I just finished reading “Solaris” by Lem and wanted to put somewhere my thoughts about it. I’m from Poland so I always thought I should know Lem better but before Solaris I’ve only read “The Invincible”. I’ve seen the Hollywood movie years ago which didn’t proved to be much of a spoiler. So, my thoughts, without spoilers I think…

Lem had a great imagination. The concept of Solaris, it’s exploration and the idea of trying to communicate with it brilliant and original. The way Lem describes it not so much. Half of the book is just a very dry recounting of its history and behavior. It’s well written but it’s just a background for the actual story. The actual story itself is bizarrely the complete opposite: it’s interesting but terribly written. It contains the worst dialogs I’ve ever read (and I read the original version, not translation). If not for the well written descriptions of the planet I would assume I’m reading something translated by Google Translate. I think I understand now why so many Philip K. Dick’s books were successfully turned into movies but Lem’s were not. He was great at coming up with interesting concepts but not that good at telling stories. I would like to know what others think about it.

P.S. Another thing I straggled with (and I know it’s just something I don’t like personally, that’s why it’s just a side note ) is the way Lem describes or invents the tech of the future. Basically he doesn’t. His worlds are still analog with printed books, microfilm and lamp based computers (The invincible was the same with computers programmed using perforated paper). I’ve checked and Solaris was written in 1969 while the first hard drive was commercialized in 1966. I think Lem was more interested in physics and modern tech simply wasn’t his thing. He would take was he saw around him (probably usually tech many years old already) and put it in the future without thinking to much about it. Is it just me or do others also find it jarring?

  • SamuraiBeandog@lemmy.world
    2·
    2 days ago

    I think these are fair criticisms of Lem in general. His writing has always been much more about his ideas than about the story. I kind of like the atmosphere and character that his particular style creates though, it is distinctly his and, for me, places his worlds in a kind of eastern european, retrofuturistic space in my mind. But this is obviously coming from a westerner that has a somewhat exoticised view of eastern european culture.