Shamil Idiatullin “It’s too late to be afraid” M.: AST, 2024

Shamil Idiatullin's otherworldly world is slightly different, but its function is the same: to transport the reader beyond reality while simultaneously providing many reminders of it. In his new novel, mercenaries from the Handel private military company operate, criminal schemes are exposed, and a group of gamers find themselves caught in a time loop between life and death. Navigating this world is initially difficult (Idiatullin forces the reader to take the time to build the logic of the events), but eventually it becomes utterly impossible to escape. The immersive effect is enhanced by the fantastical premise, the engaging setting, the plot attractions, the allusions to current events, and even a trickster cat.
"Everyone already understood everything, but Tinatin absolutely had to say it out loud. She frowned and didn't even ask, but simply stated: 'So, we're all already dead.'"

