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A review by inquisitrix
The Truth and Other Stories by Stanisław Lem
challenging
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Stanisław Lem is one of the great philosophers in the worlds of classic science fiction, and this new collection is a truly intriguing glimpse into the mental worlds of a rather unique thinker. His worldview--that of an irreverent iconoclast, a wildly creative nonconformist, and a fantastically satirical humorist--is handily showcased by the twelve stories included here.
As in much of Lem's work, themes of artificial and alien intelligence have a strong presence in many of these stories. The emotional tension and tragedy of stories such as "The Hunt" and "Rat in the Labyrinth" is underscored by their inhuman casualties, while the comedy of "Invasion from Aldebaran" is made acerbic by the fact that no one human in the story even really knows the truth of what did and did not happen. The questions Lem asks about what it means to be human, alive, or aware remain timelessly relevant, and this running thread ties the collection together in a relatively cohesive way I might not have expected from a set of stories spanning nearly four decades of the author's life.
While I cannot read Polish and am therefore unable to comment on the accuracy of Antonia Lloyd-Jones's translation, the prose in this book has the feeling of a translation that largely stands aside and lets the author's voice shine through--an impressive feat, given the specificity of Lem's voice and his propensity for neologisms.
Overall, this is an excellent collection, and one I look forward to recommending to the existing Lem fans in my life as well as to anyone looking for interesting and intellectually provocative science fiction.
I received a free e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
As in much of Lem's work, themes of artificial and alien intelligence have a strong presence in many of these stories. The emotional tension and tragedy of stories such as "The Hunt" and "Rat in the Labyrinth" is underscored by their inhuman casualties, while the comedy of "Invasion from Aldebaran" is made acerbic by the fact that no one human in the story even really knows the truth of what did and did not happen. The questions Lem asks about what it means to be human, alive, or aware remain timelessly relevant, and this running thread ties the collection together in a relatively cohesive way I might not have expected from a set of stories spanning nearly four decades of the author's life.
While I cannot read Polish and am therefore unable to comment on the accuracy of Antonia Lloyd-Jones's translation, the prose in this book has the feeling of a translation that largely stands aside and lets the author's voice shine through--an impressive feat, given the specificity of Lem's voice and his propensity for neologisms.
Overall, this is an excellent collection, and one I look forward to recommending to the existing Lem fans in my life as well as to anyone looking for interesting and intellectually provocative science fiction.
I received a free e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.