Reviews

The Star Diaries by Stanisław Lem

Only show reviews with written explanations

wincher2031's review against another edition

3.0

I really enjoyed the humour in this one, all the jokes worked thanks to Lem's wonderous wordplay (my favourite moments being the five day long sneeze and criminalisation of impolite gurgling in an underwater settlement). Ijon Tichy's voice as a narrator is one that's likeable enough to want to go on these space adventures with, but these positives don't quite veil the rambling and predictable nature of several of his voyages.
The Star Diaries is muddled, unsure whether it wants to be a tongue-in-cheek funfest or a preaching political tract. It attempts both in such a way that the stories often get lost in the details, not quite hitting the mark. It works better when it's going for comedy, but when the longer stories veer into lectures on morality they become tiresome.
I much preferred The Cyberiad for its commitment and consistency to tone, character and plotting.
The Star Diaries however is a bit too piecemeal for me, though the 7th, 1th, 12th and 13th voyages are worth a read for any space-faring SF fans out there.

sullyisreading's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny informative lighthearted mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

5.0

Loved this anthology and was sad to see the end of it. It was on the same level of enjoyment for me as The Cyberiad was. Clearly, Stanislaw Lem wrote what he thought would be good instead of popular - as although most people and writers who I speak to about Lem have never heard of his works, I believe anyone can read a random story of his and enjoy it.

I don't know if I have a favourite from this anthology; there were some parts where the story went slower, and this was not always captivating, but it never stopped me from enjoying the book or wanting to pick it up. Highly recommended.

selinadragonair's review against another edition

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3.0

Some stories are weird and funny, some highly philosophical and difficult to follow and others are thought provoking and were an inspiration for famous movies, series or technologies.

mistermisslonelyhearts's review against another edition

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adventurous funny medium-paced

4.0

adrianhon's review against another edition

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5.0

Hilarious, profound, and confusing, often within the same 15 page short story. Hard to think of any author as unpredictable and exuberant as Lem, whether in sci-fi or not.