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Varan begins his life as an "underpanner" (or poddonok ) on a remote island, expecting a life of routine labor and low status.
The story you're looking for is the fantasy novel (2004) by the celebrated Ukrainian-Russian duo Marina and Sergey Dyachenko .
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Known for their "M-realism" style—which blends high-stakes fantasy with deep psychological insight—the authors tell a coming-of-age story that spans an entire lifetime.
What follows is a lifelong odyssey. Varan wanders through deserts, mountains, and strange kingdoms, evolving from a naive boy into a man who understands the deep, often painful connection between fate and freedom. Where to Find the Book
The novel is set in a unique, vibrant world where the very stability of the Empire rests on the shoulders of mages. Legend has it that a mage can only be born in a house where the hearth was built by a mythical, immortal figure known as (or Pechnik ).