This is another book by Stanislaw Lem my favorite sci-fi author and philosopher. Solaris was filmed twice, by the Russian director Tarkovsky in 1972 and also had its American remake in 2002 where the main character was played by George Clooney. As in most of the Lem’s novels this story makes the reader ponder how our human biased ideas about the purpose of other intelligent life may be totally wrong. Also I think that Lem is using the sci-fi story just as a tool to show that it is actually us humans who have the long way to understand our own purpose of life. The scientific space station orbits the distant planet that is all covered by some kind of ocean. It shows signs of intelligence by creating mysterious symmetric formations on its surface and it seems to try to communicate. Lem is really good in describing the planet, its alienness, and creating a feeling of loneliness and mystery at the same time. Scientists think that they are exploring the planet but later they discover that it may be actually the opposite and they are the ones who are being observed and studied. The ocean can read the scientists minds during their sleep and then it materializes their dreams into the physical replications of humans or maybe even something else depending on the dreamer’s experiences. Some of these replications are not even revealed by the scientists since this is a very private matter and are only hinted in the story. Since the main character a psychologist Chris Kelvin is just recovering from the loss of his beloved wife Rheya it is actually her who suddenly appears on the space station. To make things more psychological these replications are indistinguishable from humans, they behave and talk like them and they even realize that they may be a tool or a creation of the ocean and they dislike this idea. Scientists may later discover what physical forces the ocean is using to create these replications but still they are totally lost when trying to communicate with the ocean or get some information about it.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Solaris
This is another book by Stanislaw Lem my favorite sci-fi author and philosopher. Solaris was filmed twice, by the Russian director Tarkovsky in 1972 and also had its American remake in 2002 where the main character was played by George Clooney. As in most of the Lem’s novels this story makes the reader ponder how our human biased ideas about the purpose of other intelligent life may be totally wrong. Also I think that Lem is using the sci-fi story just as a tool to show that it is actually us humans who have the long way to understand our own purpose of life. The scientific space station orbits the distant planet that is all covered by some kind of ocean. It shows signs of intelligence by creating mysterious symmetric formations on its surface and it seems to try to communicate. Lem is really good in describing the planet, its alienness, and creating a feeling of loneliness and mystery at the same time. Scientists think that they are exploring the planet but later they discover that it may be actually the opposite and they are the ones who are being observed and studied. The ocean can read the scientists minds during their sleep and then it materializes their dreams into the physical replications of humans or maybe even something else depending on the dreamer’s experiences. Some of these replications are not even revealed by the scientists since this is a very private matter and are only hinted in the story. Since the main character a psychologist Chris Kelvin is just recovering from the loss of his beloved wife Rheya it is actually her who suddenly appears on the space station. To make things more psychological these replications are indistinguishable from humans, they behave and talk like them and they even realize that they may be a tool or a creation of the ocean and they dislike this idea. Scientists may later discover what physical forces the ocean is using to create these replications but still they are totally lost when trying to communicate with the ocean or get some information about it.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Roadside Picnic
Another mind-boggling book would be the Roadside Picnic by the brothers Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. It made it to the movie theaters in 1979 with the name Stalker. Also recent quite successful PC game S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl uses some ideas taken from this novel. The story of the book is based on existence of some kind of Zone a wilderness area that is cordoned by the government. Nobody knows how this Zone came to existence but it is dangerous and the gravity or other physical laws are twisted there and can kill the visitor. But it is worth of going there even that the special police forces guarding the Zone can shoot and kill any trespasser. There are so called artifacts that can be sold and also it is rumored that there is a room where all wishes can be fulfilled. There is no mention of the Zone being created by some E.T. but it is being speculated upon. The book is worth reading!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
My best Sci-Fi book
Yes, nobody can say there is only one best book! But I would try anyway. I was incredibly dragged into the story and puzzled by the book ending when reading Fiasco by Stanislaw Lem. It was probably that combination of tragicomical personal story of the space ship pilot, beautiful descriptions of unearthly nature of Saturn's moon Titan and finally the crescendo of the end of the book when humans encountered other intelligent life form.
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