V Empire
Tags
Summary
Not the kind who stay forever young and romantic,
the girls and boys who keep sleepless eyes open all night and press blood-stained lips together,
but rather quite ordinary men and women,
with the marks of life's mockery on their faces.
The secrets of "charisma" and "discourse" are revealed only to them.
They—the true elite of the world—
need only a gentle bite to draw passersby into their ranks.
Anyone might be chosen...
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers who enjoy vampire and urban fantasy genre fiction
- Readers interested in contemporary Russian literature and Pelevin's work
- Literary fans who prefer absurdist satire and speculative narrative
- Readers who want social metaphor and human nature discussion in genre fiction
Not a good fit for
- Readers expecting a traditional romantic vampire story; the tone here is cold and ironic
- Readers who prefer linear plots and clear endings; the narrative is rather detached
- Readers uncomfortable with absurdity and satire, or seeking light reading
Reading tips
- Don't rush to follow the plot; first get used to the narrator's coldly observant tone before entering the story
- Pay attention to how "charisma" and "discourse" are used specifically in the book; they are the key to understanding the metaphor
- After finishing, recall which characters were actively chosen and which were passively drawn in, and compare their fates
- If it feels heavy going, read one of Pelevin's short stories first to get a feel for the style, then come back to the novel
About the publisher
Chongqing Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for its titles in the humanities, social sciences, literature and arts, with about 940 books in its catalogue. Its publishing areas cover world history, science fiction, foreign literature, architecture and philosophy. Representative titles include Xiang Da's A History of Communications Between China and the West, Liang Sicheng's Rules of Qing-Style Construction, Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem II: The Dark Forest and III: Death's End, Ann Rand's The Fountainhead (25th Anniversary Edition), and Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series. Its authors include Xiang Da, Liu Cixin, Liang Sicheng and Ann Rand. The press has developed distinctive strengths in historical source editing, the introduction and creation of science fiction, the translation of foreign literature, and architecture and philosophy titles, balancing scholarly value with general readership. As public information is limited, this profile outlines its publishing directions based only on the books in the catalogue.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 梵天
- 阳光之城
- 密特拉
- 恩利尔
- 巴德尔
- 耶和华
- 斗橱
- 第一口
- 洛基
- 爱的五项原则
- 大堕落日
- Б型思维
- 赫拉
- 迦勒底人
- 经济指标M5
- 生命之树
- 阿喀琉斯的反击
- 帝国军人
- 酒醉的餐厅
- 奥西里斯
- 巴布洛斯
- 神秘别墅
- 世界之主
- 帝国学说
FAQ
Is this a horror novel?
I haven't read any other Pelevin; can I start with this one?
What does the "V" in the title mean?
Comments
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About the author
Victor Pelevin is a contemporary Russian writer whose works appear in this catalogue under categories such as science fiction, otherworldly fantasy, and literary fiction. The library holds three of his books, including Chapayev and Void, Omon Ra, and V Empire. Because public information is limited, his nationality, dates of birth and death, and full writing career cannot be confirmed in this catalogue, so this introduction focuses mainly on the works themselves. In these books, Pelevin often intertwines reality with fantasy and historical figures with invented spaces, giving his writing a marked experimental and allegorical quality. His subjects range widely, combining science-fictional premises with the expansive logic of otherworldly fantasy. His novels tend not to unfold in a straightforward manner; instead, they advance through absurd situations and philosophical dialogue, prompting readers to keep revising their understanding of the story world. This style makes him distinctive in contemporary Russian-language literature and offers Chinese readers a reading experience different from conventional science fiction.
Zhu Liling is a Chinese author about whom limited public information is available; only her nationality and a single work can currently be confirmed. Her representative work is V Empire, which is categorized on the site as premium fiction. With just this one title, it is not yet possible to trace her full creative trajectory or biographical background, but the book's title and category suggest that she writes popular genre fiction aimed at a broad readership, with an emphasis on storytelling and readability. For readers accustomed to serialized online fiction or long popular novels, such works tend to stand out for their plotting and world-building rather than for literary experimentation with language. Since the library holds only this one work, it is impossible to verify whether the author has other pen names or titles not yet collected. Readers who wish to learn more about her writing style may begin directly with V Empire and experience its narrative pace and character development firsthand.
