- The Magellanic Cloud
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The Magellanic Cloud Author(s) Stanisław Lem Original title Obłok Magellana Country Poland Language Polish Genre(s) Science fiction Publisher Iskry Publication date 1955 Pages 422 LC Classification PG7158.L399 O2 Preceded by The Astronauts Followed by Sezam The Magellanic Cloud (Polish title: Obłok Magellana) is a science fiction novel by Stanisław Lem (1955). By this novel was inspired the Czech film Ikarie XB-1.
Plot summary
The novel is set in the Thirty-second Century, in a communistic Utopian future. Humanity have colonized all of the Solar System, and now have to attempt the first interstellar travel.
Aboard a vessel called Gaia, 227 men and women leave the Earth for the Alpha Centauri system.
After almost eight years of travel, they find signs of organic life on a planet orbiting around Proxima Centauri, possibly coming from another planet within the Centauri system.
One of the planets orbiting Alpha Centauri turns to be inhabited by an advanced civilization...
The expedition meets a lifeless human ship of "Atlants", which turns out to be an old artificial war satellite of the USA and its NATO allies, carrying still active biological weapons and nuclear warheads, which had accidentally left the Earth orbit and got lost in space during the Cold War era.
Censorship and criticisms
When the novel was first published, some parts of it were censored by Communist authorities. Lem famously denounced[citation needed] the censored version, calling it too optimistic about Communism. At the time, this was a bold sign that demonstrated Lem's confidence in that his singular status as a Polish author of international renown would protect him from state repression. A full version was published in the 1990s after the fall of Communism.
External links
Major works of Stanisław Lem Novels Hospital of the Transfiguration (1948) • The Magellanic Cloud (1955) • The Investigation (1959) • Eden (1959) • Return from the Stars (1961) • Solaris (1961) • Memoirs Found in a Bathtub (1961) • The Invincible (1964) • His Master's Voice (1968) • The Futurological Congress (1971) • The Chain of Chance (1975) • Observation on the Spot (1982) • Fiasco (1986) • Peace on Earth (1987)
Short Story Collections The Cyberiad (1965) • The Star Diaries (1971) • A Perfect Vacuum (1971) • Tales of Pirx the Pilot and More Tales of Pirx the Pilot (1973) • Imaginary Magnitude (1973) • One Human Minute (1986)
Futurology Summa Technologiae (1964)
Film adaptations The Silent Star (1960 film) • Solaris (1968 film) • Solaris (1972 film) • Test pilota Pirxa (1978 film) • Solaris (2002 film) Ijon Tichy: Raumpilot (2007 TV series)
Categories:- Novels by Stanisław Lem
- 1955 novels
- 1950s science fiction novels
- 1950s science fiction novel stubs
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