Stainslaw Lem

[E.A Rumfield]

Stainslaw Lem was one the most widely translated Eastern writers and was said to be the most read science fiction author. Best known for his novel Solaris, Solaris was made into a film by prominent Russian director Andrei Tarvosky. Lem's writing was characterized by his compassionate psychological analysis of his characters. Discuss this fantastic author.

[Aylinn]

What exactly would you like to discuss? Your post has some information about Lem, but it doesn't inspire any discussion.


Solaris was made into a film by prominent Russian director Andrei Tarvosky.
And he hadn't had a high opinion of it until he saw the new American version.

[E.A Rumfield]

What exactly would you like to discuss? Your post has some information about Lem, but it doesn't inspire any discussion.


And he hadn't had a high opinion of it until he saw the new American version.


The new American version was trash. What are some other good works by Lem? I read Solaris and Starship Dairies but he wrote a lot.

[Aylinn]

I haven't read a lot of his books either, but since he is the best known Polish science-fiction writer, I have heard a lot about him and his works. The Cyberiad and The Futurological Congres are books that often come up in conversations about Lem. I don't know a lot about these books, save for the fact that they are light-hearted at a superficial level.

[sprite-zero]

I've only just finished 'Solaris' by Lem and found it rather enjoyable! I loved the futility of it all and it reminded me a lot of Kafka. Although, the addition of the philosophical themes made it feel much more human and vital than it might have otherwise been.

And I've subsequently seen both film versions and I think in the case of 'Solaris', I am a book purist. However, I must say that the scene for Snaut's birthday was a fantastic addition and equalled movie magic in Tarkovsky's version!

[Aylinn]

I've only just finished 'Solaris' by Lem and found it rather enjoyable! I loved the futility of it all and it reminded me a lot of Kafka.
This is interesting. To which Kafka's book are you comparing Solaris? If it is The Trial, I can see where are you coming from, even though I think these books are, in fact, very different.

I agree that Solaris is a good book. I liked it that the ocean was a truly alien being and not another anthropomorphic being who tries to connect with, destroy, etc. the world, humanity etc.

[Calidore]

My dad's a big fan of Lem, though all I've read by him is The Cyberiad, which was fun both as a kid and adult. I haven't read Solaris yet, but now that it's finally been retranslated directly into English (the one everyone knows is a second-gen translation via French), I should have a look. Ironically, my father couldn't get through Tarkovsky's movie, but I liked it quite a lot. I'm going to rewatch it at some point, and if I still like it, I'll pick up the Criterion DVD.

[sprite-zero]

This is interesting. To which Kafka's book are you comparing Solaris? If it is The Trial, I can see where are you coming from, even though I think these books are, in fact, very different.

I agree that Solaris is a good book. I liked it that the ocean was a truly alien being and not another anthropomorphic being who tries to connect with, destroy, etc. the world, humanity etc.

Hm, more in line with the Castle I thought. The relationship with characters was very similar, although instead of having those two assistants, Freida (if I remember her name correctly) and various others, you just have Snow who seems to encompass all their traits and confusion.

I know the 'we need mirrors' is the most famous quote but I'm certain the amount of times Snow quipped at Kelvin that 'it's almost like you're purposely trying not to understand' is the most memorable for me, especially when you, the reader are trying so hard. And yes, almost definitely different in most aspects but I got the same 'I'm not going to really ever understand what is going on, but that isn't the point' feeling reading them both.

[Des Essientes]

Lem's novel "Return From The Stars" is absolutely brilliant. The massive velocities involved in space travel turn astronauts into freakishly over-muscled hulks, as well as dilating time for them so that when they return to earth, many decades after they had left, they find that Earth has become the home of a pharmacologically emasculated society. The best sci-fi is about "fish out of water" and this is one of the best. I really wish that this novel would be made into a movie.

"The Futurological Congress" is a hilarious vision of the future as well as a spoof of the libertinism of the 1960's. It too is absolutely brilliant.

"His Master's Voice" is what is known as "Hard Science Fiction" and it is an interesting read, although some may find its ending unsatisfying.

Lem's various tales of Pirx the pilot are also very good. I read one recently, whose title escapes me, and it was funny because Pirx talks about how he loves to read trashy sci-fi stories while piloting, because space travel in real life is so much less eventful than the swashbuckling space operas of pulp sci-fi, but then something very exciting does happen, but it is not at all like the typical American pot-boiler sci-fi excitement.

This is what you will get if you read Lem. You will be provoked and entertained, but not at all in the ways that you'd expect, and that is why he, and Ursula Leguin, are the two greatest sci-fi writers of the 20th Century.

[E.A Rumfield]

Arkady and Boris Strugatsky are also pretty good. A Roadside Picnic was one of the best sci-fi novels I read. Like Lem it is not typical and offers no happy ending.

[Aylinn]

Lem's novel "Return From The Stars" is absolutely brilliant. The massive velocities involved in space travel turn astronauts into freakishly over-muscled hulks, as well as dilating time for them so that when they return to earth, many decades after they had left, they find that Earth has become the home of a pharmacologically emasculated society. The best sci-fi is about "fish out of water" and this is one of the best. I really wish that this novel would be made into a movie.
I liked it too. Especially that the future society was neither idealised nor demonised like in anti-utopian stories, but different enough to make the astronauts alienated.


This is what you will get if you read Lem. You will be provoked and entertained, but not at all in the ways that you'd expect, and that is why he, and Ursula Leguin, are the two greatest sci-fi writers of the 20th Century.
And the interesting thing is that Lem didn't like fantasy in general, but he liked and appreciated Ursula Le Guin's fantasy stories, while not liking her sci-fi stories so much.