Alexander Belayev (1884–1942)

I always somehow knew that this book exists and is considered classic, but did not know details and got it only recently. Both the plot, which is quite focused on human interactions, and unobfuscating writing style somehow remind me both of Karel Čapek (on the better side) and of pulp detective novellas (on the worse side). Head transplantation and artificial sustainment were probably orgiginal ideas when the book was written and actually are again, as science marches on and new problems show more like immune response have to be taken into account and make this kind of operation more problematic even in SF (with the glorious exception of Futurama). But I liked it after all. show less

Mõlemad jutustused käsitlevad inimese piiride küsimust: «Amfiibinimeses» täiustab geniaalne kirurg Salvator oma äranägemise järgi eluorganisme ning on loonud amfiibinimese, «Maailmavalitsejas» saavutab teadlane Stirner võime kontrollida elusolendite mõtteid ja tahet. Kas neil on aga selleks õigust ja voli?

This collection from the early 1950s is of interest to Western readers for two things primarily; an early appearance by the Strugatsky brothers, and the first airing of the thought (now generally discredited, even amongst sf fans) that the Tunguska event of 1905 might have been an exploding alien spacecraft. That this particular story (the title story, by Alexander Kazantsev) is written in an exceptionally turgid example of the 'Now tell me, Professor' style, does not help matters.

ماذا لو اختفت البكتيريا بكل امراضها وتحللها وتخمرها من العالم كله في نفس الوقت؟
فكرة جميلة كانت تحتاج استفاضة في الاحداث لكنها مهمة ايضا