griddleoctopus's review against another edition
3.0
A strange book, starting with heroic failure and ending with it. Some truly unusual sequences and thought-patterns that I've not seen anywhere else in fiction, with humanity confronting a truly alien race and struggling to engage with it in a non-violent manner. Only three stars in the end, because Lem obviously doesn't know how to end the book and the themes are oddly muddy.
ein's review against another edition
4.0
Любопытно, довольно масштабно, но излишне многословно и тяжеловато. Впрочем, все это вполне в стиле Лема.
prond's review against another edition
5.0
Невероятно крутая вещь Лема про проблемы контакта с внеземным разумом, в которой я вижу один изъян: люди будущего настолько хотят установить контакт, что готовы на любое решение ради него, причем, обязательно форсированное. Подозреваю, что Лем решил таким образом разрубить узел, не имеющий, на его взгляд решения.
samrpjross's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
montreux_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
benholmes's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
4.0
s__tu's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
cocchan's review against another edition
3.0
I would lie if I say I've enjoyed it it in its full. It's a tough book to read that unwraps a little bit of story through very long and detailed (pseudo) scientific descriptions: some of them are really enigmatic and mystic (like the one of the first chapter, upon the aseptic landscape of Titan), others felt dragging (all the technical spaceship components and notions of physics). All of this is mingles, like is typical in Stanisław Lem's work, with a philosophical substrate about human hubris, what's considered life and what's worth to be spared or not for the sake of scientific progress.
fabman's review against another edition
2.0
I really like the way Stanislaw writes in all his books, but this one is too boring. The introduction and creation of the plot is too damn long and slow, I felt aslep twice reading this book.
finlaaaay's review against another edition
1.0
Was very disappointed by this and eventually forced myself to finish it, hoping it would get better by the end. It ends with a sort of twist, but like, a very uninteresting one. None of the characters were really fleshed out at all, and the interim is a lotta waffle. More happens in the final chapter than the rest of the book. Looking into its history, it seems like the book had the same basic structure as some of Lem's other stories and it feels like he didn't put as much effort into it, just churning it out for his German publishers. Meh.