Regular Ramblings readers will know of my love of Russian Science Fiction writing, particularly of the Soviet era; it’s a genre I’ve covered many times before, so I was very excited to see a classic title by the Strugatsky Brothers was included in the new Penguin Classics Science Fiction imprint.
I’m going to be covering a few of the titles from the imprint for Shiny New Books, but as I read this one I realised I’d come across it before, under the title of “Definitely Maybe”! However, that edition is hard to find and expensive, so this is a welcome re-release by Penguin, and the book itself is a wonderful, often moving and very powerful read by a duo of amazing authors. I loved it, and you can read my full review here!
Kaggsy's Bookish Ramblings 
Oct 22, 2020 @ 09:40:10
My Russian friend introduced me to the Srugatsky brothers and I was just blown away (I was already familiar with the film Stalker, but the book is quite different). I now want to read everything by them that has been translated.
Oct 22, 2020 @ 09:56:42
I loved Stalker too, but have still to read the book. But have read Solaris and don’t think I want to see the film (or the modern one, at least). Love the Strugatsky bros!
Oct 22, 2020 @ 09:57:31
Although I’ve always read sci-fi, I’ve never explored non-English language works; your review indicates that it’s perhaps time to re-evaluate this omission! Like you, I think sci-fi is sometimes underrated for a variety of reasons (bad writing, particularly from its earlier days in the U.S. pulp market and, while I enjoy the sometimes cheesy cover art, many do not); it’s easy to miss the fact that the genre has often been a versatile and very useful vehicle for writers to explore a number of themes. It’s particularly interesting to see how artists living under repressive regimes have used sci-fi for the cultural criticism or political satire that was otherwise prohibited. I’ll have to add the Srugatsky brothers to my TBR mountain!
Oct 22, 2020 @ 11:20:50
Certainly, I can recommend the Soviet sci fi I’ve read (and there’s Lem, of course, too – quite a wonderful writer). I’m selective about my sci fi (as I am about most books). Like all genres there’s bad writing and bad cover art, but I believe the best of sci fi has much to say about the world and the human condition. Soviet sci fi fascinates me as it was such a good way to smuggle in the critique of the regime. Happy exploring! 😀
Oct 22, 2020 @ 14:25:21
I was an avid sci-fi reader in my (much) younger days, when I’d read anything, including the backs of cereal boxes. The gaudy cover art was “cool” and, as for the style, what was that? I simply became hooked on the ideas, embedded or expressed, including the idea that the society one was living in wasn’t the only possible model. I really stopped reading science fiction as an adult, when time, concerns about the cover art (pretty sexist, much of it — all those space babes) and the frequently bad writing were just too much. Very slowly and selectively, about a decade ago I started sampling some current sci-fi, which is much more diverse & stylistically sophisticated than the stuff I grew up on. I read your review in SNB and the Strugatskys sound very enticing, especially combined with their inclusion in a new imprint, which will be fun to check out (if you’re interested, the NYRB Classics have also began publishing at least a little sci-fi).
Oct 22, 2020 @ 15:29:34
Sci fi *is* a wonderful way to critique any society – look at Ballard for example – but like any genre there’s bad writing and we don’t necessarily get that when we’re young. The sexism and cliches irritate me, but then they do in any type of writing. I guess what I’m saying is I look for the same thing in sci fi writing as I would in other books – good writing, stimulating ideas and a book that will take me somewhere new and make me think. There are some wonderful classic titles, and of course writers like M. John Harrison slip into the genre too. As for NYRB – don’t tempt me…. ;D
Oct 22, 2020 @ 14:56:59
I would add that you should look for newer translations if possible, especially the excellent ones by Olena Bormashenko — some of the early ones were awful. See:
https://io9.gizmodo.com/a-new-translation-of-the-one-russian-science-fiction-no-5908702
https://www.asymptotejournal.com/interview/an-interview-with-olena-bormashenko/
Here’s a list of available translations:
Oct 22, 2020 @ 15:23:23
Thank you for this – I shall check it out. I’ve noticed that some of the Lem translations I’ve come across are older ones, and some seem fine, some not so. With Solaris I ended up reading two different versions. Oh to be multilingual…
Oct 22, 2020 @ 14:58:57
I’d recommend looking for more recent translations; the ones by Olena Bormashenko are particularly good.
Oct 22, 2020 @ 15:20:31
Thank you! 😀
Oct 22, 2020 @ 11:27:38
You are absolutely the right reader to be reviewing these for SNB! I’ll head on over to take a look at your piece. 🙂
Oct 22, 2020 @ 11:45:57
LOL! I thought so too…. ;D
Oct 22, 2020 @ 13:10:57
The Strugatskys are great (probably the most consistently excellent sf I know, aside from Gene Wolfe, who died last year); all their mature work is worth reading. Also, I highly recommend the Tarkovsky movie Solaris — it’s very different from the book, but brilliant filmmaking.
Oct 22, 2020 @ 15:30:28
They are great – and I would love to see the Tarkovsky version of Solaris because I loved his Stalker. As for Gene Wolfe, I haven’t read him since my 20s but loved what I read – maybe I should revisit…. ;D
Oct 22, 2020 @ 19:47:11
Not a Sci-fi fan myself but I can imagine how delighted you were when you found this book had been reissued. I hope you enjoy the other titles as much.
Oct 22, 2020 @ 20:40:07
I was very excited yes! And looking forward to discovering some new authors!