Review: Fairy Tale Writ Large
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 08 18, 2013
The Burned Tower is, like the Dyachenkos' wonderful The Scar, essentially a fleshed-out fairy tale.  Unlike The Scar, it's a novella, not a full novel.  This one leans on an existing tale familiar to Western readers--the Pied Piper.  Set in presumably modern times, a college student driving a van full of beavers for delivery decides to cut a deal with the Pied Piper when he loses a valuable beaver (who better for rodent retrieval?).  Of course he gives more than he bargained for.The Dyachenkos are Ukrainians who write in Russian.  Their books have only recently begun to be translated and published in English.  As for  The Scar, the translation here is readable and poetic.  Let's hope both trends continue!The Kindle version also includes a preview of The Scar.