Solaris by Stanislaw Lem

[King Bob]

This is actually my third reading of this book. My reaction the first time was that it was really weird. My second reading it was that I had no idea what the hell it was about. This time I thought I hadn't read it carefully enough before.

It's really good. It is strange, but not incomprehensible. There are jargony technical passages - something Lem is fond of - but also some great ruminations on memory, exploration, limits of knowledge. It's sort of like Moby Dick, in that the plot is only part it. Less than half really; not that much happens.

Doom recommended? Probably those of you with an interest have already read it. It is slow paced but only about 200 pages, so not a slog. Maybe not the best introduction to Lem though.

[Drunk Monk]

I remember seeing a movie version of this and it not making a lick of sense. So I read the book. And that made me even more confused. But I acted like I understood it, just to appear smarter than my friends who saw it with me. "Yeah, the book explains it all." I don't think any of my friends fell for that but I don't even remember who I saw it with... and I'll be embarrassed if it was KB.

[Greg]

Soderbergh and Clooney.

[King Bob]

Not me, or if it was I don't remember it. And I was confused by the book both previous times myself. I must not have been reading carefully enough.

Soderbergh's film with Clooney is very good, and maybe Clooney's best, but lacks the ambiguity of the book and instead gives a more definite ending.

[Dr. Ivor Yeti]

I tried reading the book. It was no Cyberiad, that's for sure. I was completely in the "WTF is going on here" camp. There have been two movie versions, never saw the new one. The first one confused me.

[King Bob]

I think The Star Diaries is his best, and Tales of Pirx the Pilot was also good, but I haven't read all his novels. I don't see copies of his books very often anymore, which I find a bit sad.

[Drunk Monk]

This is the version I was thinking of



I didn’t see Clooney’s. I don’t really care for him unless he’s in a Coen bro’s flick.

I think Cyberiad was the only other Lem I ever read.

[King Bob]

Isn't that movie like five hours long or something?

[Drunk Monk]

Just shy of 3 hours. I just looked it up. 

I'm pretty sure I saw it at the Varsity in Palo back in the day. I was super into that theater and gobbling down any artsy fartsy film that came through. All I remember about it now was that there was a random midget. I just looked that up too and found this:


I remember seeing that scene and thinking 'Cool. That was surreal. It's gonna get better now.' 

But it didn't. Not even.

Was there a midget in the book?

[cranefly]

I recommend revisiting this KB thread, which veered onto Lem and pretty much summed up where we all stand on him.

http://www.brotherhoodofdoom.com/doomFor...ht=solaris

[King Bob]

No midget in the book. And thanks CF for linking that - I didn't think of it. There was also this CF thread about Lem.

[cranefly]

Thanks, KB, for that other link.  And a special thanks to Greg.  DOOM has become so deep over the years.

[Drunk Monk]

Deep & weird. All the best DOOM threads are weird. That's what keeps me coming back.

Wait... no midget? WTH?

I must offer a tip of the ol’ space helmet visor to Lem for inspiring so much DOOM chatter.

[King Bob]

This is one of the longer book threads.

I had a thought last night that Solaris has a Lovecraftian element - the men on the station are going insane because what they are experiencing is completely incomprehensible. Much more literary and low key of course, but they are horrified (terrified?) by it.

[thatguy]

Like when Zaphod is exposed to the vastness of the universe?

--tg