OREANDA-NEWS. December 22, 2009.  A presentation of a fantasy fiction novel Gonitva by Nika Rakitina will take place in the Gertsen Central City Library of Gomel on 22 December. For the novel Nika Rakitina was awarded the title “Best Newcomer Fantasy Fiction Writer” at the science fiction conference Eurocon 2008.

It was the first time in Eurocon’s 36-year history when a representative of Belarus had won the prize.

Gonitva is the first novel by Lyudmila Bogdanova of Gomel, who uses the alias of Nika Rakitina. The novel is historical fantasy based on Belarusian and Lithuanian folklore, ancient myths and Middle Ages mysticism. In a parallel reality Lithuania was once conquered by Germans but remains rebellious. The novel is a mixture of historical facts and Belarusian folklore, a love drama and a detective story, outstanding language and a captivating plot.

Lyudmila Bogdanova, 46, is a pedagogue. She has been working as a supervisor of the interest group Unusual Literature Society at the Gomel Oblast Children and Youth Arts Palace. Her stories have been published by Ukrainian and Russian magazines. The novel Gonitva was printed by the Riga-based publishing house S-Kom in 2008.