Solaris MP3 CD – MP3 Audio, July 26, 2016

The space race has given us, not only technological advances, but it also had an impact on other fields such as literature and movies. It has helped man to know himself better in the permanent quest of trying to understand the universe. The stimulus of getting to the moon before the other, pushed advancements in technology. At the same time it inspired writers and the film industry. This is the case of Solaris, which was first a book and then was the inspiration for at least two movies.The book is excellent in many respects and it deals mainly with philosophy, my own interpretation. The movies based on this book are a good intention of grabing some of the essential themes of the book. I liked more the Russian version since it tries to stay closer to the book. Solaris, the movie, is always compared to Kubrick's movie 2001, a Space Odysee. It seems that most people favour the Kubrick work mainly for the special effects. 2001 tries to trascend science fiction with something deeper, however the message is abstract. A 2nd movie called 2010, tries to explain the mistery, but I don't think it was succesful, sometimes is better to leave the mistery and let people imagine the end.Solaris surpasses 2001 in this respect since philosophical ideas are expressed more clearly and heavily in the book, and even gets to the movies. The polish author, Stalisnaw Lem, has included problems of morality, and religious exploration as well, which from my point of view makes it more interesting, since it makes us ponder about man and its destiny. There are lots of conversations in the book and in the movies. The philosophical questions are frequent and there is even an insinuation of an imperfect god, something like the Greek gods.Neither of the movies dwells on the description of Solaris, which is fantastic. The mile long plasma structures that grow and collapse and the colors of the two suns are something only described in the book. The author's imagination helps us discover that we have a universe in our own minds with limitless potential of uderstanding, I don't think I'm exagerating, but we may need minds like S. Lem to realize this.And there is also a love story, which may be the part that is most well known about this book, and it could be the bait to many people since this aspect touches most of them. Here we have a psychological-moral aspect that is troublesome as the rest of the book. The suicide of a person and a guilty feeling makes wonder if a second opportunity could make a person to be better this time, and transform him in the defender, to the end, of this second chance. And even though, there are many subjects in this book, the love story remains there, in the front and in the background. There is mention of the lost woman in the last paragraph of the book.Another interesting fact is the description of the ship and the items within it. The book was written at the very beginning of the space race and for this reason it uses what the author knows and is familiar with. The description of the library is interesting since he describes it in the same way a library on earth can be described. We may see a problem here, since a library, as we know it, may not be practical in space due to the fact that, nowadays, computers have taken the place of entire encyclopedias and archives. However, in this book, we could just consider a library as a symbol for a place of meetings, where the knowdledge could be so close as to pass its science through osmosis.The 1972 movie has an interesting library where there are more than books, but decoration with chandeliers, old paintings (by Bruegel) and even a Bolivian folk mask of a devil, whose meaning may not be important, but it shows that the whole movie had special details as well as music that was chosen not to be more than the movie. What is important is the depiction of the ocean which, to my eyes, could be compared to the paintings of Monet. Also, this movie has moments in the snow which are painting-like.Other special details are the clothes that Rheya wears, which are a work of art and are ageless as well as a texture that looks soft to the touch. And Tarkovsky, the Russian director, used time as a tool which I like to compare it to the time you could spend looking at pictures of Monet. For this reason, this is not a movie for everybody since action and hyperactive pictures are preferred by the common folks, who will be dissapointed with the slow pace of this movie.One of the most important of the philosophical questions, from my point of view, is when one of the scientists makes a comment about what is accomplished with the space flights, and then he says that we are looking for mirrors. The main idea behind this statement is that the scientists are forced to change the focus and scope of its work and ask themselves if they can understand the universe before they can understand themselves. This, for me, is a contribution to the eternal quest of who am I? What lays beyond our solar system? What is in the distant stars? What about God? Do I know myself? What are we looking for? given by Stalisnaw Lem, all around the space race, reflected in his book and movie.

Very interesting concepts, and good writing. For me some elements of the plot are disturbing and a little confusing. But it’s a good story.

Solaris felt like an uneven read and, as other reviewers have noted, this may be due to this particular translation (Kilmartin/ Cox translation). Reportedly, Lem was not very happy about this version of his novel and thought it did a suspect job of a Polish to English translation. This is evident, as the book has choppy parts that seem to come out of nowhere. Pity I only found this out after reading the novel, otherwise I might have sought other translations.One element of the novel is the psychological aspect of Kris Kelvin travelling from Earth to Solaris, the unsettling and mysterious paranoia that seems to envelop with regard to Solaris' ocean and the consequences of the experiments. The other two men who remain on the planet, Snow and Sartorius, have vastly different demeanors and theories on what is happening. As the experiments are conducted, there are bizarre physical manifestations, or "guests", of past regrets and guilts that show themselves to the three men. Each man handles this manifestation in different ways.It is not long before Kelvin sees former wife, Rheya, next to him. Is she really Rheya? Is she human? Alien? Lem does an apt job getting into the brain of Kris and revealing his guilt associated with some painful memories.The author also twists science, adding an ironic element to the quest of humans going out in attempts to understand alien worlds. The problems these explorers face, the dilemmas they try to deal with, are very human. Isolated far from Earth, they do not have to combat ungodly, horrific and grotesque aliens we often associate with other worlds, but rather personal, inner demons and past guilts.The novel is deeply rooted in aspects of not only humanity's expectations of "first contact" with other worlds and its hopelessness, but the nature of human thought and humanness. This is especially evident as "Rhyea" and Kelvin spend time together, and she becomes aware of her true identity.Solaris is complex, but sometimes in the wrong way, as in long , diverting summaries about Solaris' environments and technical passages on weather conditions. I'm all for exposition, but these passages are way too long-winded and erudition heavy, and they stall what is otherwise a good premise and story. This may be part of this translation, though.Check out Tarkovsky's 1972 version of the film, fantastic companion piece to this novel. It is so visually stunning and the Russian director knows exactly how this book should feel, with pacing, mood and imagery. The film is slightly better exploring the parameters of human psychology, and also adds a preface that sheds more insight into Kelvin's flight to Solaris. The film also goes deeper in examining themes of love and hope, and the despair of separating past from present.

I went in expecting deeply philosophical sci-fi and I did get that. But I also got an even more deeply felt horror vibe. The way it looks into the deeper realms of the human soul and finds….just questions. It shook me deeply. Add that the scenes with the guests are just sometimes really atmospheric and surreal and you have a really terrifying read. I have to admit I’ve seen the original movie and visions from it entered my mind at times driving the fear along but I think even a fresh read without the visuals would be terrifying. It asks deep questions about what it means to be human, how the method of communication drives the nature of the communication and what keeps us making good ethical decisions in a world devoid of a traditional god. A great book but it’ll creep you out for a while.

El “what if…” te atrapa por completo y al terminar la novela, no puedes dejar de pensar en esa posibilidad.

Mind twisting, loved it

FORTHCOMING Reviewed in Spain by Fernando de Pablos. September 2021 SOLARIS. STANISLAW LEMThe book of Stanislaw Lem Solaris presents difficulties for a review. This is because, been a masterpiece of Science Fiction it is certainly also much more than that. It is also a profound philosophical and psychological essay about Consciousness, Dreams and Reality. So, the aim of the reviewer must be constrained by this fact. Given my background and expertise if any, mainly in the field of Paranormal Dreams (precognitive and telepathic dreams) I have made a revision from that standpoint. Nevertheless, from a Science Fiction angle I think the book is also a fascinating work that will deserve a separate review.Therefore, we will see what is the story about and how it unfolds:The astronaut Kelvin boarding alone the space ship Prometheus flying from Earth reaches the Spatial Station Solaris. No precise temporal information is given except that the voyage has taken sixteen months but we assume the plot occurs in the very distant future since the spatial information given is that the Prometheus was orbiting in the region of Alpha in Aquarius * (distant 760 light years from Earth)As soon as he lands in the Station Kelvin finds it utterly different from expected: I looked around me, a little uncertain, waiting from someone to appear; but there was no sign of lifeA first human encounter occurs however as he explores the place. The person is Snow, a member of the crew and cybernetic expert, but his aspect is disconcerting: Drunk, with sun burns all over his face and blood stains over his face and hands. Further he appears to Kelvin terrified, in a state of panic, not knowing who is the visitor nor the reason of his arrival. Only one thing is clear to him. He assumes that Kelvin is not a real person but an apparition. As it happens apparitions are occurring in the Station to every member of the crew. Now insists to Kelvin that he will experience apparitions too.He also informs Kelvin that Gibarian, the chief of the crew, have died recently in an accident. Now only himself and a third member named Sartorius, are alive.Meanwhile a non-human protagonist begins insinuating itself. It is the Sea that can be contemplated from the windows of the Station. A sea totally covering the planet Solaris. A rather strange sea. Thick foam, the color of blood, gathered in the troughs of the waves. In fact, the Space Station was developed and put orbiting the planet Solaris with the sole purpose of studying the sea.Reading from a book Historia Solaris Kelvin learns that the discovery of Planet Solaris dates to one hundred years before he was born. A very peculiar planet orbiting two suns, a red sun and a blue sun, a fact that should determine variations in the gravitational pull and constants changes in its orbit which should make live impossible. However, the planet is not subject to those orbital changes keeping in fact a stable orbit like the planets of our solar system. The diameter of Solaris is a fifth greater than Earth's and the whole surface of the planet is covered by an ocean dotted with a lot of small islands whose combined area sum less than that of Europe.Exhaustive studies and analysis had left scientists to conclude initially that the ocean was an organic formation. although not alive, a prebiological sort of entity surrounding the globe with a colloidal envelope several miles thick in places and ...capable of performing functional activities on an astronomic scale. Among others a capacity to keep stable orbits in the face of constants changes in the gravitational pull exerted by its two suns. However, the mechanisms of this capacity were utterly unknown.The last new data pointed to the fact of considering the ocean an alive entity :A monstrous entity endowed with reason- a protoplasmic ocean- brain enveloping the entire planet…A sort of cosmic Yogi a sage a Symbol of omniscience though an autistic nature : Attempts were made to contact it but the ocean will not react even to extremely strong stimuli : the accidental crashing of a rocket over its surface whose radioactive explosion of its nuclear deposit extended over a radius of 2500 metersApparitionsThe core of Solaris narrative is the occurrence of apparitions which have a very negative impact in the personages. They are obviously not dreams. They are bizarre fragments of abnormal or deceased persons and will instantiate themselves in the less expected situations. Thus, Kelvin in his whereabouts through the space station will, all of the sudden find A giant black woman coming silently towards me …She was wearing nothing but a yellow skirt of plaited straw; her enormous breasts swung freely and her black arms were as thick as thighs It was just a very brief encounter. No interaction occurs between her and Kelvin. As she will not speak but just go her way and disappears entering a roomWe are led to know of the negative impact of these apparitions as Snow gives further details of the death of Givarian that occurred by suicide victim of the apparitions he had. He injected himself a lethal dose of a drug and thereafter hide himself in a locker suffering what appears to have been a severe paranoid reaction.Regarding the third member of the crew, Sartorious. yet to appears, we are let to know that he is hidden in the laboratory. Locked himself in.Kelvin will try to contact Sartorious who, locked himself in the Laboratory appears reluctant to come out. Finally, he gave in. He was unshaven, and with his forehead half burn due to the sun radiation. Noises and strange movements of the lab's door betrayed the presence of another person or entity kept hidden with him inside the lab. This eventually made Kelvin and Sartorious become suspicious and verbally aggressive towards each other. What was happening inside that room? I heard running footsteps, a though a mad chase were in progress, followed by a terrifying crash of broken glass and the sound of a child laugh.At some point Kelvin decides to explore the cool store. A thick door room whose interior reminded him of a cave carved on an iceberg. From the roof and every were hanging stalactites. There he finds himself in an unbelievable bizarre situation A curtain of ice hide the back of the cave, I broke through it. An elongated figure covered with a sheet of canvas, lay stretched out on an aluminum rack ...the stiff features of Givarian. His glazed eyes stared up at the vault, a tear of opaque ice hanging from the corner of each lid. Then he discovers something terrifying: flattened against Givarian body the nude body of the black woman, a body which was, despite the cool of the freezer, moving and alive. He concludes that he has gotten mad, to be hallucinating due perhaps to toxic emanations from the sea. Or perhaps he is having a dream.The apparition of RheyaA beautiful woman called Rheya who was Kelvin girl fried appears before him wearing a white beach dress exactly as he remember her when she was 19. He can believe as the woman died—she committed suicide. He remembers scenes and events of her final days; he thinks the whole history now may be a dream because the woman does not wholly fit with his expected memories. Her character appears complete different as the Rheya, this woman was definitively not Rheya although her physical appearance will say so. At that point Kelvin became terrified being sure that he was not dreaming and at the same time being sure that the person or whoever seemed a danger. He decides to get rid of her. Physically she proved to be much stronger than a woman and he barely seceded getting her inside of a small shuttle. Once inside he shut it up and flight into the open space…the whole vehicle trembled shaken from the inside as though by some super human force. Not even a steel robot could have imparted such a convulsive tremor to an eight-tom mas and yet the cabin contained only a frail, dark-haired girlLike other apparitions the one of Rheya characterizes itself by being an experience of the subject past, a past which is replayed with exquisite precision and usually is a vivid and painful memory to the point that the subject cannot differentiate from reality. They tend to recur. Sometimes however the apparitions like the one of the black woman do not meet that criteria being a bizarre mixture . Clearly the apparitions are subjective experiences, extrict individual experiences that can be experienced only by the subject involved even though the subject will tend to act out the experience making that a confusing situation – i.e., the bangs heard outside the cabin of Gibarian are interpreted as the existence of another person but really were produced by Gibarian himself in his dealing with the apparition. Snow relates to Kelvin how the apparitions started with Gibarian . He locked himself in his cabin and refused to talk to us except through the door . And can you guess what we thought …. Naturally we though he had gone mad. Therefore an analysis of what they are: They are not dreams, they are not conventional psychotic experiences, they are not paranormal experiences What we can say is that they are indeed hallucinatory psychotic experiences so similar to reenacted memories that could be explained only if we assume that direct stimulation of the subjects brain.is taken place.The second half of the book the emphasis is more in the material reality characteristics of the ocean. The kaleidoscopic changes that it undergoes and the apparitions: the possibility that they are made of a different matter stuff of Neutrinos. A second apparition of Rheya Memory and actual data are somehow superposed creating an allucinoid world in the Space Station. When Kelvin examines a sample of blood from Rheya with a very potent microscope he finds nothing beyond the molecular level. There are no atoms to be detected. The guess is that the so called Phi-beings are constituted of units smaller than ordinary atoms, much smallerOn the other hand the apparitions begin to show objective properties and not only subjective for example Rheya can be seen and speak to Snow and not only to Kelvin. Rheya appears and disappears and Givarian the member of the crew who was dead reappears alive. The possibility that the personages may be dreaming is put forward as an alternative explanation. Lem at this point plays with the possibility that dreams may have some degree of reality thus by altering the parameters of reality it changes the experience of reality into a dream: For instance, the apparition of the dead Gibarian, I was unable to resists looking into the cold store. Not wanting Rheya to go in, I put my head inside the room and looked around. The recumbent figure was still covered by its dark shroud, but from my position in the doorway I could not make out whether the black woman was still sleeping by Gibarian body. I had the impression that she was no longer thereA definitive turning point in the plot arrives when Kelvin, Snow and Sartorius reach the conclusion that the ocean is ultimately responsible of all the abnormal effects: Apparitions by acting over their brains. They feel like they are puppets of the ocean The decision is taken to terminate with the Ocean by mean of sophisticated Xray radiation. However, there is ambivalence and fear among them as this may also convey the destruction of the ocean creations among then the beautiful Rheya.In summary a highly original book that will interest to Science Fiction readers as well as to students of Consciousness and Dreaming• Fragments of the text will be given in italics

Ti fa viaggiare insieme al protagonista nel viaggio oscuro che ha percorso. L'ho adoratoAttenzione questa è la versione inglese