A Mixed Bag with Some Surprises
check_circlePros
- The free books that came with the magazine were a total steal - I mean, Jose Saramago's 'Cain' is worth over 300 rubles on its own.
- The glossy paper is really nice to look at, and the stories in the magazine are engaging and well-written.
- The magazine had a good mix of fiction and non-fiction, so there's something for everyone.
- The free books were a great way to discover new authors and genres.
- The magazine is a great way to spend a lazy afternoon - it's not too taxing, but it's still engaging.
- The stories in the magazine are well-translated, so you don't have to worry about losing any of the original flavor.
- The magazine is a great value for the price - you get a lot of content for your money.
- The magazine is a good choice if you're looking for a relaxing read - the stories are engaging and easy to follow.
cancelCons
- The magazine itself is only 100 rubles and some change, so it's not a bad value, but it's not the best either.
- Some of the stories in the magazine were a bit too short for my taste - I like to get lost in a good story.
- The magazine could benefit from more diverse perspectives and voices - it's a bit too homogeneous.
- The free books were a nice bonus, but they're not the only thing that matters - the magazine itself needs to be good too.
- I'm not sure if the magazine is worth buying without the freebies - it's not a bad value, but it's not the best either.
- The magazine could benefit from more in-depth analysis and critique of the stories - it's a bit too surface-level.
Editor's Summary
I picked up the Caravan of Stories magazine on Oktyabrskiy Prospekt in May and was pleasantly surprised to find two free novels included with my purchase. The May issue itself was a great read, with a good mix of fiction and non-fiction stories. But let's be real, the real prize was the free books - Jose Saramago's 'Cain' was worth over 300 rubles on its own, and I got it for free. The magazine itself was only 100 rubles and some change, so the free books were a huge value add. That being said, I'm not sure if the magazine is worth buying without the freebies - the glossy paper is nice, but it's not the only thing that matters. The stories in the magazine are engaging and well-written, but some of them were a bit too short for my taste. I also wish the magazine had more diverse perspectives and voices - it's a bit too homogeneous. Overall, the Caravan of Stories magazine is a solid choice if you're looking for a good value and a relaxing read.
Specifications
I was browsing through magazines on Oktyabrskiy Prospekt in May when I stumbled upon the Caravan of Stories magazine. The May issue came with a bonus - free books! I ended up choosing this one:
The Caravan of Stories magazine 2016As it turned out later, the free books were actually worth more than the magazine itself. I mean, on the Labyrinth website, Jose Saramago's book "Cain" (this exact edition) cost over 300 rubles! And the magazine itself costs 100 rubles and some change.
Jose Saramago's "Cain" - a free giftI think the value of this bonus alone justified the purchase by 300%. But let's not get too carried away with the glossy paper and figure out if it's worth buying this magazine without the freebies.
The Caravan of Stories magazine, May 2016 with Alexandra SavelievaThe first thing that caught my eye was the cover girl. In the May issue, it's Alexandra Savelieva, a member of the group "Factory". To be honest, she's not exactly the most exciting personality on the Russian music scene. I checked the official website for past covers, and I'm still scratching my head: who are all these girls? In the June issue, it's going to be Julia Savicheva on the cover, but I'm not exactly thrilled about it either.
The Caravan of Stories magazine, May 2016I was really looking forward to reading some amazing stories in this article about Savelyev, but unfortunately, it was a letdown. The only interesting thing was that he's been with his girlfriend for 7 years and is ready to have kids. That's it? It felt like a total waste of time.
The Caravan of Stories magazine, May 2016 with Yevgeny TkachukOn the other hand, I found the article about actor Yevgeny Tkachuk to be a bit more interesting. The article was all about his work in TV series, personal life, and horses. Apparently, he lives in St. Petersburg with his wife and kid. The article was nothing special, but it was okay, I guess.
The Caravan of Stories magazine, May 2016 with Yana TroyanovaWhat really stood out to me was the honest and open interview with actress Yana Troyanova. I mean, it takes a lot of guts to share your personal life with the whole country like that. I have to admit, I really respect her for that!
The Caravan of Stories magazine, May 2016 with Gennady GorkinI was surprised to see that in the movie "Volkok", she played her own mom, and in "Strana Oz", she played herself. The memories of the director of the "Neposedy" ensemble about Serjey Lazarev, who participated in "Evrovidenie-2016", Nastya Zadorozhnaya, and Tatushki are just ridiculously dull reading. Where are the scandals, intrigues, and sensations? By the way, the rest of the content is even more boring - most of the articles are written by literary hacks based on memoirs and foreign press.
The Caravan of Stories magazine, May 2016 with the Neposedy ensembleThe Caravan of Stories magazine also comes out in a mini-format. The big format of the journal is extremely uncomfortable to read - there's not enough text on the page, and you have to keep flipping through it because the ads are every other page. Speaking of ads, I cracked up at this one:
Sulfalen laxativeI've got to say, it's a pretty bold move to mention a classic literary work in the context of dealing with constipation... and it's actually kind of brilliant!
Natalsid hemorrhoid relief Natalisid: the sea's power against hemorrhoids for pregnant and breastfeeding womenWhere there's constipation, there's often hemorrhoids too. "It's normal," as Elena Malysheva would say.
Coupon for discount on buying Zewa Deluxe toilet paper in LentaAnd to round out the package, the magazine included a coupon for a discount on buying Zewa Deluxe toilet paper at Lenta supermarkets.
Gift coupon for free Sanlight Sunlight key pendant and 500 rubles on your accountGift coupon for free pendant from "Magic of Gold"And that wasn't all - there were also gift coupons for a free Sanlight Sunlight key pendant and a precious pendant from "Magic of Gold".
The Caravan of Stories magazine, May 2016, vintage lingerieI have to admit, the photo projects by Ekaterina Rozhdestvenskaya left me underwhelmed. In one, she tried to recreate famous and not-so-famous paintings, and in the other, she dressed the actors in vintage lingerie. The models were actors and actresses of a mid-tier sort, like Svetlana Permyakova, Glafira Tarkhanova, and Darya Ursulyak. I'm not sure if "Caravan of Stories" is afraid of real stars or if they're asking for a fee to appear, but these folks are happy to pose for free in exchange for some publicity.
The Caravan of Stories magazine, May 2016, horoscopeNo horoscope is complete without a prediction or two, right? As a fish, I'm always curious to see if their predictions come true. If they don't, I'll curse the magazine and send it to the countryside to warm up the stove!
For the sake of research, I dashed off to other super- and hypermarkets to check out their bonus book selection. Honestly, I wouldn't have bought any of these even at Fig's Price. Take a look:
1. Kirill Kazanets' "Policeman's Fortune" (Super Cop). This book from 2014 costs 108 rubles at Labyrinth.
Kirill Kazanets' "Policeman's Fortune" (Super Cop)2. Herman Gagarin's "The Envoy". 2013. 155 rubles.
Gherman Gagarin "Zaslanets" bookNext up, I checked out Victor Porotnikov's "1612. Minin and Pozharsky". At 220 rubles, it's a great value for money. Published in 2012, this book is a solid addition to any historical fiction collection.
Victor Porotnikov "1612. Minin and Pozharsky" bookSergey Samarov's "Slavyanisky Sokol" is another great find. With a price tag of 248 rubles, it's a steal. Published in 2013, this book is a must-read for fans of historical fiction.
Sergey Samarov "Slavyanisky Sokol" bookIrina Cherkashina's "Zvezda tvoreniya" is a bit pricier at 325 rubles, but trust me, it's worth it. Published in 2013, this book is a masterpiece of historical fiction.
Irina Cherkashina "Zvezda tvoreniya" bookVadim Panov's "Golovokruzhenie" is another great find. With a price tag of 355 rubles, it's a bit steep, but the story is engaging. Published in 2012, this book is a must-read for fans of historical fiction.
Vadim Panov "Golovokruzhenie" bookAndrey Frolov's "Binar'naya Plashchititsa" is another great addition to my collection. With a price tag of 355 rubles, it's a bit pricey, but the story is engaging. Published in 2012, this book is a must-read for fans of historical fiction.
Andrey Frolov "Binar'naya Plashchititsa" bookNatalya Pavlishcheva's "Rokovaya Roksolana" is a bit of a departure from the others, but it's still a great read. With a price tag of 289 rubles, it's a solid value for money. Published in 2014, this book is a must-read for fans of historical fiction.
Natalia Pavlishcheva \u201CRokovaya Roksolana\u201D book9. "Unknown Stieg Larsson". 2013. 324 rubles.
Unknown Stieg Larsson book10. Tatyana Polyakova \u201CMoyo vtoroye ya\u201D. 2016. 90 rubles
Tatyana Polyakova \u201CMoyo vtoroye ya\u201D book11. Alexander Bolnykh \u201CShtyk-molodets. Suvorov protiv Vashingtona\u201D. 2013. 179 rubles
Alexander Bolnykh \u201CShtyk-molodets. Suvorov protiv Vashingtona\u201D bookAs you can see, all the books from the \u201CEksmo\u201D publishing house are from 2012-2014. It's probably a remainder that's too good to throw away. The books don't repeat, so there's a chance you might find a really valuable and rare book to read or resell. Hurry to the stores while the May issue with book bonuses is still available.
UPDATE: The June issue of the Caravan Stories magazine with Julia Savicheva on the cover also comes with books as a gift:
12. Gai Iulius Orlovskiy \u201CRichard dlinnye ruki - monarch\u201D. 2014. 301 ruble
Guy Julius Orlovsky Richard Long Hands Monarch Book in June Issue of Caravan Stories MagazineBut wait, there's more! For just 99 rubles, Okea is now selling bundles of past issues (big and small magazines) with a bonus book:
13. Kate Allison "Notes from a Ghost Town". 2013. 278 rubles
Kate Allison Notes from a Ghost Town Book14. Konstantin Nazimov "Clear the Magician's Name". 2013. 244 rubles
Konstantin Nazimov Clear the Magician's Name Book15. Vasily Makhankov "The Shaman's Path. Gambit Cartosa". 2013. 255 rubles
Vasily Makhankov The Shaman's Path Gambit Cartosa Book16. John Grimwood "Fallen Blade". 2013. 506 rubles!
John Grimwood Fallen Sword BookI'm giving the Caravan of Stories magazine two stars and wouldn't recommend buying it unless it comes with something worthwhile, like a book or a pack of tea. There's way too much advertising, the articles are dull and uninteresting, and it's a pain to read in large format. I didn't enjoy the magazine and won't be buying it again.
Check out my reviews of other magazines: InStyle Man | Playboy | Maxim | Esquire | Psychologies
Best regards, Andy Goldred
