Milorad Pavić's Dictionary of the Khazars ( Hazarski rečnik ) is often hailed as "the first novel of the 21st century" due to its pioneering hypertextual structure . First published in 1984, this "lexicon novel" eschews traditional linear storytelling, allowing readers to navigate its entries in any order—an estimated 2 million possible reading paths. The Core of the Khazar Mystery

Because each religion claims the Khazars converted to their faith, the "truth" of the event remains elusive and subjective, mirroring the postmodern themes of fragmented reality and the death of the authoritative narrator. The Male and Female Versions

The novel revolves around the "Khazar Polemic," a semi-historical event where the ruler of the Khazars—a nomadic tribe that lived between the 7th and 10th centuries—invited representatives of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism to debate and determine his people's future faith. The book is divided into three parallel dictionaries, each representing one of these perspectives: : Christian sources. The Green Book : Islamic sources. The Yellow Book : Jewish sources.