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The Editor
The Editor, an English language translation of the novel Urednik by the contemporary Serbian writer Marko Vidojković. This roman-a-clef could be summarized as “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, updated for the 21st century, told from the perspective of the editor of a foreign edition of an international magazine for men.” A semi-autobiographical account of events that the author witnessed as editor-in-chief of the Serbian editions of Playboy and Maxim magazines, it indirectly depicts huge international business in its last moments before collapse under the weight of a crumbling global economy and sweeping technological change.
Providing the exotic perspective of a remote Balkan country on the global industry of print magazines for men, the narrative is a thrill ride with hilariously sarcastic and simultaneously dark insightful twists. Layered and dense with meaning, this adult prose still offers a fun quick read. With settings in Las Vegas, Belgrade, and international airports in between, it establishes an unlikely connection and describes the interaction of the globally marginal with the globally central, at times rubbing elbows with some of the biggest US and international celebrities, but ultimately showing a “colonial” view of the uniform and globalized world we live in today.
Marko Vidojković, “Naughty boy of the Serbian literary scene” has over 15 years of professional writing experience and has considerable stature and presence in the fiction book market in Serbia and the region (ex-Yugoslavia). He has published nine novels and two collections of short stories so far, receiving multiple awards and repeatedly achieving bestseller status. Two of his novels were adapted for theater, and his books have been translated into Slovenian, Bulgarian, Polish and German. The Editor is his first novel translated into English.
His raw writing is often touted as “Charles Bukowski in Serbian”, with other comparisons ranging from Hunter S. Thompson and Jack Kerouac to William S. Burroughs and Bret Easton Ellis. He has, however, been perfecting his own literary style throughout his opus, as evidenced by the unique voices of his protagonists, always blending fictional character with the author’s real word persona and authentically describing his experience with brutal sincerity and candor.
SHORT SYNOPSIS
The year is 2006. Mark Prince, 30, is an established writer and editor-in-chief of the Serbian edition of Big Boy magazine for men. He treats his job as an easy way to get money, which he needs to support his growing need for cocaine. In addition, he maintains multiple sexual relationships with his readers and a disastrous relationship with his ex-girlfriend Jana.
The general manager of Burlesque, publisher of Big Boy magazine, Mateo Delamorte, reluctantly sends Prince to the magazine’s annual publishing conference in Las Vegas, correctly assuming that he would use this opportunity to engage in debauchery on the company’s dime.
In Vegas, Mark Prince meets Deborah, a colleague from New York, for whom he falls head over heels. When it turns out that Deborah has a fiancé, he then flirts with Alice, a cute colleague from the English edition. After two days, Prince manages to procure cocaine and the party can begin.
High and drunk, he hooks up with Alice. They leave the nightclub together and go back to his hotel room, where he cannot get it up even after a whole night of torturous foreplay. Instead, under the influence of cocaine, Alice starts blabbing and reveals confidential information from the head office in London that Prince is about to be fired when he returns home.
Mark Prince is out of control. Will he be able to win Deborah on his last night in Vegas? Will he honorably represent the colonial editions of Big Boy? Will he succeed in keeping his job? He will. But just barely.
MARKO VIDOJKOVIĆ
THE EDITOR
Providing the exotic perspective of a remote Balkan country on the global industry of print magazines for men, the narrative is a thrill ride with hilariously sarcastic and simultaneously dark insightful twists. Layered and dense with meaning, this adult prose still offers a fun quick read. With settings in Las Vegas, Belgrade, and international airports in between, it establishes an unlikely connection and describes the interaction of the globally marginal with the globally central, at times rubbing elbows with some of the biggest US and international celebrities, but ultimately showing a “colonial” view of the uniform and globalized world we live in today.
Marko Vidojković, “Naughty boy of the Serbian literary scene” has over 15 years of professional writing experience and has considerable stature and presence in the fiction book market in Serbia and the region (ex-Yugoslavia). He has published nine novels and two collections of short stories so far, receiving multiple awards and repeatedly achieving bestseller status. Two of his novels were adapted for theater, and his books have been translated into Slovenian, Bulgarian, Polish and German. The Editor is his first novel translated into English.
His raw writing is often touted as “Charles Bukowski in Serbian”, with other comparisons ranging from Hunter S. Thompson and Jack Kerouac to William S. Burroughs and Bret Easton Ellis. He has, however, been perfecting his own literary style throughout his opus, as evidenced by the unique voices of his protagonists, always blending fictional character with the author’s real word persona and authentically describing his experience with brutal sincerity and candor.
SHORT SYNOPSIS
The year is 2006. Mark Prince, 30, is an established writer and editor-in-chief of the Serbian edition of Big Boy magazine for men. He treats his job as an easy way to get money, which he needs to support his growing need for cocaine. In addition, he maintains multiple sexual relationships with his readers and a disastrous relationship with his ex-girlfriend Jana.
The general manager of Burlesque, publisher of Big Boy magazine, Mateo Delamorte, reluctantly sends Prince to the magazine’s annual publishing conference in Las Vegas, correctly assuming that he would use this opportunity to engage in debauchery on the company’s dime.
In Vegas, Mark Prince meets Deborah, a colleague from New York, for whom he falls head over heels. When it turns out that Deborah has a fiancé, he then flirts with Alice, a cute colleague from the English edition. After two days, Prince manages to procure cocaine and the party can begin.
High and drunk, he hooks up with Alice. They leave the nightclub together and go back to his hotel room, where he cannot get it up even after a whole night of torturous foreplay. Instead, under the influence of cocaine, Alice starts blabbing and reveals confidential information from the head office in London that Prince is about to be fired when he returns home.
Mark Prince is out of control. Will he be able to win Deborah on his last night in Vegas? Will he honorably represent the colonial editions of Big Boy? Will he succeed in keeping his job? He will. But just barely.
MARKO VIDOJKOVIĆ
THE EDITOR
212 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 20, 2017
About the author
Marko Vidojković
38 books150 followersMarko Vidojković is Serbian novelist of young generation, distinguished for his "straight-to-the-face", punkish attitude both in his novels and in public appearances. His novels, told in direct and often obscene language, are placed on the streets of Belgrade, portraying lost and angry young people, drowned by lack of understanding and hypocrisy of the society.
Vidojković's popularity exploded with his fourth novel, Kandže (The Claws). Its story revolves around a character who's a law student and a fanatic participant in 1996/1997 protests in Serbia. At the same time he meets a love of his life (which turns out to be a post-modern fairy rather than a real person).
The book received "Kočić's Quill" and "Golden Bestseller" awards. The new publisher, Samizdat B92, reissued Vidojković's old novels in 2005, and they also achieved bestseller status.
Vidojković's popularity exploded with his fourth novel, Kandže (The Claws). Its story revolves around a character who's a law student and a fanatic participant in 1996/1997 protests in Serbia. At the same time he meets a love of his life (which turns out to be a post-modern fairy rather than a real person).
The book received "Kočić's Quill" and "Golden Bestseller" awards. The new publisher, Samizdat B92, reissued Vidojković's old novels in 2005, and they also achieved bestseller status.
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