Solaris - July 2017

[Kaycie]

Here is July 2017's SciFi and Fantasy read, Solaris.

I planned on reading this, but I have no definite start date. Who all is joining?

[Bryan--The Bee’s Knees]

I've been wanting to read this for a while and this is a good nudge, but I don't know if I'll be able to join the conversation since I won't be home to get the book until the middle of the month

[Kaycie]

The threads are always up, and so feel free to comment and join in wherever you can!

[Leslie]

I read this back in Jan. 2016 so I won't be rereading. One word of caution: the 1970 Kilmartin-Cox translation (which translated a French version of the book rather than the original Polish) changed names and also cut parts of the book. There is a newer translation by Bill Johnston which is directly translated from the original & is more accurate. Readers should try to get that translation if possible.

[Darren]

the Kilmartin-Cox translation must be doing something right if it was around for 40 years and during which Solaris became an acknowledged classic! ;o)

I'll be starting in a week or so...

[Darren]

I'm intending to start over the weekend, so should have something to report back on Monday... ;o)

[Lisa Wilton]

Forgive me for being such a doofus but where exactly are the threads talking about the book? I'm around 60% of the way through at the moment. Should be finished soon.

[Leslie]

Lisa Wilton wrote: "Forgive me for being such a doofus but where exactly are the threads talking about the book? I'm around 60% of the way through at the moment. Should be finished soon."

This is the thread for Solaris; it's just not been much of a discussion so far. So please, comment away!

[Lisa Wilton]

Ahhh, right here? I was being a doofus after all, lol.

Well, I'm around 60% of the way through and although I thought it started off really well I'm totally fed up with the long scene where I'm basically reading about the character reading text books.

I might just not be very clever but the whole in-depth science description stuff is making me feel numb at this stage.

[Darren]

I'm about 25% way in, and it's zipping along, with the main character already doubting his own sanity!

[Lisa Wilton]

I liked that part, Darren, it's about the 50% mark where I get bogged down a bit. I'm through to the other side though! :D

[Phil]

The first third is incredible. He gets really bogged down in the library. There's a second chapter like that later that's not quite as dollars the first.

Who finish this? Were you satisfied with the ending? I expected the ending from the Russian movie, and I was surprised when the book was different.

[Darren]

I read this once many years ago, but am really most familiar with the Tarkowsky movie which I think is excellent.
Reading it this time, I was amazed by the "compactness" - it really is "small but perfectly formed" - with just two simple strands running together - the imagining of the alien world/life(?)form and the philosophical issues of identity/happiness/love/knowledge/reality. I thought the report details were pretty necessary, as that is how a scientific investigation would be conducted, and I think Lem was trying to show that even such an exhaustive approach could still come up with no definitive answers. A standard sci-fi approach (e.g. Clarke's Rendezvous With Rama) would have the whole investigation laid out in detail in the narrative, so just having a few flashback/catch-up passages is a lot more economical. I found the endings (for both Kris and Rheya) highly satisfying too. 5 Stars.
(oh and I thought the translation was superb)

[Kaycie]

A bit behind here (I just started today!), but I will read and post shortly! :-) I'm not commenting yet because I didn't read people's posts in case of spoilers!

[Lisa Wilton]

I just finished this last night. I found the research sections really heavy and got really bogged down but I thought the rest of the book was wonderful. I'm not sure I would have finished it if it weren't on our group reading list, though, so I am not sure how many stars I would give it...

[Phil]

okay. I'm going back over group reads that I missed (there are plenty of them). I'm halfway through this one. Will post thoughts when I've finished it

[Phil]

Well that was an interesting book. A touch ponderous, especially the chapters condensing the known research and theories about the planet, but full of food for thought, especially concerning how do you contact an alien that is TRULY alien.

I loved the concept of the alien teasing out our deepest and most intense longings / regrets / desires but not fathoming that they’re repressed urges that are so strong because we won’t face them.

Not 5 stars, because the writing is too slow, but definitely close.

[Fay]

Phil wrote: "Well that was an interesting book. A touch ponderous, especially the chapters condensing the known research and theories about the planet, but full of food for thought, especially concerning how do..."

Ohhhhh interesting. I've been having a bit of a Sci-Fi fest so I will bump this closer to the top of my tbr pile.