6 ms·

I just recently started reading his book Fiasco (more precisely an English translation) and it's so different from other stuff I've read but I am loving it. Fi

by sbarre 5y ago

I just recently started reading his book Fiasco (more precisely an English translation) and it's so different from other stuff I've read but I am loving it. First book I've read by him. Other than Solaris, any recommendations for a next one?

sogen 5y ago
- The Cyberiad - The Futurological Congress
pmoriarty 5y ago
Lem's Cyberiad is my favorite by him, and one of my favorite science fiction books of all time. It's hilarious, witty, and philosophical. Lem treats issues from AI to ethics in a deeply humorous and intelligent way. The closest book I can think of to it is Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, but that's in a completely different style from Lem's Cyberiad. Highly, highly recommended.
- rootbear 5y ago
  I'm also a big fan of the Cyberiad, and Douglas Adams. When a bunch of us first heard The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio plays, we were sure Adams must have read the Cyberiad, as some of it seemed so similar in tone if not details. But I read somewhere that he had not read it when he wrote Hitchhikers.
  - bally0241 5y ago
    Yes, I too was surprised to hear Adams had not read the Cyberiad. The absurdist humor is very similar.
sn41 5y ago
"His Master's Voice" - the best SF I have read, bar none. It's the closest that fiction gets to the actual feel of academic research.
- emtel 5y ago
  His Master's Voice, not Solaris, should be the novel Lem is known for, imo.
- Claude_Shannon 5y ago
  Just be aware it is very close to a philosophical treatise.
npsimons 5y ago
"Cyberiad" is by far my favorite, whimsical, yet instructive to engineers. "The Futurological Congress" is good, but not great; "The Congress" with Robin Wright was loosely based on it and had more of an impact for me. "His Master's Voice" I read while still in civil service, and it hit pretty close to home, albeit it also reminded me of the bad parts of academia. I need to read that one again sometime.
- petrochenkov 5y ago
  It's kind of strange to me to see Futurological Congress and e.g. Fiasco from the other responses being advised as standalone novels (maybe it has something to do with the history of Lem's English translations). I'd instead advice to read the whole Ijon Tichy cycle starting from Star Diaries (which are pretty similar to Cyberiad in style), and the whole Pilot Pirx cycle starting from the Pirx Stories.
  - npsimons 5y ago
    > I'd instead advice to read the whole Ijon Tichy cycle starting from Star Diaries That might help, I should probably do that. I started with "Cyberiad", then got into Lem's other works just sort of at random. It doesn't really feel like the Tichy series is grouped together in the way say the Heechee saga or a lot of other "serial" or "extended universe" works are.
abruzzi 5y ago
the first story "How the World was Saved" in the Cyberiad is a super short story, what writers usually call "flash fiction". Maybe 4-5 pages, and perfectly sets the mood for the rest of the book. But is is very different than Fiasco. Lem seemed to have two styles--light and filled with clever wordplay, and dark tragic, with a keen focus on our species hubris (Solaris, Fiasco). Fiasco is probably my third favorite after Cyberiad and Solaris. The Ijon Tichy stories are mostly of the light variety. https://booksvooks.com/fullbook/the-cyberiad-stories-pdf-stanisaw-lem.html?page=4 https://booksvooks.com/fullbook/the-cyberiad-stories-pdf-sta...
- samstave 5y ago
  I wrote this flash-fiction in ~2010 after it was revealed that one of the founders of google was on wired investing in gene therapy after seeing he was susceptible to a genetic trait to have a certain disease: --- In the year 2010, scientists perfected suspended animation through the use of cryogenics for the purpose of surgery. After more than a decade of study and refinement, long term suspended animation became a reality, yet a privilege reserved for only the most wealthy and influential. The thinking at the time was that only those who showed a global and fundamental contribution to society (while still viewed through the ridiculously tinted lenses of the global elite of the era) were worthy of entering into such state. The process was both incredibly complex and costly. As each Transport, as they were known, required their own stand alone facility to be built around them. Significant resources were put into the development of each facility as they required complete autonomous support systems to accommodate whatever duration was selected by the Transport. Standalone, yet fully redundant, power, security and life support systems were essential to the longevity of each facility. Additionally, it was recognized that monetary resources would be subject to change over time, especially fiat-currency based resources. Thus there was a need to place physical holders of value that would be perceived to not deplete/dilute over time into the facilities for use by the Transport when they resuscitate. These resources are the most sought after treasure of the new world. After hundreds of years of human progress, civilization could no longer sustain itself in an organized self-supporting system. Through utter corruption of what some call the human soul, the world has fallen dark. There are very few outposts of safety in the current Trial of Life, as its now known. Many Transporters have been found, resuscitated and exploited already. There are believed to be many many more, but their locations are both secret and secure. Akin to your life relying on the discovery of an undisturbed Tomb of a Pharaoh - even though every consciousness on the planet is also seeking the same tomb. They are the last bastion of hope for they alone have the reserves of precious materials needed to sustain life for the current generation. Metals, technology (however outdated), medicines, seeds, weapons and minerals are all a part of each Transport 'Crop'. One find can support a group or community for years alone based on the barter and renewable resource potentials in each Crop. One transport, found in 2465, that of a long dead nanotech pioneer - who was purportedly responsible for much of the cybernetic medical capabilities of the 21st century, which he sought to cure his genetic predisposition for a certain disease, was so vast that the still powerful city-state in the western province of North America was able to be founded. The resources of this individual were extraordinary, but his resuscitation, as they all are, was rather gruesome and cold. The security systems in each Transport Facility are biometric and very complex. They can only be accessed by a living, calm and (relatively) healthy Transport. If the system, and its control mechanism AI, detect signs of duress, stress or serious injury to the Transport - they go into fail-safe. Which is to say they self detonate. Taking with them all resources, the Transport and the Seekers as well. There have been many instances of this, such that the art of successful Resuscitation has become an extremely profitable business. The most active and successful Resuscitation Team (RT) have been the ironically named, Live Well Group. The most conniving, well practiced and profitable con in the history of mankind. LWG alone has been responsible for the resuscitation of more than 370Transports. Their group is currently the most powerful in the world. With their own city-state, established after the Brin case mentioned, they have a cast of thousands of cons all working to ensure the Transport believes they have been Awakened to a new, advanced, safe world and that they would be allowed to stake part in a significant way now that they have been Transported. They are fooled into releasing their resources, then brutally tortured for information about any other Transports or any other knowledge they may possess, which invariably is less than nothing. It is a hard world out there now, and the LWGs ruthless strive to locate the thousands of other Transport Facilities is both the worst aspect of our modern struggle - yet ironically will serve to be the basis of the ongoing endeavor of the species. There is rumor of a vast facility of resources and Transports in an underground 'CITY' of the most elite Transports ever. A facility supposedly comprised of the 13 most powerful and rich bloodlines of people to have ever existed. It is not known which continent this facility is on, but I believe it is in Antarctica - fully automated and with the ability to auto-resuscitate at a given time.
Tade0 5y ago
Personally I enjoyed Tales of Pirx the Pilot. The main character is no hero - just an ordinary spacefarer keeping it professional.
int_19h 5y ago
The Invincible is an unusual take on a grey goo like scenario.
xpil 5y ago
"Fiasco" is a continuation of "Tales of Pirx the Pilot", although the connection is loose. I love it, too. One of his best works.

by sbarre 5y ago

sogen 5y ago

- The Cyberiad - The Futurological Congress

pmoriarty 5y ago

Lem's Cyberiad is my favorite by him, and one of my favorite science fiction books of all time. It's hilarious, witty, and philosophical. Lem treats issues from AI to ethics in a deeply humorous and intelligent way. The closest book I can think of to it is Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series, but that's in a completely different style from Lem's Cyberiad. Highly, highly recommended.

rootbear 5y ago
I'm also a big fan of the Cyberiad, and Douglas Adams. When a bunch of us first heard The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy radio plays, we were sure Adams must have read the Cyberiad, as some of it seemed so similar in tone if not details. But I read somewhere that he had not read it when he wrote Hitchhikers.
- bally0241 5y ago
  Yes, I too was surprised to hear Adams had not read the Cyberiad. The absurdist humor is very similar.

sn41 5y ago

"His Master's Voice" - the best SF I have read, bar none. It's the closest that fiction gets to the actual feel of academic research.

emtel 5y ago
His Master's Voice, not Solaris, should be the novel Lem is known for, imo.
Claude_Shannon 5y ago
Just be aware it is very close to a philosophical treatise.

npsimons 5y ago

"Cyberiad" is by far my favorite, whimsical, yet instructive to engineers. "The Futurological Congress" is good, but not great; "The Congress" with Robin Wright was loosely based on it and had more of an impact for me. "His Master's Voice" I read while still in civil service, and it hit pretty close to home, albeit it also reminded me of the bad parts of academia. I need to read that one again sometime.

petrochenkov 5y ago
It's kind of strange to me to see Futurological Congress and e.g. Fiasco from the other responses being advised as standalone novels (maybe it has something to do with the history of Lem's English translations). I'd instead advice to read the whole Ijon Tichy cycle starting from Star Diaries (which are pretty similar to Cyberiad in style), and the whole Pilot Pirx cycle starting from the Pirx Stories.
- npsimons 5y ago
  > I'd instead advice to read the whole Ijon Tichy cycle starting from Star Diaries That might help, I should probably do that. I started with "Cyberiad", then got into Lem's other works just sort of at random. It doesn't really feel like the Tichy series is grouped together in the way say the Heechee saga or a lot of other "serial" or "extended universe" works are.

abruzzi 5y ago

the first story "How the World was Saved" in the Cyberiad is a super short story, what writers usually call "flash fiction". Maybe 4-5 pages, and perfectly sets the mood for the rest of the book. But is is very different than Fiasco. Lem seemed to have two styles--light and filled with clever wordplay, and dark tragic, with a keen focus on our species hubris (Solaris, Fiasco). Fiasco is probably my third favorite after Cyberiad and Solaris. The Ijon Tichy stories are mostly of the light variety. https://booksvooks.com/fullbook/the-cyberiad-stories-pdf-stanisaw-lem.html?page=4 https://booksvooks.com/fullbook/the-cyberiad-stories-pdf-sta...

samstave 5y ago
I wrote this flash-fiction in ~2010 after it was revealed that one of the founders of google was on wired investing in gene therapy after seeing he was susceptible to a genetic trait to have a certain disease: --- In the year 2010, scientists perfected suspended animation through the use of cryogenics for the purpose of surgery. After more than a decade of study and refinement, long term suspended animation became a reality, yet a privilege reserved for only the most wealthy and influential. The thinking at the time was that only those who showed a global and fundamental contribution to society (while still viewed through the ridiculously tinted lenses of the global elite of the era) were worthy of entering into such state. The process was both incredibly complex and costly. As each Transport, as they were known, required their own stand alone facility to be built around them. Significant resources were put into the development of each facility as they required complete autonomous support systems to accommodate whatever duration was selected by the Transport. Standalone, yet fully redundant, power, security and life support systems were essential to the longevity of each facility. Additionally, it was recognized that monetary resources would be subject to change over time, especially fiat-currency based resources. Thus there was a need to place physical holders of value that would be perceived to not deplete/dilute over time into the facilities for use by the Transport when they resuscitate. These resources are the most sought after treasure of the new world. After hundreds of years of human progress, civilization could no longer sustain itself in an organized self-supporting system. Through utter corruption of what some call the human soul, the world has fallen dark. There are very few outposts of safety in the current Trial of Life, as its now known. Many Transporters have been found, resuscitated and exploited already. There are believed to be many many more, but their locations are both secret and secure. Akin to your life relying on the discovery of an undisturbed Tomb of a Pharaoh - even though every consciousness on the planet is also seeking the same tomb. They are the last bastion of hope for they alone have the reserves of precious materials needed to sustain life for the current generation. Metals, technology (however outdated), medicines, seeds, weapons and minerals are all a part of each Transport 'Crop'. One find can support a group or community for years alone based on the barter and renewable resource potentials in each Crop. One transport, found in 2465, that of a long dead nanotech pioneer - who was purportedly responsible for much of the cybernetic medical capabilities of the 21st century, which he sought to cure his genetic predisposition for a certain disease, was so vast that the still powerful city-state in the western province of North America was able to be founded. The resources of this individual were extraordinary, but his resuscitation, as they all are, was rather gruesome and cold. The security systems in each Transport Facility are biometric and very complex. They can only be accessed by a living, calm and (relatively) healthy Transport. If the system, and its control mechanism AI, detect signs of duress, stress or serious injury to the Transport - they go into fail-safe. Which is to say they self detonate. Taking with them all resources, the Transport and the Seekers as well. There have been many instances of this, such that the art of successful Resuscitation has become an extremely profitable business. The most active and successful Resuscitation Team (RT) have been the ironically named, Live Well Group. The most conniving, well practiced and profitable con in the history of mankind. LWG alone has been responsible for the resuscitation of more than 370Transports. Their group is currently the most powerful in the world. With their own city-state, established after the Brin case mentioned, they have a cast of thousands of cons all working to ensure the Transport believes they have been Awakened to a new, advanced, safe world and that they would be allowed to stake part in a significant way now that they have been Transported. They are fooled into releasing their resources, then brutally tortured for information about any other Transports or any other knowledge they may possess, which invariably is less than nothing. It is a hard world out there now, and the LWGs ruthless strive to locate the thousands of other Transport Facilities is both the worst aspect of our modern struggle - yet ironically will serve to be the basis of the ongoing endeavor of the species. There is rumor of a vast facility of resources and Transports in an underground 'CITY' of the most elite Transports ever. A facility supposedly comprised of the 13 most powerful and rich bloodlines of people to have ever existed. It is not known which continent this facility is on, but I believe it is in Antarctica - fully automated and with the ability to auto-resuscitate at a given time.

Tade0 5y ago

Personally I enjoyed Tales of Pirx the Pilot. The main character is no hero - just an ordinary spacefarer keeping it professional.

int_19h 5y ago

The Invincible is an unusual take on a grey goo like scenario.

xpil 5y ago

"Fiasco" is a continuation of "Tales of Pirx the Pilot", although the connection is loose. I love it, too. One of his best works.