Robinson on an alien planet
The latest collection of novels by the Strugatsky brothers from the Prószyński i S-ka publishing house opens with a piece called The Overturned World. The main character, Maksym Kammerer, crashes on a foreign planet. And here begins the unique adventure of space Robinson. Except that the unknown world turns out to be inhabited. The protagonist must therefore face the incomprehensible customs of the natives. There are also communication problems. Of course, this is only the tip of the iceberg, because when contact is finally made, the problematic political situation comes to the fore. And what is Maksym supposed to do when he doesn’t like the existing order? The first story is very fascinating – due to the encounter with a different culture, a different way of thinking. I like that the word massaraksh is an indicator of strangeness until the very end, used a bit like Polish curses, but with a more ambitious meaning. The world also intrigues from the very beginning. Completely destroyed by wars followed by a terrifying dystopia. I fell into this story and I can say immediately that this is the best novel in this collection. In addition, the most substantial, because it stretches over three hundred pages and is divided into five chapters.
Further activities of Maxim
The Beetle in the Anthill and The Waves Dampen the Wind together with the title track form a kind of trilogy in which Maksym Kammerer is the central character. After a stay on an alien planet, he returned to Earth to take on a new assignment. Well, a certain Abałkin did not register after arriving home. It would seem that it is nothing serious, but for some reason the protagonist’s superior is very concerned, and in addition he does not reveal all the information! Could the Wanderers, a mysterious alien race, have something to do with it? The waves dampen the wind, continuing the theme of an unknown civilization. This time, however, it is Maxim’s brilliant subordinate, Tojwo Glumov, who investigates strange and disturbing events on Earth. I like the structure of both tracks. In Beetle in the anthillTogether with the protagonist, we get acquainted with Albakin’s reports, thanks to which we can get to know him better and understand his motivations. The Waves Dampen the Wind , on the other hand, are filled with various correspondences. It is thanks to her that everything is slowly becoming clear to us.
A snail full of anxiety
Anxiety is the original version of Snail on the Slope , published in the collection Roadside Picnic and Other Works . The names of the characters have changed here, and several other heroes have been added, and the action has been placed in the same universe as the previous three tracks! The story focuses on people studying the fauna and flora of Pandora, and on the other hand, on the struggle of Atos with a forest wilderness full of secrets. Nevertheless, I still had a sense of a certain repetition, because I remembered most of the threads and scenes from Snail on the Slope . Which doesn’t change the fact that I still enjoy Anxiety . Thanks to the authors’ comments, I understood the plot better, and some treatments became understandable to me. Still AnxietyI consider it the weakest story in this volume.
Solid volumes
The Upturned World and Other Pieces is a big book that already attracts attention with its amazing cover design. Though I don’t understand why only three novels out of four are listed. Especially since there is space in the upper left corner. Of course, it’s a minor thing, as are a few minor typos. For example, the name Toot – in one dialogue it was twisted to Tot, and in another place there was a change of two words. Despite everything, The Upturned World and Other Works is a solid book. It is worth spending a hundred zlotys to spend several hours in the amazing world created by the Strugatsky brothers.
Is it worth going on another journey with the Strugatsky brothers?
The inverted world and other songs were an amazing adventure for me. It was a great pleasure to read about Maxim’s struggle with the totalitarian system! I also enjoyed reading Albakin’s reports or reading the interesting correspondence of KOMKON 2 employees. I was not so anxious because I had learned a different version of the story earlier . Thanks to the authors’ comments, I learned how the creative process was going, and I also found out what problems the Strugatsky brothers faced. Although, in the end, I recommend everyone to see the brilliant Roadside Picnic in the first place , The Upturned World also deserves attention and is a solid nine for me.
