Oh, "The City" is an interesting thing... I'll try to explain why -- if you forgive me for another page of unsolicited feedback peppered with typos :)
Brother's works consist roughly of 3 historic periods.
Early books, up to about 1962, are optimistic and pro-communist. But they are still geniuos! As a kid, I've read s shitload of Soviet sci-fi, and most of that was pro-communist [it had to be, because of the regime, you know]. Yet even as a kid I saw how unimaginably boring and stupid those books were. Most writers were talking about Communism winning just because they had to, or had no brains to see the other outcome. So that it had neither the talant nor the thought in it :) Brother's books were different. If you are not afraid of a scary feeling of being nearly converted :), consider checking the "Noon: 22nd Century" or "Monday Begins on Saturday" some day. No pressure at all, of course -- just a data point.
Anyways. Later to Brothers came the disillusionment. So for the next ~20 years, they were producing their best books, but teaching all the same desperate subject: the Impossibility Theorem. "Snail on the Slope" is maybe the most representative of them.
Finally, very late came part III. This is, they started seeing something else. Not the solution, but the hints of possibility to change something. It's far less clear. It's often too esoteric. Yet that's a way out of the disappointment which was surrounding them for so long. "The City" is the book of that period. Strange, eerie, breathing with fatigue -- and yet with some hope, too.
So I hope it won't turn into a disappointment for you :)
Ah, this is all very interesting!:) You really make 'The City' sound great - I will let you know what i think when i've read it:)
I tried to obtain a copy of Noon XXii Century but in the UK it's a very expensive import:( But I have the Time Wanderers now and am looking for more. 'Snail on the Slope' has been recommended to me.
As for Soviet sci-fi, well, I can understand why that might have been the case, but it's also true that much Western 'Sci-fi' is also barely disguised military fiction. Much anti-communist propganda or simplistic nationalism in outlook etc, from 1950s 'Red Planet' fear and such, up to 'Enders Game' and alien invasion stories of today.
This swamp covers a lot of the good stuff, alas.
Talking of cities have you seen 'Dark City', this is a good US film in my estimation. :))
And I should say, Russia children's sience fiction, not literature but there are some nice movies and serials - Mystery of the 3rd Planet is wonderful:)) and i even enjoyed The Guest From the Future too - that girl runs like a train!
So, sometimes it is pleasurable to have a bit of both worlds maybe.
Russia children's sience fiction... and "fantasy" - Vladislav Krapivinalek_morseMarch 17 2009, 01:21:08 UTC
///and i even enjoyed The Guest From the Future too ///
BTW Recently, may say, for a joke, I translated the Russian subtitles of 1st episode into English... yes, I didn't find the files of Eng subs in internet :(
I can to send you my version of Eng subs (only 1st episode, alas), if you wish.
Running ahead, I have to call a name yet highly popular Russian children's sci-fi writer - Vladislav Krapivin. A couple days ago, I again have re-read his "Pigeon Loft on Yellow Glade". Просто потрясающе! У меня нет слов... Excellent book! But I have a doubt regarding an existence of this book in English :(
Not all Krapivin's stories are sci-fi literature... Perhaps, his prose is closer to genre "fantasy". Some Krapivin's novels are just children's prose almost without an element of fantasics.
here is an interesting text about Vladislav Krapivin:
many thanks:)wytchcroftMarch 17 2009, 01:45:32 UTC
all these links will be fascinating to explore:) As for subs for Girl from the Future, yes, i shall ask for these too - but in a little while - i have a long list of things to read and watch now!!!:)))
Funny enough, I consider the "Ender's Game" to be a good book. I quite enjoyed its' brutal existentialism :)
No, I haven't seen the "Dark City". I have to admit -- usually I don't watch TV or movies. Not good, I know. But there is *so much* total crap being produced today that honestly I just gave up... and watch now only the stuff that is at least several years old, and has been recommended by people I know with good taste. So well, I might consider taking a look at the "Dark City" then :)
I'm quite delighted to learn that you know the Mistery of the 3rd Planet. That's truly one of the few really good pieces of Soviet sci fi. The plot is by Kir Bulychev -- not a particularly talented writer, but an extremely strong inspirer. If you enjoyed it or the "Guest From the Future", then I don't need to explain to you the beauty of the "Noon XXII Sentury".
I am suprised to see someone from the West to know that part of the Soviet culture so well -- my respect! Not so many Russians today are familiar with it at that level unfortunately... :(
Ah well, with 3rd Planet - i was lucky to know of this for many years, but 'Guest' and many other things have come from talking to my russian lj friends:))
Also - when I was very small, I obtained a child's guide to Science Fiction films, the text was very juvenile but there were pictures of two films that had a very great impact Robinson Crusoe on Mars (ha ha! yes, of much less interest today!) and Solaris. The images, landscapes of Mars and interiors of spacestation really haunted me, as well as (something I realise is a signature now) the intense expressions and unusual figure groupings of Solaris, the seriousness of it. and so as soon as I could I saw both Solaris and Stalker.
As for what you say of Ender's Game, perhaps I have been spoiled by my enjoyment of Joe Haldeman's Forever War which is superb (imho) on similar themes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forever_War
As for films, well yes - most are crap unfortunately, but there are a few I have liked of (roughly) modern times such as: A Scanner Darkly - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405296/
Brother's works consist roughly of 3 historic periods.
Early books, up to about 1962, are optimistic and pro-communist. But they are still geniuos! As a kid, I've read s shitload of Soviet sci-fi, and most of that was pro-communist [it had to be, because of the regime, you know]. Yet even as a kid I saw how unimaginably boring and stupid those books were. Most writers were talking about Communism winning just because they had to, or had no brains to see the other outcome. So that it had neither the talant nor the thought in it :) Brother's books were different. If you are not afraid of a scary feeling of being nearly converted :), consider checking the "Noon: 22nd Century" or "Monday Begins on Saturday" some day. No pressure at all, of course -- just a data point.
Anyways. Later to Brothers came the disillusionment. So for the next ~20 years, they were producing their best books, but teaching all the same desperate subject: the Impossibility Theorem. "Snail on the Slope" is maybe the most representative of them.
Finally, very late came part III. This is, they started seeing something else. Not the solution, but the hints of possibility to change something. It's far less clear. It's often too esoteric. Yet that's a way out of the disappointment which was surrounding them for so long. "The City" is the book of that period. Strange, eerie, breathing with fatigue -- and yet with some hope, too.
So I hope it won't turn into a disappointment for you :)
Reply
I tried to obtain a copy of Noon XXii Century but in the UK it's a very expensive import:(
But I have the Time Wanderers now and am looking for more. 'Snail on the Slope' has been recommended to me.
As for Soviet sci-fi, well, I can understand why that might have been the case, but it's also true that much Western 'Sci-fi' is also barely disguised military fiction. Much anti-communist propganda or simplistic nationalism in outlook etc, from 1950s 'Red Planet' fear and such, up to 'Enders Game' and alien invasion stories of today.
This swamp covers a lot of the good stuff, alas.
Talking of cities have you seen 'Dark City', this is a good US film in my estimation. :))
And I should say, Russia children's sience fiction, not literature but there are some nice movies and serials - Mystery of the 3rd Planet is wonderful:)) and i even enjoyed The Guest From the Future too - that girl runs like a train!
So, sometimes it is pleasurable to have a bit of both worlds maybe.
Reply
BTW
Recently, may say, for a joke, I translated the Russian subtitles of 1st episode into English...
yes, I didn't find the files of Eng subs in internet :(
I can to send you my version of Eng subs (only 1st episode, alas), if you wish.
Running ahead, I have to call a name yet highly popular Russian children's sci-fi writer - Vladislav Krapivin. A couple days ago, I again have re-read his "Pigeon Loft on Yellow Glade". Просто потрясающе! У меня нет слов... Excellent book! But I have a doubt regarding an existence of this book in English :(
info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladislav_Krapivin
http://www.russia-ic.com/people/culture_art/k/102/
http://www.rusf.ru/english/vk/
http://www.alibris.co.uk/search/books/author/Vladislav%20Krapivin
Not all Krapivin's stories are sci-fi literature... Perhaps, his prose is closer to genre "fantasy". Some Krapivin's novels are just children's prose almost without an element of fantasics.
here is an interesting text about Vladislav Krapivin:
http://apusworld.blogspot.com/2005/09/august-month-of-winds.html
Reply
all these links will be fascinating to explore:) As for subs for Girl from the Future, yes, i shall ask for these too - but in a little while - i have a long list of things to read and watch now!!!:)))
Reply
thanks again:)
Reply
THE OLD HOUSE
http://sandy-martin.livejournal.com/285.html
It's the amateurish translation, however - it is so little of Krapivin's texts in English, so I give it.
Reply
No, I haven't seen the "Dark City". I have to admit -- usually I don't watch TV or movies. Not good, I know. But there is *so much* total crap being produced today that honestly I just gave up... and watch now only the stuff that is at least several years old, and has been recommended by people I know with good taste. So well, I might consider taking a look at the "Dark City" then :)
I'm quite delighted to learn that you know the Mistery of the 3rd Planet. That's truly one of the few really good pieces of Soviet sci fi. The plot is by Kir Bulychev -- not a particularly talented writer, but an extremely strong inspirer. If you enjoyed it or the "Guest From the Future", then I don't need to explain to you the beauty of the "Noon XXII Sentury".
I am suprised to see someone from the West to know that part of the Soviet culture so well -- my respect! Not so many Russians today are familiar with it at that level unfortunately... :(
Reply
Also - when I was very small, I obtained a child's guide to Science Fiction films, the text was very juvenile but there were pictures of two films that had a very great impact Robinson Crusoe on Mars (ha ha! yes, of much less interest today!) and Solaris. The images, landscapes of Mars and interiors of spacestation really haunted me, as well as (something I realise is a signature now) the intense expressions and unusual figure groupings of Solaris, the seriousness of it. and so as soon as I could I saw both Solaris and Stalker.
As for what you say of Ender's Game, perhaps I have been spoiled by my enjoyment of Joe Haldeman's Forever War which is superb (imho) on similar themes.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forever_War
As for films, well yes - most are crap unfortunately, but there are a few I have liked of (roughly) modern times such as:
A Scanner Darkly - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0405296/
Dark City - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118929/
12 Monkeys - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114746/
Existenz - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120907/
Code 46 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0345061/
Chronos - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104029/
Pi - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0138704/
Children of Dune - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0287839/
Serenity - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379786/
The hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371724/
the first Matrix movie aswell
and other films that will come to me as soon as i log off! ha ha! :)
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