Pekhov Alexey – Spellcasters

The following story takes place in a medieval eastern country that could easily be identified as Japan. The story centers around a group of graduates from a school of magic spellcasters. They were taught from a young age how to deal with spirits, summon beneficial ones, and calm evil ones. The spirits they encounter every day can be good, evil, or indifferent. Good spirits guard the home, ward off nightmares, and watch over the harvest. On the other hand, evil spirits can cause misfortune and even death. Most people cannot see them, but they can judge their presence by the outcome of their activities. However, there are some people, called spellcasters, who not only know of the existence of spirits but can also see and call or expel them from the real world. These spellcasters are responsible for guarding and preventing evil from happening.

After completing their training, the graduates must take a final test, which is based on the principle of “the strongest survives.” This test proves to be challenging, as not everyone is destined to pass it. The students come from different backgrounds, have different characters, skills, and magical powers, and working with spirits does not follow normal rules. Passing the test requires not only knowledge and strength but also intuition and luck. Our hero passes the test with honor but is unable to accept the fact that the other participants likely died. Against his teacher's wishes, he decides to help his less fortunate colleagues, who were doomed in their confrontation with stronger spirits. While his actions save his friends' lives, they ultimately fail the test. They must now either abandon their casting careers or attempt to change the outcome of the test.

Thus begins the three friends' journey to a remote province where their former teacher resides. Along the way, they encounter various spirits and become involved in stories of struggle. However, their mission is not just to destroy evil spirits but also to understand why they appeared. They discover that spirits that harm people do not appear out of nowhere and that people are responsible for their appearance. They also encounter powerful entities whose powers are enormous, and they are not always friendly to people.

The author lovingly describes the world around the characters, creating a complete picture of the setting. The nature is described in rich colors, and the lives of ordinary people are characterized by a measured routine. The society is distinctly Eastern, and their customs and way of life reflect this. While there are rich nobles and warriors, the heroes hardly encounter them on their journey. Therefore, global problems such as wars and politics are not the focus of the story.

The book consists of small chapters, each of which can be considered a short story-novel about the next confrontation between friends and spirits on their journey. The story is highly recommended due to its rich language, attention to detail, uncluttered scenery, and an interesting plot.

Very rich language, attention to detail

The flavor of medieval Japan, rarely used by domestic authors

A huge variety of perfumes and the magic associated with them

Interesting types of main characters

Each chapter is a separate story, organically woven into the global plot

There are thousands of battles awaiting the adventures of super-strong heroes