"The Gift of Shavanakhola" by Max Fry, summary Automatic translate

The 2011 work "The Gift of Shavanahola: A Tale Told by Sir Max of Echo" tells the story of the mysteries of a magical library and the secrets of fictional texts. Max shares mystical secrets about the nature of fiction. The conversation reveals the history of hidden books and invisible worlds. The author immerses the reader in reflections on the boundaries of reality.

This book is the seventh in the "Chronicles of Echo" series. The adjacent volumes are titled "The Forelock of the Earth," "The Tulan Detective," "The Lord of Mormora," "The Elusive Habba Han," "The Crow on the Bridge," "The Grief of Lord Gro," "The Gluttonous Laugher," and "The Tubur Game."

The story begins in the Coffee Grounds Inn. Max is sitting at a table with Frank, Trisha, and Shurf Lonely-Lockley. Max asks for a brew of "Fiery Paradise" coffee. In exchange, he promises to tell a scary ghost story. The clock on the table ticks away the time. Max begins to recount the events that occurred after Lady Tehhi Shekk’s transformation into a disembodied spirit.

Strange finds in the basement

Having lost his beloved, Max moved to the Shaggy House. The building had previously served as the university library. Max felt lonely and depressed. He suffered from constant insomnia. Shurf Lonely-Lockley came to read books in the enormous basement almost every evening. One night, Max went down there in search of something interesting to read. He found the local scientific literature unbearably boring. He loudly complained about the lack of novels.

In response, Max heard a voice and noticed a hovering ghost. The bearded spirit identified himself as Gulli Ultheoi, a former librarian. The ghost revealed to Max the main secret of the Shaggy House. The building conceals the Invisible Library. The mental projection consists of books destroyed within the house’s walls and is inhabited by dead librarians. Only powerful mages can see the ghostly tomes without a special ritual. Max promised to keep the existence of the spirits a secret from the capital’s authorities.

Gully Ultheoy explained in detail the lack of fiction in the United Kingdom. The ancient Uandouk magician Hebulrich of Ucumbia despised fiction. He decided to prove to a novelist friend the harm of writing and accidentally materialized fictional worlds. The result were ugly, half-dead realities, where pale shadows of literary characters suffered eternally.

Later, the powerful sorcerer Chjolve Maitokhchi discovered these Worlds of the Dead Darkness. He was horrified and imposed a magical ban on all humanity. People forever lost the desire to write novels. Chjolve set out to destroy these created realities to end the torment of the shadows.

Mysteries of fictional worlds

Max went to work at the House by the Bridge. There, Sir Kofa Yoh told Juffin Halli the latest crime news. A strange series of absurd crimes had occurred in the capital. A group of people robbed a jeweler and returned jewelry engraved with their initials. At an expensive music shop, thieves carefully re-stred the instruments. Cheap pies were discreetly planted in a courier’s bag. The criminals clearly acted without malice.

Kofa linked the incidents to a magical artifact. The Book of Uncommitted Crimes recorded the unfulfilled plans of criminals. The entries disappeared only after the actual deed was carried out. Kofa received the book from the ancient Merry Master Jochi Shavanakhola. Later, Kofa carelessly handed the literary artifact over to General Bubuta Boh. Unable to read the magical text, the thick notebook vanished without a trace from police records.

The next night, Max returned to the basement of the Shaggy House. The ghosts taught him the ritual of Kueyi Ahola. Max cast the spell and saw the orderly rows of shelves of the Invisible Library. He attempted to read Ch’yolwe Maitokhchi’s memoirs, but the magic quickly wore off. The letters began to blur before his eyes. Max decided to reveal the secret to Shurf Lonli-Lokli, an avid bibliophile. To protect the ghosts from arrest, Max learned a complex spell of interdiction. Shurf voluntarily allowed himself to be deprived of the physical ability to harm the Invisible Library.

Meanwhile, Lady Gleddy Achimurri voluntarily came to the House by the Bridge. The wealthy heiress frankly confessed to Juffin that she had orchestrated absurd crimes. She had hired University graduates to sift through her late patron’s old library. There, they accidentally discovered the Book of Uncommitted Crimes. The friends read each other’s plans and, for fun, concocted their own. Their inventions instantly materialized on the pages of the tome.

Escape to another reality

Lady Gleddy decided to become an editor. She found the first crimes she invented to be frankly weak and inept. There was no magical way to erase the records. She came up with the idea of literally bringing her inventions to life. The crimes were physically committed, and the poor-quality text disappeared from the pages forever. Lady Gleddy tearfully pleaded not to punish her accomplices, who had been detained by the City Police. Juffin refused, citing strict bureaucratic laws. The Office of the Expeditious Execution prepared to send the girl to the harsh Nundu prison.

Max nobly offered Lady Gleddy a place to hide. The Shaggy House was considered the sovereign territory of the independent nomadic Henha tribe. Capital laws were legally inapplicable there. The police were unable to make an arrest. Max drove the girl in his official car to his wives, Heilah and Helvi, who were under his protection. The women welcomed their celebrated guest with genuine joy.

Returning home after a walk, Max found Master Shavanahola himself in the living room. The ancient sorcerer turned out to be the very same Hebulrich of Ucumbia. Over the centuries, the magician had changed his appearance and names many times. Shavanahola asked Max for help. The True Master could easily and effortlessly destroy the terrible Worlds of the Dead Darkness with a single will. Max was afraid of taking responsibility for the destinies of others. He was afraid of inadvertently bringing literary monsters to life.

Max went to bed and deliberately summoned Loiso Pondohva into his dreams. The former great villain was clearly pining for freedom and idleness. Max proposed that Loiso destroy literary realities. Pondohva happily agreed. The destruction of entire worlds gave the mage inexhaustible power and energy.

Lady Gleddy accidentally entered Max’s dream, waking him. Since early childhood, she had dreamed of learning to walk between worlds. In the dream, the girl escaped into an unknown reality, reminiscent of the hot Tasher. Later, Juffin Halli confirmed to Max that the fugitive had instantly adapted to the new dimension and was completely happy. Juffin promised to break Lady Gleddy’s accomplices out of Holomi prison.

Magister Shavanahola personally confessed to Max the grand deception. The Invisible Library had proven to be a powerful but temporary delusion. The ancient mage had created the apparitions specifically for the Executor. The illusion was supposed to last only three days. Shavanahola wanted to soften Max’s heart. The Executor immediately told Shurf the truth. Lonli-Lockli took the news completely calmly and frantically began reading the disappearing books. Max thoughtfully carried food to his friend directly to the basement.

The story smoothly returns to the Coffee Grounds Inn. Max finishes his long tale. The obsession dissipated in due course, but Shurf managed to read the important texts. Later, the real Invisible Library was indeed discovered in the deep dungeons of Kholomi Prison. The ghost of Gully Ulteoy turned out to be a real spirit. Loiso Pondohva successfully continued to travel the space-time continuum of fictional worlds and reduce them to dust.

Trisha listens attentively to Max, perched on a thick tree branch. She anxiously asks why her friends have suddenly stopped coming to the tavern. Max explains the nature of the new city in detail. Reality has only just begun to take shape. Max is a living instrument of world creation. The presence of old acquaintances greatly hinders the process. Their human memories of the earthly Max constrain his boundless magical potential. Lonely-Lockley Shaft is the only exception, capable of unconditional faith in the creative power of the Executor.

Max firmly promises Trisha a bright future for the young city. Reality will soon have a long, detailed history. The bedtime story ends peacefully and tranquilly. The girl promises to behave obediently and calmly goes to bed.