Konstantin Valde Ulyanov’s new book, “Trails of the Dead”, comes at a time when Ukrainians may be interested in stories of survival, change, and inner strength. This novel, set in the universe of the author’s previous work “Temple” becomes not only an interesting fantasy story but also a guide through the darkest corners of the human psyche to light, hope, and understanding. In this article, we will talk about the book in more detail, but I can already say that it is definitely worth reading. Especially if you like the writer’s work and you like fiction with subtext, deep and relevant meanings.
Pluses:
a high-quality publication with a genre cover; realism based on the author's own experience; philosophical depth without contrivance; relevance of the topic for the modern Ukrainian reader
Minuses:
Slow pace of the narrative; a difficult topic requires emotional readiness
“Trails of the Dead” / “Стежки мерців”
Author Konstantin Valde Ulyanov
Publisher Samizdat
Language Ukrainian
Number of pages 358
Cover Solid
Year of publication 2025
Size 145×200 mm
Website valdebook.com
The storyline of the novel “Trails of the Dead” tells the story of a young man named Max. He is a classic hero spoiled by his parents’ money who, by a coincidence, finds himself in a dangerous and hostile place inhabited by harsh, hardened people who are used to surviving in the most brutal conditions.
It’s a world of absolute uncertainty, where no one can be sure of the future, where you have to hide every night, and where even those who can be called good people are rarely truly good. Max will not only have to fight for physical survival daily but will also have to confront not only his former friend, but also a dark, powerful, and evil will. This will stand in the way of his desperate desire to return home to a familiar and safe life.
The author, who has experience in military service and a deep understanding of the psychology of extreme situations, has created a work that qualitatively combines a tense fantasy plot with a philosophical understanding of such painful and relevant topics as post-traumatic stress disorder. The experience of near death, and dramatic changes in people’s minds under the pressure of extremely difficult circumstances.
“Trails of the Dead” is not only a story about survival in the physical sense of the word, but also a deep psychological analysis of how a person can preserve his or her true self in a world where Fear appears in a real person, and every night can be the last.
On the pages of his new novel, Konstantin Valde Ulyanov shows with psychological accuracy and truthfulness the inner state of people who suddenly find themselves in extreme circumstances. The writer and military man does not just discuss external events and adventures but literally immerses the reader in a dense atmosphere of constant psychological pressure. Here, every decision made can become fatal and final, and every conscious choice changes the protagonist himself.
The reader literally physically feels the heavy burden of responsibility that falls on the shoulders of those unfortunates who are forced to survive in a ruthless world where the usual rules of civilized life do not work, and have no force at all.
Konstantin Valde Ulyanov has an important literary gift. It is the ability to speak about the most complex and painful things in an extremely simple way, without unnecessary embellishment and mannerisms, but with philosophical depth and emotional power. Because of this, every written word literally falls on the soul of the most thoughtful reader.
At the same time, it’s a fantastic action movie, so it will be interesting too. But don’t forget that this is a direct continuation of “The Temple”. Although the writer said that he wrote it as a separate work, not as a second part, to understand the world, the context, to get to know the characters, etc., you still need to read it first. In the second book, the author gives many answers to the questions that readers have and which I myself have thought about more than once.
It’s worth noting that Trails of the Dead is not a light read just for fun. This is a serious book that objectively requires a certain emotional readiness of the reader and time to comprehend what he or she has read. It is not suitable for superficial entertainment or quick reading.
I liked many phrases and words that the author himself said through the characters. And I even wrote out a few of them to quote here: “You, who have chosen to walk the road of valor, look carefully where you are going, because it is so easy to lose the right path and find yourself on the paths of the dead.” And here’s more: “Only those who have never seen war want it. Or someone who is not going to personally participate in it.” These words not only show the main, in my opinion, the essence of the whole work. They also become a serious warning for every reader who has ever faced the need to choose between the easy, convenient path and the morally right one.
The writer’s style is simple and light. Unlike “The Temple”, the author’s first novel, here you can already feel his experience in creating the characters and describing an interesting world. It is important to understand that this is not just a fantastic action-adventure novel, but a book with crystal clear life observations and practical psychological insights. All this is born from the author’s personal experience and his understanding of complex human nature.
Konstantin Valde Ulyanov does not try to impress the reader with empty eloquence or complicated literary tricks. On the contrary, he simply tells a story that is strong and convincing enough in itself to leave a mark on the mind of anyone who reads it.
The characters in the book are definitely not perfect cinematic heroes, because they make mistakes, are tormented by doubts, and struggle with their fears and human weaknesses. This is what makes them extremely lively and close to the reader, making it easy to recognize yourself or people you know well in real life. And besides the new Max, there will be a lot of characters we have already met in the first novel.
It is important that the book shows different ways to overcome psychological trauma, demonstrates how the “experience of death” affects people in different ways, what specific changes it leads to, and what exactly can be done about it in practice. This is especially important and relevant for the modern Ukrainian reader who has been exposed to military topics and their severe psychological consequences in one way or another, directly or indirectly.
At the same time, “Trails of the Dead” is a novel about hope and the indomitable power of the human spirit. Despite its gloomy and heavy themes, the work still tells us about real life, about the visible fragility of people and, at the same time, about the hidden power of our “I”.
“Trails of the Dead” is undoubtedly an important book for contemporary Ukrainian literature. The novel boldly touches on acute topical issues and offers the reader deep, thoughtful reflections on the true nature of man, the mechanisms of survival and the complex processes of change in people in extreme conditions.
I would like to remind you that Konstantin Valde Ulyanov publishes all his books in self-publishing and without the participation of an editor. Despite this, the book has a wonderful genre cover, a sturdy hardcover, pleasant to the touch paper, and easy-to-read font. The only pity is that they removed the gusset that was in other books, but this is my whim, not a must-have. I also don’t like sans-serif fonts, but that’s just a matter of taste.
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