The Futurological Congress
Stanislaw Lem
This book may be slim but boy, does it pack a punch. Lem consistently employs a one-two style that simply doesn't relent, both to his credit and to my occasional dismay. The book, however, comes through in the end with its surprisingly fresh premise and its eerily accurate satirical jabs, making it an enjoyable quick read for a boring afternoon. The novel has many salient themes, but the most interesting is its attention to drugs and the false sense of security and/or reality they can provide. Through Ijon Tichy and his contact with a political uprising, Lem is able to construct a shifting reality that leaves readers just as disoriented as Tichy. At first, this is incredibly effective, but a couple of jumps later the reader is simply confused for no real purpose. Once Lem calms down and sets his plot firmly in the future, further jumps make more sense and actually add to the narrative.
Tichy as a character isn't particularly riveting, but the book is more of a description than a plot, reminding me a bit of More's Utopia. The lack of a truly cohesive plot line is surprisingly only noticed occasionally, after a great lag of action. These gaps, however, illustrate the main fault of the novel- its intensity. Lem hammers away at society constantly as a narrator and leaves little for his readers to actually infer. His satire is spot-on and eerily foreshadows developments we are just seeing after the turn of the century, but it is a little too blatant to be truly masterful. Lem has good ideas but could better utilize subtlety and more traditional literary means to make his points even more effective.
Despite the fact that the symbolism is obvious, the book excells at criticizing our current fascination with mind-altering drugs. The book takes a while to digest, just like the books in its own future world, but can easily provoke intense thought and discussion regarding reality and how we access it. This book would prove an exceptionally apt choice for a philosophy-minded book club or group of friends. When its powerful criticism is taken at its face value, it forces the reader to seriously consider our usage of feel-good drugs, our reliance on science, and even the way we interact with the government and what we expect of it. Funny and brilliant throughout, the book ultimately delivers.
Grade: B+
Stanislaw Lem
This book may be slim but boy, does it pack a punch. Lem consistently employs a one-two style that simply doesn't relent, both to his credit and to my occasional dismay. The book, however, comes through in the end with its surprisingly fresh premise and its eerily accurate satirical jabs, making it an enjoyable quick read for a boring afternoon. The novel has many salient themes, but the most interesting is its attention to drugs and the false sense of security and/or reality they can provide. Through Ijon Tichy and his contact with a political uprising, Lem is able to construct a shifting reality that leaves readers just as disoriented as Tichy. At first, this is incredibly effective, but a couple of jumps later the reader is simply confused for no real purpose. Once Lem calms down and sets his plot firmly in the future, further jumps make more sense and actually add to the narrative.
Tichy as a character isn't particularly riveting, but the book is more of a description than a plot, reminding me a bit of More's Utopia. The lack of a truly cohesive plot line is surprisingly only noticed occasionally, after a great lag of action. These gaps, however, illustrate the main fault of the novel- its intensity. Lem hammers away at society constantly as a narrator and leaves little for his readers to actually infer. His satire is spot-on and eerily foreshadows developments we are just seeing after the turn of the century, but it is a little too blatant to be truly masterful. Lem has good ideas but could better utilize subtlety and more traditional literary means to make his points even more effective.
Despite the fact that the symbolism is obvious, the book excells at criticizing our current fascination with mind-altering drugs. The book takes a while to digest, just like the books in its own future world, but can easily provoke intense thought and discussion regarding reality and how we access it. This book would prove an exceptionally apt choice for a philosophy-minded book club or group of friends. When its powerful criticism is taken at its face value, it forces the reader to seriously consider our usage of feel-good drugs, our reliance on science, and even the way we interact with the government and what we expect of it. Funny and brilliant throughout, the book ultimately delivers.
Grade: B+
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