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Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain
This short story follows Ilya, a man of fifty-two with excellent credentials. When venturing into a strange mountain, he finds a place where time lingers for those who seek it. In the depths of the tunnels, Ilya traverses a world full of curiosities. Forgotten memories spring back to life. The boundaries between past and present blur. As he approaches the heart of the mountain, Ilya may feel the lightness of his youth again; yet his pursuit to escape the oppressive order of the present is overshadowed by an encounter with a cruel stranger. Between fading shadows and living dead, Ilya finds himself in a labyrinth of existential fears and the search for meaning, while facing the relentless trial of the mountain.
23 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 5, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 10, 2024
Wow! Talk about a quick read that will keep you hooked! This is a very well written interesting story. The description of the environment and the characters would really help you imagine and create your own world in your mind as you read on. I chose this book because I was intrigued by the snippet in the Amazon page. And I was not disappointed. I prefer these shorter well written stories to long onerous ones.
I only wish there were fewer end of line hyphenations. I don't know if the author has any control over it. It did make reading on my phone a little harder. But, overall it didn't dampen my experience so don't let it bother you. I would be looking forward to more from this author. Cheers.
I only wish there were fewer end of line hyphenations. I don't know if the author has any control over it. It did make reading on my phone a little harder. But, overall it didn't dampen my experience so don't let it bother you. I would be looking forward to more from this author. Cheers.
March 8, 2025
Bureaucracy! Cause and cure of so much human woe. Since the moment we put down the hunting spear and gathering basket, and replaced them with fenced-in livestock and endless, back-breaking farmland, bureaucracy has been humanity’s conjoined evil twin. Can’t live without it. Can’t stand living with it.
A necessary evil, then. But what happens when bureaucracy becomes no longer the means, but the end in itself?
Madness happens. The twentieth century is a testament to just how deep into horror this bureaucratic madness can descend.
Enter Ilya, protagonist of Finlay Lamont’s Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain , a bureaucrat leaving behind his life in the city and scaling a mountain. The landscape about him is broken and surreal, more like a dream than reality. On his way Ilya finds a hatch in the mountain and wanders into its depths, only to come upon an equally surreal interior, culminating in a nostalgia wash of his life from decades past.
I could not escape a comparison to Kafka’s The Castle, in which K, the protagonist, cannot get where he wants to be, while the spectre of bureaucracy haunts everything around him. So too does a spectre haunt Ilya, embodied in the face of a leering madman whenever our protagonist catches his reflection.
Nor could I avoid how Lamont’s work evoked memories of Brazil, a motion picture that also deals with bureaucracy, in which the protagonist escapes into his past and imagination to avoid the soul-crushing reality of the bureaucratic state. In a routine that stands alone in the annals of cinema, one of the protagonist’s allies is literally devoured by paperwork, consumed by a monster like a modern-day Grendel, come down from the mountain of reports, and charts, and projections.
Ilya is short, a mere twenty-three pages, but it packs a wallop. I can’t do it service in a simple review. But I can encourage you to read it. If you appreciate the kinds of work it evoked in me, you will likely enjoy a climb through Lamont’s fine addition to the canon.
And the ending? Well, as Septimus realizes in Mrs. Dalloway, “There only remained the window.”
(do not be afraid to fall)
A necessary evil, then. But what happens when bureaucracy becomes no longer the means, but the end in itself?
Madness happens. The twentieth century is a testament to just how deep into horror this bureaucratic madness can descend.
Enter Ilya, protagonist of Finlay Lamont’s Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain , a bureaucrat leaving behind his life in the city and scaling a mountain. The landscape about him is broken and surreal, more like a dream than reality. On his way Ilya finds a hatch in the mountain and wanders into its depths, only to come upon an equally surreal interior, culminating in a nostalgia wash of his life from decades past.
I could not escape a comparison to Kafka’s The Castle, in which K, the protagonist, cannot get where he wants to be, while the spectre of bureaucracy haunts everything around him. So too does a spectre haunt Ilya, embodied in the face of a leering madman whenever our protagonist catches his reflection.
Nor could I avoid how Lamont’s work evoked memories of Brazil, a motion picture that also deals with bureaucracy, in which the protagonist escapes into his past and imagination to avoid the soul-crushing reality of the bureaucratic state. In a routine that stands alone in the annals of cinema, one of the protagonist’s allies is literally devoured by paperwork, consumed by a monster like a modern-day Grendel, come down from the mountain of reports, and charts, and projections.
Ilya is short, a mere twenty-three pages, but it packs a wallop. I can’t do it service in a simple review. But I can encourage you to read it. If you appreciate the kinds of work it evoked in me, you will likely enjoy a climb through Lamont’s fine addition to the canon.
And the ending? Well, as Septimus realizes in Mrs. Dalloway, “There only remained the window.”
(do not be afraid to fall)
March 13, 2024
Confusing
Ilya: The tragedy of the official who challenged the mountain is an odd story. I am still not quite sure what to make of it. It’s the story of Ilya who climbs up a mountain, away from the people and from the city. As he climbs, he reaches a hole in the mountain and climbs through the hole. Then occur a number of rapidly moving scenes, where Ilya is whisked from one place to another. First, he tumbles down a river and lands in a pool. Then he reaches a dock through which he arrives in a house where there is an old bathhouse with a sauna that he enjoys some time in. Eventually he arrives in a home of a countrywoman, a farmer and a farmhand. As he gets used to being there, he realizes they are family members of his from his younger years. He talks to them and eventually leaves. Then he walks back along the path he had come on, all the way back to the entrance of the mountain. Eventually he wakes up in his own bed.
Although well written and with a good flow, I did not understand the story line. It seemed rather strange and without a particular point to it. The book is very short, only 22 pages, and the fast pace of the changing scenes made it difficult to catch more than a glimpse in every location and therefore left me quite bewildered.
Ilya: The tragedy of the official who challenged the mountain is an odd story. I am still not quite sure what to make of it. It’s the story of Ilya who climbs up a mountain, away from the people and from the city. As he climbs, he reaches a hole in the mountain and climbs through the hole. Then occur a number of rapidly moving scenes, where Ilya is whisked from one place to another. First, he tumbles down a river and lands in a pool. Then he reaches a dock through which he arrives in a house where there is an old bathhouse with a sauna that he enjoys some time in. Eventually he arrives in a home of a countrywoman, a farmer and a farmhand. As he gets used to being there, he realizes they are family members of his from his younger years. He talks to them and eventually leaves. Then he walks back along the path he had come on, all the way back to the entrance of the mountain. Eventually he wakes up in his own bed.
Although well written and with a good flow, I did not understand the story line. It seemed rather strange and without a particular point to it. The book is very short, only 22 pages, and the fast pace of the changing scenes made it difficult to catch more than a glimpse in every location and therefore left me quite bewildered.
December 14, 2024
This literary short story left me wondering. Was the protagonist dead? Was he dreaming? Was he on drugs? The essence of the tale is Ilya’s climb up a mountain and thence into its bowels where he meets three people—his aunty, a farmer, and a farmhand—he knew in the past, still living their lives as simple farmers from earlier times. He argues with them about how progress has improved society, but they remain unconvinced. Unable to sway the people in the depths of the mountain, Ilya is compelled to leave after being urged on by a mysterious dark stranger. He soon finds himself back in his bedroom in the city within the valley below the mountain.
The story could have many interpretations, but I believe Ilya had a premonition of his own death. The writing is vivid and interesting as one would expect in a literary piece. Even though I needed less than thirty minutes to read it, I enjoyed every moment. My only complaint is it’s the only fable in the book. A collection of other short stories by the author added to this one would seem appropriate.
The story could have many interpretations, but I believe Ilya had a premonition of his own death. The writing is vivid and interesting as one would expect in a literary piece. Even though I needed less than thirty minutes to read it, I enjoyed every moment. My only complaint is it’s the only fable in the book. A collection of other short stories by the author added to this one would seem appropriate.
December 17, 2024
This short story flows more like poetry than prose. A lot of poetry is not meant to be understood but to be felt, and that’s the reason I enjoyed this. I felt it. I felt the old man struggling to climb the mountain and I felt his surprise at the things he found. The imagery is vivid and compelling, and just a little confusing at times.
I read this story through more than once. I think it’s one of those stories where everyone reading it will get a different meaning. In these times of books and movies that fall into a predictable pattern, with bad guys and heroes, and car chases, it’s nice to read a story where one has to think.
I believe the author intended for us to look at ourselves in this story, at our quest for knowledge and peace in this chaotic world we live in. And maybe sense a little nostalgia for things and people left behind.
That’s my opinion. You’ll probably have a different one, but if you climb the mountain with the old man, I don’t think you’ll come away disappointed.
I read this story through more than once. I think it’s one of those stories where everyone reading it will get a different meaning. In these times of books and movies that fall into a predictable pattern, with bad guys and heroes, and car chases, it’s nice to read a story where one has to think.
I believe the author intended for us to look at ourselves in this story, at our quest for knowledge and peace in this chaotic world we live in. And maybe sense a little nostalgia for things and people left behind.
That’s my opinion. You’ll probably have a different one, but if you climb the mountain with the old man, I don’t think you’ll come away disappointed.
February 17, 2025
(Some spoilers maybe below?)
I loved this story, Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain and to be honest I am not sure why. Is it a dream? Is he dead? No idea, but the writing dragged me and kept me wondering. Finlay Lamont’s captivating short story delves into the existential journey of Ilya, a fifty-two-year-old official with a distinguished career. What even does that mean? I don’t know but I love it. It just drew me in.
Why is he even on the mountain in the first place? Is he running? Escaping something? There’s certainly a hint of that. When he loses the trapdoor and it drifts away, he’s lost his chance to block something pursuing him?
It blends the boundaries between reality and fantasy. As Ilya explores the depths of the mountain, he faces memories and old friends and a journey that might have been in the Goonies.
Overall, “Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain” is a thought-provoking read that combines elements of fantasy and psychological fiction.
I loved this story, Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain and to be honest I am not sure why. Is it a dream? Is he dead? No idea, but the writing dragged me and kept me wondering. Finlay Lamont’s captivating short story delves into the existential journey of Ilya, a fifty-two-year-old official with a distinguished career. What even does that mean? I don’t know but I love it. It just drew me in.
Why is he even on the mountain in the first place? Is he running? Escaping something? There’s certainly a hint of that. When he loses the trapdoor and it drifts away, he’s lost his chance to block something pursuing him?
It blends the boundaries between reality and fantasy. As Ilya explores the depths of the mountain, he faces memories and old friends and a journey that might have been in the Goonies.
Overall, “Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain” is a thought-provoking read that combines elements of fantasy and psychological fiction.
March 10, 2024
Intelligent and Artistic
A very short piece of work, the first thing that I noticed as I examined and read Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain by Finaly Lamont, was the quality.
The cover of the book is very intriguing and is a piece of art in and of itself. The language of this book is intelligent and artistic. It reminded me of stories that were assigned in high school English classes – stories that can sometimes be underappreciated by some in their youth. These are the kinds of stories that are often masterpieces.
This story requires more than one reading to better understand the journey of Ilya as he explores the mysterious mountain. I believe that it packs a serious punch and I look forward to further study and dissection of the vast amounts of material that are compressed so tightly here.
I recommend this book to people who enjoy the beauty of the English language. It is well written and worth checking out.
A very short piece of work, the first thing that I noticed as I examined and read Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain by Finaly Lamont, was the quality.
The cover of the book is very intriguing and is a piece of art in and of itself. The language of this book is intelligent and artistic. It reminded me of stories that were assigned in high school English classes – stories that can sometimes be underappreciated by some in their youth. These are the kinds of stories that are often masterpieces.
This story requires more than one reading to better understand the journey of Ilya as he explores the mysterious mountain. I believe that it packs a serious punch and I look forward to further study and dissection of the vast amounts of material that are compressed so tightly here.
I recommend this book to people who enjoy the beauty of the English language. It is well written and worth checking out.
March 13, 2024
Ilya is a very strange, but brilliantly written story. The descriptions are deep, poetic and thought provoking, yet the story plot seems to have the same psychedelic properties as Alice in wonderland! The plot itself is quite surreal and you have to use your imagination to get some understanding of what may be happening. Essentially, the man in question appears to be scaling a mountain before climbing through an opening in the rock, traversing various chambers, shoots and tunnels, and a control room of sorts, passing into a plunge pool and stream. He later encountered a second room with friends/family of old, before venturing outside to a countryside farm setting. The journey then circumnavigates back round to the cliff face where it all started. Sometimes, it was difficult to tell whether what he is experiencing was real, or perhaps a dream or illusion, who knows? I like the story as it was very creative and had a good way with words. Recommended for a short read.
December 28, 2024
Odd short story that leaves you wondering.
Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain is a sort of metaphoric tale of a middle-aged man who speaks to conquer a kind of mystic mountain. The story's pros are chock-full of descriptives about the environment and the protagonist's mood that leaves the reader in a kind of melancholy state. The narrative's tone is almost dream-like and ethereal. I almost felt somewhat hungover after reading it. Ilya traverses various obstacles and challenges to reach a unexplained goal, pushing himself to a final conclusion that leaves the reader wondering at the end. What exactly was Ilya trying to achieve? Does he feel he reached his goal? The author's voice is a little rigid and dispassionate, but it basically works. After I read it, I found myself pondering it for a couple of days. If you're looking for something different to read, this would be a pretty good choice.
Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain is a sort of metaphoric tale of a middle-aged man who speaks to conquer a kind of mystic mountain. The story's pros are chock-full of descriptives about the environment and the protagonist's mood that leaves the reader in a kind of melancholy state. The narrative's tone is almost dream-like and ethereal. I almost felt somewhat hungover after reading it. Ilya traverses various obstacles and challenges to reach a unexplained goal, pushing himself to a final conclusion that leaves the reader wondering at the end. What exactly was Ilya trying to achieve? Does he feel he reached his goal? The author's voice is a little rigid and dispassionate, but it basically works. After I read it, I found myself pondering it for a couple of days. If you're looking for something different to read, this would be a pretty good choice.
December 23, 2024
“Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official Who Challenged the Mountain” by Finlay Lamont is a quirky short story that hints it may contains deeper, hidden meanings as some kind of allegory . . . but does it?
Unfortunately, too much goes unexplained in the tale so any theme or meaning remains too hidden to be satisfying. We meet Ilya, an old man climbing a mountain who then enters a portal to the interior, where he discovers a secret world which seems an inner one, within himself. He relives memories and experiences lessons or something. . . but to what avail? It's not clear. Time seems to blur and he relives experiences from his past, but no resolution emerges for the reader by the end.
This short story is cleanly written in a straightforward, unpretentious way and the scenes flash by quickly. Flowing well, it is a pleasant and easy read, not taking long at all to finish. The cover art is nicely done, conveying a creepy mood which, along with the odd title, sets up the reader to expect a chilling, eerie reading experience, though it is anything but that.
And by the end, which arrives quickly, the reader is just left to wonder . . . what was all that about? The themes are opaque and the meaning is obscured. It shouldn’t be up to readers and reviewers to speculate projected meanings into the story.
Wanted to like this more (and could LOVE an improved version).
Unfortunately, too much goes unexplained in the tale so any theme or meaning remains too hidden to be satisfying. We meet Ilya, an old man climbing a mountain who then enters a portal to the interior, where he discovers a secret world which seems an inner one, within himself. He relives memories and experiences lessons or something. . . but to what avail? It's not clear. Time seems to blur and he relives experiences from his past, but no resolution emerges for the reader by the end.
This short story is cleanly written in a straightforward, unpretentious way and the scenes flash by quickly. Flowing well, it is a pleasant and easy read, not taking long at all to finish. The cover art is nicely done, conveying a creepy mood which, along with the odd title, sets up the reader to expect a chilling, eerie reading experience, though it is anything but that.
And by the end, which arrives quickly, the reader is just left to wonder . . . what was all that about? The themes are opaque and the meaning is obscured. It shouldn’t be up to readers and reviewers to speculate projected meanings into the story.
Wanted to like this more (and could LOVE an improved version).
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March 12, 2024The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain by Finaly Lamont is an easy to read story that flows well from page to page and scene to scene. The writing is imaginative, taking readers off the beaten path as Ilya explores the fantasy world of the mysterious mountain.
It's a short book--the author hasn't added filler and stretched the story out. The language of this book is thoughtful and intelligent with a big spark of imagination.
I was immediately drawn to the cover. It's definitely a work of art on it's own while painting a picture of the main character. Readers who enjoy something a little different that's well written will appreciate The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain.
It's a short book--the author hasn't added filler and stretched the story out. The language of this book is thoughtful and intelligent with a big spark of imagination.
I was immediately drawn to the cover. It's definitely a work of art on it's own while painting a picture of the main character. Readers who enjoy something a little different that's well written will appreciate The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain.
February 25, 2025
Ilya! A 52 year old official with a distinguished career who hikes up a mountain in his tailored suit and shiny pointy-toe shoes. What a strange little man! I read this short story twice as I really wanted to wrap my head around what was happening, and I found it entertaining and thought provoking.
I thought the language was sophisticated and intelligent, and Ilya was such an fascinating character. I think the core message of Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain could be open to discussion, but it certainly left me with a sense of foreboding and intrigue.
This is a well written and elegant short piece of literary fiction with elements of surrealism and fantastical whimsy.
I thought the language was sophisticated and intelligent, and Ilya was such an fascinating character. I think the core message of Ilya: The Tragedy of the Official who Challenged the Mountain could be open to discussion, but it certainly left me with a sense of foreboding and intrigue.
This is a well written and elegant short piece of literary fiction with elements of surrealism and fantastical whimsy.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews