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captaincrunchabunch's review against another edition
funny
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
vinisfusi's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
jo_johanna's review against another edition
challenging
funny
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
babygirl123's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
Charming, lovely, imaginative, fun and funny. Sometimes, I got lost in the bit, but I very much enjoyed the ride!
sunshine42's review against another edition
5.0
In the introduction by Adam Roberts: "Some novels provoke admiration, some a cooler and more distanced respect. This is a novel with which to fall in love."
I definitely fell in love with this novel. Its characters, their quirks and everything that was going on. It made me want to live in that world.
A combination of The Master and Margarita, Harry Potter and science fiction.
Loved the humour, how well the characters and the world were built, the stories in it.
One of my all time favourites now <3
I definitely fell in love with this novel. Its characters, their quirks and everything that was going on. It made me want to live in that world.
A combination of The Master and Margarita, Harry Potter and science fiction.
Loved the humour, how well the characters and the world were built, the stories in it.
One of my all time favourites now <3
sydsnot71's review against another edition
5.0
"The thick pamphlets of the 'Knowledge Society' had accustomed me to believe that animals were not capable of speech. Ever since I was a child folktales had assured me of the opposite." (p30)
Alexander Ivanovich Privalov (Sasha), a young computer programmer, picks up two hitchhikers while driving through Karelia. He finds himself drawn into the strange world of the National Institute for the Technology of Witchcraft and Thaumaturgy (NITWITT)*.
I really enjoyed it. Written in 1964 in Soviet Russia it was first translated into English in 1977. This edition, translated by Andrew Bromfield, was published as an SF Masterwork in 2002. The book is split into three sections, called Story 1, 2 and 3. Story 1 introduces us to the strange world around NITWITT, which includes talking cats, mermaids in oak trees, and houses with chicken legs. Story 2 then, using the excuse that Sasha is on watch, introduces us in more detail to what goes on inside NITWITT. A lot of this focuses on Vygeballa's experiment. Vygeballa is the nearest thing we get to a villain here in that he is a pompous, populist bullshit artist. Story 3 focuses on a parrot. But there is much more to it than that.
There is a surreally comic quality to the whole book. If I was to compare it to anything I'd say it was Douglas Adams meets Harry Potter with a touch of Murakami. And, perhaps, a little smattering of The Prisoner and The Office.
There is a postscript which suggests that this book has been approved by NITWITT themselves and they are a little annoyed that: "As professional writers of literature, the authors over and over again give preference to so-called artistic truth over the truth of fact." (p228). Then, in this edition, there's a commentary by Boris Strugatsky that explains the genesis of the book in 'the real world.'
What the book does really well is to make NITWITT seem like a real academic research organisation with all the politics and posturing that this involves. It's as much a satire of that as it is a science-fiction book. Indeed, if there is a genre called 'Dark Academia' then perhaps there needs to be one called 'Fun Academia' that this can be fitted into. You can tell that one of the Strugatsky brothers worked in science. There's also a whole section in Story 3 which is also a satirical take on science-fiction itself disguised as a journey into a future created from fictional science-fiction worlds. I suspect if I'd read more classic SF then I'd recognise more of the references.
One of the best things about this book was that it is entirely different in style and tone to the only other one of their books that I've read, which is 'Roadside Picnic'. It makes me really want to read more Strugatsky brothers books. which is good because I already own two more from my birthday book haul.
*Which is translator Andrew Bromfield's take on a joke in the original Russian. It isn't the same joke but in the same vein. (See the introduction by Adam Roberts.)
Alexander Ivanovich Privalov (Sasha), a young computer programmer, picks up two hitchhikers while driving through Karelia. He finds himself drawn into the strange world of the National Institute for the Technology of Witchcraft and Thaumaturgy (NITWITT)*.
I really enjoyed it. Written in 1964 in Soviet Russia it was first translated into English in 1977. This edition, translated by Andrew Bromfield, was published as an SF Masterwork in 2002. The book is split into three sections, called Story 1, 2 and 3. Story 1 introduces us to the strange world around NITWITT, which includes talking cats, mermaids in oak trees, and houses with chicken legs. Story 2 then, using the excuse that Sasha is on watch, introduces us in more detail to what goes on inside NITWITT. A lot of this focuses on Vygeballa's experiment. Vygeballa is the nearest thing we get to a villain here in that he is a pompous, populist bullshit artist. Story 3 focuses on a parrot. But there is much more to it than that.
There is a surreally comic quality to the whole book. If I was to compare it to anything I'd say it was Douglas Adams meets Harry Potter with a touch of Murakami. And, perhaps, a little smattering of The Prisoner and The Office.
There is a postscript which suggests that this book has been approved by NITWITT themselves and they are a little annoyed that: "As professional writers of literature, the authors over and over again give preference to so-called artistic truth over the truth of fact." (p228). Then, in this edition, there's a commentary by Boris Strugatsky that explains the genesis of the book in 'the real world.'
What the book does really well is to make NITWITT seem like a real academic research organisation with all the politics and posturing that this involves. It's as much a satire of that as it is a science-fiction book. Indeed, if there is a genre called 'Dark Academia' then perhaps there needs to be one called 'Fun Academia' that this can be fitted into. You can tell that one of the Strugatsky brothers worked in science. There's also a whole section in Story 3 which is also a satirical take on science-fiction itself disguised as a journey into a future created from fictional science-fiction worlds. I suspect if I'd read more classic SF then I'd recognise more of the references.
One of the best things about this book was that it is entirely different in style and tone to the only other one of their books that I've read, which is 'Roadside Picnic'. It makes me really want to read more Strugatsky brothers books. which is good because I already own two more from my birthday book haul.
*Which is translator Andrew Bromfield's take on a joke in the original Russian. It isn't the same joke but in the same vein. (See the introduction by Adam Roberts.)
maddun's review against another edition
5.0
A blend of fairytale and Soviet academia which is a combination that sounds like it wouldn't work but absolutely does! I'm sure I missed plenty of references/metaphors due to uhhh being an American millennial, but it didn't affect my enjoyment.
anastasiarozova's review against another edition
4.0
3.75/5
Чудесная вещица! Больше всего понравилась третья часть, как-то она меня захватила. И, как ни странно, комментарии авторов и цитаты из их дневников. Очень было интересно читать о создании повести, которая пракиически написала себя сама.
Сначала сложновато было втянуться, но не из-за того, что было скучно, а из-за моего настроя, который был, судя по всему, на какой-то совершенно другой волне. Потом стало проще, даже увлеклась довольно сильно. А третья часть "Всяческая суета" ну просто покорила меня размышлениями и этим попугайчиком Януса.
Прекрасно и легко читается, главное знать, во что ввязываешься. Давно хотела почитать Стругацких, рада, что начала с этой повести. Обязательно буду читать их еще.
Чудесная вещица! Больше всего понравилась третья часть, как-то она меня захватила. И, как ни странно, комментарии авторов и цитаты из их дневников. Очень было интересно читать о создании повести, которая пракиически написала себя сама.
Сначала сложновато было втянуться, но не из-за того, что было скучно, а из-за моего настроя, который был, судя по всему, на какой-то совершенно другой волне. Потом стало проще, даже увлеклась довольно сильно. А третья часть "Всяческая суета" ну просто покорила меня размышлениями и этим попугайчиком Януса.
Прекрасно и легко читается, главное знать, во что ввязываешься. Давно хотела почитать Стругацких, рада, что начала с этой повести. Обязательно буду читать их еще.
lesbianslover's review against another edition
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
0.5