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Me, Myself & I

[Editor note: yes, we are bringing back the Spotlight. We don't know how often we will be able to add a new article, but we are working on it.]


Well, it has been some time since we last did one of these.

We’ve had a few workshops (the most recent here a month ago), and I’ve been rather busy with work and my studies (so I also haven’t been able to take as good a deepdive in the library as I likely should have). 

But a little less than half a year ago I found myself out of the blue wanting to read a story I once read a few years ago. I couldn’t remember the title, or even the author (though I had a suspicion), but I found it. I didn’t fully understand it at the time, but I definitely understand more of it now than back then.

With that being said, I’ll try and stay away from politics as I present: 

Nachalnik by Shadar

So, what is this story?

A man finds himself hired by an unclear employer (going through his conspiracy-believing brother) to validate old data from the soviet union that suggest that they tried, and succeeded, in creating superpowered females. 

One thing leads to another, and soon our protagonist, Jason, has been attached to an American delegation sent to Russia to see a demonstration of this new super-weapon: The Nachalniks. 

Here he witnesses how this woman he has been studying lifts trees, dents tanks, gets shot point blank at, and flies, all the while he is trying to fathom how it is possible. 

One thing I do wish to point out is that the story takes place in 2015 as its backdrop. 

I’m a bit unsure what interests me the most about this story: The world building with how it has been placed in “the real world” or the fascination of discovery that Jason has with Neya, the Nachalnik that ends up being placed in his care. 

Actually, I think Neya herself is what fascinates me the most. We know just about nothing about her, a fact Jason himself realizes as she is effectively a soldier, following orders dutifully. Despite this, she seems so innocent and naive, which isn’t helped by her tiny stature. Like, she has to be around 5 feet tall as Jason remarks she is a foot shorter than him (I don’t know why, but this fact has been on my mind since my last read of the story). 

The story ends with not just a single twist to it. This makes me wonder about what the possible sequel would do (as a situation with no easy solutions has presented itself as the end). 

For all that I love about this story, I do have to remark that the beginning is slow, and rather long. I think it could be in the story’s favor had the beginning been shorter or more concise. 

But with that being said, I think many people will find some enjoyment in the part where Neya gets to demonstrate her powers to Jason (and the American delegation). 

If you read this Shadar: Could you please either write a sequel or tell me how you wanted it to end? I’m more than a little curious to find out what will happen to Jason and Neya…

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