A review by aclamadoautor
The Cyberiad: Fables for the Cybernetic Age by Stanisław Lem

3.0

This is a highly imaginative book of stories, with quite a unique style. As stated in the title, these are fables for the cybernetic age, meaning that instead of animals there are robots. Most of the stories revolve around two constructors - who are themselves robots and build any and every kind of machine - and their strange travels throughout the universe.

I enjoyed the book, mostly by the inventiveness and creativity of the author, whose style is unlike anything I've ever read: a blend of science, moral, humor and philosophy. However, as someone wrote on another review, I think the stories work better in small doses. If you like science, fantasy and philosophy, you have to read this book.

This was my first Lem experience and I understand why the guy is a legend in the sci-fi world. It is not really my cup of tea, but I will definitely read more from him.

Favorite stories were:
- The First Sally (A) or, Trurl's Electronic Bard
- The Seventh Sally or, How Trurl's Own Perfection Led to No Good
- Tale of the Three Storytelling Machines of King Genius

And a quick quote that I really enjoyed from the Tale of the Three Storytelling Machines of King Genius:

'(...) Suppose that which is taking place here and now is not reality, but only a tale, a tale of some higher order that contains within it the tale of the machine: a reader might well wonder why you and your companions are shaped like spheres, inasmuch as that sphericality serves no purpose in the narration and would appear to be a wholly superfluous embellishment...'