пандем) took the "Silver Caduceus" prize at the "Star Bridge -2003" festival.

Novel "Varan" ( _ru. Варан) was awarded the "Bronze Caduceus" prize at the "Star Bridge -2004" festival.

Novel "The Pentacle" ( _ru. Пентакль), in co-authorship with A. Valentinov ( _ru. А.Валентиновым) and G. L. Oldi ( _ru. Г. Л. Олди), was awarded the "Golden Caduceus" prize at the "Star Bridge - 2005" festival.

Novel "Wild Energy. Lana" (March 2006) ( _ru. Дикая Энергия. Лана) - is a fantasy fairy tale, written under impression of the music of the Ukrainian singer Ruslana ( _ru. Руслана). The book was dedicated to Ruslana as well. This novel is full of action, rhythm and energy. The novel was awarded the "Bronze Caduceus" prize at the "Star Bridge - 2006" festival.

In 2006 they published first part of the fantasy series named "The Key of the Kingdom" ( _ru. Ключ от королевства) and its sequel "Oberon's Word" ( _ru. Слово Оберона). "Alena and Aspirin" ( _ru. Алёна и Аспирин) - a psychological fantastic novel was published as well.

Novel "Vita Nostra" was published in 2007.

Literary Awards

Marina and Sergey Dyachenko are recipients of the most prestigious literary awards in the science fiction in the Commonwealth of Independent States. Practically every novel they have written, in addition to several short stories, have received various awards.

They were honored as the Best Fantasy Writers of Europe in Eurocon 2005.

List of Publications

Some of their novels have also been translated into other languages (ex. Polish) but not English.

Novels

* "The Gate-Keeper" ( _ru. Привратник)
* "The Ritual" ( _ru. Ритуал)
* "The Scar" ( _ru. Шрам)
* "The Bondage" ( _ru. Скрут)
* "The Successor" ( _ru. Преемник)
* "Age of the Witch" ( _ru. Ведьмин век)
* "The Cave" ( _ru. Пещера)
* "The Execution" ( _ru. Казнь)
* "Armaged-Home" ( _ru. Армагед-дом)
* "The Adventurer" ( _ru. Авантюрист)
* "Everything is allowed to the mags" ( _ru. Магам можно все)
* "Valley of the Conscience" ( _ru. Долина Совести)
* "Pandem" ( _ru. Пандем)
* "The Pentacle" ( _ru. Пентакль) (novel with a series of the short stories; co-authors A. Valentinov, G. L. Oldi)
* "Varan" ( _ru. Варан)
* "Alena and Aspirin" ( _ru. Алёна и Аспирин) (published in Russian and Ukrainian)
* "Wild Energy. Lana" ( _ru. Дикая энергия. Лана) (published in Russian and Ukrainian)
* "The Key of the Kingdom" ( _ru. Ключ от королевства) (published in Russian and Ukrainian)
* "Oberon's Word" ( _ru. Слово Оберона) (published in Russian and Ukrainian) ( _uk. Королівська обіцянка)
* "Vita Nostra"
* "Bastard" ( _ru. Бастард)
* "Stone's Roots" ( _ru. Корни Камня)
* "Burned Tower" ( _ru. Горелая Башня)
* "Last Don Quixote" ( _ru. Последний дон Кихот)
* "Green card" ( _ru. Зеленая карта)
* "Wolfs' Land" ( _ru. Волчья сыть)
* "Emma and the Sphinx" ( _ru. Эмма и сфинкс)
* "The Well Master" ( _ru. Хозяин Колодцев)
* "The Bet" ( _ru. Кон)
* "Miseracle" ( _ru. Мизеракль)
* "Zoo" ( _ru. Зоопарк)
* "Two" ( _ru. Две)
* "My Noble Knight has Left Me..." ( _ru. Уехал славный рыцарь мой)
* "The Sail Bird" ( _ru. Парусная птица)
* "Vesnars' Land" ( _ru. Земля веснаров)

hort Stories

* "Virlena" ( _ru. Вирлена)
* "Outside" ( _ru. |Вне)
* "The Throne" ( _ru. Трон)
* "Oskol" ( _ru. Оскол)
* "Horde's man" ( _ru. Ордынец)
* "A Tale about Golden Rooster" ( _ru. Сказ о Золотом Петушке)
* "The Spell" ( _ru. Заклинание)
* "Blind Basilisk" ( _ru. Слепой василиск)
* "The Hamlet" ( _ru. Хутор)
* "Mackler and Magic"( _ru. Маклер и магия)
* "The Wing" ( _ru. Крыло)
* "Dark side of the Moon" ( _ru. Обратная сторона Луны)
* "Basketball" ( _ru. Баскетбол)
* "Hair" ( _ru. Волосы)
* "The Bloom" ( _ru. Бутон)
* "The Promise" ( _ru. Обещание)
* "Lunar Landscape" ( _ru. Лунный пейзаж)
* "Marta" ( _ru. Марта)
* "Visit to a Paediatrician" ( _ru. Визит к педиатру)
* "'Churrem' - means 'The One Who Smiles'" ( _ru. Хуррем - значит "Улыбчивая")
* "Ataman" ( _ru. Атаман)

With A. Valentinov, H. L. Oldie

* "The Frontier" ( _ru. Рубеж)
* "Bashtan" ( _ru. Баштан)
* "Fights with no Rules" ( _ru. Бои без правил)
* "Devil's Expedition" ( _ru. Чертова экзистенция)
* "The Potato" ( _ru. Картошка)
* "Werewolf in the Uniform" ( _ru. Оборотень в погонах)
* "Bursak" ( _ru. Бурсак)
* "Senatorium" ( _ru. Санаторий)
* "The Neighbor" ( _ru. Сосед)
* "Venus Mirgorodus" ( _ru. Венера Миргородская)
* "Day of the Dead in the Community Center" ( _ru. День мертвых в доме культуры)
* "Sold Soul" ( _ru. Проданная душа)
* "Bazaar" ( _ru. Базар)
* "Rescuers" ( _ru. Спасатели)
* "Kolobrod"( _ru. Колоброд)
* "Kvarteronka" ( _ru. Квартеронка)
* "Dress Shoes" ( _ru. Туфли)
* "Charisma Nuyrki Gavrosh" ( _ru. Харизма Нюрки Гаврош)
* "Monte-Carltown" ( _ru. Монте-Карловка)
* "Let's go to the Basement?" ( _ru. Пойдем в подвал?)
* "Nespokiy" ( _ru. Неспокий)
* "Scary M." ( _ru. Страшная М.)
* "Bogdana" ( _ru. Богдана)
* "The Serdolick Perl" ( _ru. Сердоликовая бусина)
* "The Attraction" ( _ru. Аттракцион)
* "The Pan's Orchid" ( _ru. Панская орхидея)
* "Cossack's Blood" ( _ru. Казачья кровь)
* "The Flaming Motor" ( _ru. Пламенный мотор)
* "The Competition" ( _ru. Конкурс)
* "The Bequest Stone" ( _ru. Камень завета)
* "Five Dead-ends Street" ( _ru. Улица пяти тупиков)

Plays

* "Last Don Quixote" ( _ru. Последний дон Кихот)

Children's Books

* "Flying Hat" ( _ru. Летающая шляпа) (with A. Bondarchuk and I. Malkovich) Published in Ukrainian.
* "Tales for Stevo" ( _ru. Сказки для Стаски)
* "Adventures of Masha Michailova" ( _ru. Приключения Маши Михайловой); also published in Ukrainian ( _uk. Пригоди Марійки Михайлової).
* "Search of Masha Michailova" ( _ru. Сыск Маши Михайловой)
* "Flying fish" ( _ru. Воздушные рыбки) Published in Russian, Ukrainian an English
* "Giraffe and Panda" ( _ru. Жирафчик и Пандочка) Published in Russian and Ukrainian.
* Fairy Tales: "About the old woman, About the barrel, About the river, About the chicken, About the chicken-2, About the cricket" ( _ru. Про старушку, Про бочку, Про реку, Про курицу, Про курицу-2, Про сверчка)
* "Gabriel and The Steel Lumberjack" ( _uk. Габріель і сталевий лісоруб) Published in Ukrainian.

Fictional Creatures and Objects Created by Writers

"This section lists unique objects and creatures, which were never used in any other work, or very little know ones, such as "Chugaister" ( _ru. Чугайстер)."
* "Glaive" (from the book "Armaggedon-Home") - This is a "dalphin's" larva that emerged during the apocalypse. It is deadly for all living objects. Extremely survivable, resistant to high temperature, they need no shelter and are able to get through the apocalypse without taking cover. "Dalphins" in this novel resemble real dolphins. They have evolved to survive the apocalypse in the following way: females lay eggs once every twenty years, right before the apocalypse. Critical changes in the environment, and sometimes just the warning signs, stimulate development of the larvae. Creatures migrate back to the ocean when seismic activity is over. Their next stage of the development is the cocoon. "Dalphin" spends inside the cocoon from the one to two month, an adult specie emerges afterwards. In the world of this book, mentioning of the glaives is a taboo, probably from the fear of them. The word glaive means an edged weapon that was used in the medieval times.
* "The Yellowmore" ( _ru. Желтомар) (from the book "Bastard") is a wizard's trap. It looks like an old man carved out of a tree. This old man smokes a pipe that emits yellow smoke. Smoke kills living things, by homing on the body heat.
* "The Devourer" ( _ru. Зажора) (from the book "Bastard") is a wizard's trap. It is a hole in the ground that attracts its victims with a children's cry for help. Approaching victim gets sucked in by a whirlwind.
* "Calidons" ( _ru. Калидоны) (from the book "The Ritual") are gigantic white birds, which live near the dragons. They pluck their own soft white feathers in order to hatch their chicks.
* "Mryga" ( _ru. Мрыга) (from the book "Armaggedon-Home") is an apocalypse, that comes periodically, approximately every twenty years. During this period "The gates" are formed: objects of the unknown nature, that look like a stone arch with a mirror inside. People who enter the mirror are safe from the apocalypse and are able to return after it is over. "Minor gates" are formed as well, these are used by the animals and can not be employed by humans. There are enough gates formed, so every person has an opportunity to be saved if he/she enters the nearest one. These gates are transmitting some kind of signal, but humans were not able to determine what it is.
* "Nav", "Navka", "Nyavka" ( _ru. Навь, навка, нявка) (from the book "Age of the Witch") is a magic creature that takes its form after a person who has recently died. It is brought to life if someone loved that dead person and wished for him/her to come back. Nav is using deception to kill a person who brought it to life. Nav, as well as Chugaister, is taken from the Ukrainian mythology, but it is different in many ways. For example: in the classical Ukrainian novel "The Forest Song" ( _uk. Лісова Пісня) by Lesya Ukrainka, main character is Mavka, which is a sprite, spirit of the forest.
* "Chugaister" ( _ru. Чугайстер) (from the book "Age of the Witch") is a magical creature that is very similar to the human. Chugaisters, sometimes by themselves, sometimes in a group, destroy Navs (see above), by dancing around them. By doing so they make Navs to dance with them until they collapse dead. Chugaister was taken from the Ukrainian mythology, but is somewhat different from the original creature.
* "Elfoush" ( _ru. Эльфуш) (from the book "The Well Master") is a little flying somewhat intelligent creature, which resembles an elf. Little children and people who are in love can understand what elfoushes say,thus becoming their pray.
* "Housekeeper" ( _ru. Домохранец) (from the book "The Well Master") is a little house demon, looks like a little man with spider's legs.

References

* [http://www.rusf.ru/marser/ official website of the authors at www.rusf.ru ]
* [http://www.fiction.ru/marser/ official website of the authors at www.fiction.ru]
* [http://sf.org.kemsu.ru/marser/ official website of the authors at sf.org.kemsu.ru]
* [http://www.rusf.ru/marser/books/bibl.htm Bibliography]
* lib.ru [http://www.lib.ru/DYACHENKO/ Available books in the On-line Library of Moshkov]

External links

* [http://www.wumag.kiev.ua/index2.php?param=pgs20062/100 Maryna and Serhiy Dyachenko, fantasy writers from Ukraine]
* [http://www.rusf.ru/english/marser/ Marina and Sergey Dyachenko - biography]
*pl icon, Paweł Laudański, [http://esensja.pl/ksiazka/publicystyka/tekst.html?id=554 Marina i Siergiej Diaczenko] , Esensja, 9 July 2003
*pl icon, Paweł Laudański, [http://esensja.pl/ksiazka/wzw/tekst.html?id=2008 Wywiad z Mariną i Siergiejem Diaczenko] , Esensja, 9 February 2005