Bilet na Tranai

by Robert Sheckley, Stanisław Czaja (Translator), Franciszek Felczar (Translator)

Zbiór jedenastu nie opublikowanych dotąd w Polsce opowiadań z lat 1954-68.

Tytułowe opowiadanie Bilet na Tranai jest groteską, w której bohater szuka po wszystkich gwiazdach Galaktyki wymarzonej utopii, a znalazłszy to "miejsce doskonałe, czym prędzej wraca na Ziemię.

Spis opowiadań:

1. Bilet na Tranai
2. Wiatr się wzmaga
3. Danta, ostatni Nowotahitańczyk
4. Najszczęśliwszy człowiek na świecie
5. Ochrona
6. Raj II
7. Zapach myśli
8. Żona model Ultra Deluxe
9. Pijawka
10. Agencja Uwalniania od Kłopotów
11. Ponad dziesięć, czyli Akademia

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Short Stories, Satire, Fantasy

254 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1955

About the author

One of science fiction's great humorists, Sheckley was a prolific short story writer beginning in 1952 with titles including "Specialist", "Pilgrimage to Earth", "Warm", "The Prize of Peril", and "Seventh Victim", collected in volumes from Untouched by Human Hands (1954) to Is That What People Do? (1984) and a five-volume set of Collected Stories (1991). His first novel, Immortality, Inc. (1958), was followed by The Status Civilization (1960), Journey Beyond Tomorrow (1962), Mindswap (1966), and several others. Sheckley served as fiction editor for Omni magazine from January 1980 through September 1981, and was named Author Emeritus by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2001.

Reviews

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Много приятен за четене сборник - поглед в бъдещето, наситен с ирония и хумор. Дали утопията, идеалната жена и съвършеното оръжие са толкова перфектни и поносими в действителност, колкото и в мечтите и желанията ни; какво е общото между сърбежа на ръцете и природните катаклизми; някои особености и поуки при Пръв Контакт с друга цивилизация; могат ли машините да заместят човека и да правят разлика между убийство и работа; как се пише професионално - това са занимателните, увлекателни и много поучителни истории, събрани в "Билет за Транай".

[Мартин Венциславов · Rating 5 out of 5]

Уникална книга! Прочетох я за един час. А исках само да я разлистя, но...

[Alex Memus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Шутейки и социальная сатира Америки 50х плотно на каждой странице, удачная критика утопичного либертарианства (одной левой укладывающая на лопатки «Планету для техасцев»), неожиданная и смешная развязка. Топчик!

[Tomika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes the perfect world is not that perfect as it seems.......

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of a Terran who emigrates to Tranai - a planet with no corruption, crime, poverty, or taxes. Utopia is in the eye of the beholder.

[Aksena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Утопію можна зробити підміною понять. Головне не форма, а суть. І що нема ідеального світу.

[Alexander Theofanidis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Τι συμβαίνει όταν ένας βετεράνος του διαστήματος σου λέει για έναν υπέροχο κόσμο, που οι γυναίκες είναι πάντα νέες, όμορφες και πρόθυμες, δεν υπάρχει έγκλημα, ανεργία και γενικώς είναι μια ουτοπία; Τον ρωτάς γιατί δεν πάει εκεί. Τι σου απαντάει; Ότι μια μυστηριώδης ασθένεια δεν τον αφήνει να ταξιδέψει. Οπότε, κάνεις εσύ το ταξίδι.

Καλώς ήλθατε στον πλανήτη Τρανάι. Εδώ το έγκλημα και η ανεργία είναι παρελθόν. Εδώ οι γυναίκες είναι όντως όμορφες, νέες και πρόθυμες, εδώ… κάτι ύποπτο συμβαίνει.

Ο εξαιρετικός χιουμορίστας Ρόμπερτ Σέκλει, που μας έχει δώσει άπειρα δείγματα του ταλέντου του, κεντάει με εξαιρετική μαεστρία μια αλληγορία για μια ουτοπία, όπου το έγκλημα δεν υφίσταται γιατί… έχει νομιμοποιηθεί και οποιοσδήποτε μπορεί να βγάλει άδεια και να ληστεύει, ή να ζητιανεύει (κι ας έχει μεγαλύτερο εισόδημα από εσένα, έχει άδεια κύριος), ακόμη και ο ίδιος ο πρόεδρος. Οπότε, τι γίνεται όταν η νέα και όμορφη γυναίκα που αποφάσισες να αφήσεις εκτός ψυγείου για να γεράσετε μαζί απολαμβάνοντας τα πάντα μαζί, έχει άλλα σχέδια (όπως να απολαύσει την περιουσία σου ως νεαρή χήρα με έναν νεότερο άντρα); Δεν έχει διαζύγιο στον Τρανάι… Αλλά οι σφαίρες είναι φτηνές, και η δολοφονία δεν διώκεται…

Αν προλάβεις να φύγεις, ίσως γίνεις εσύ εκείνος ο γέρος που διηγείται τα ‘όσα θαυμαστά συμβαίνουν σε αυτό το μακρινό πλανήτh που -ανάθεμα- μια μυστηριώδης ασθένεια δε σου επιτρέπει να επισκεφτείς ξανά…

Απολαυστικό, σαρκαστικό και βαθύτερο απ’ ό,τι φαίνεται εκ πρώτης όψεως, είναι ένα από τα διαμάντια χάλη στα οποία αγαπήσαμε το genre.

Υ.Γ. Κάποιοι δυστυχισμένοι μαύρισαν με δύο αστεράκιια αυτό το αριστούργημα. Είναι οι ίδιοι που δεν τους αρέσει η σοκολάτα, οι τηγανητές πατάτες και η κρέπα με νουτέλα και φράουλα. Είναι εκείνοι που δε θήλασαν καθόλου ή θήλασαν μέχρι να παρουσιαστούν στο στρατό.

[Marco Camillieri · Rating 4 out of 5]

La fantascienza migliore, a mio avviso, è quella che riesce a conciliare i viaggi nella fantasia con analisi sociologiche interessanti, come nel caso di questo bel racconto.
Con ironia, Sheckley crea una società ideale che ideale non è, sfruttando le delizie della burocrazia per aggirare quegli interrogativi che il lettore, prima ancora del protagonista, finirebbe per porsi. In una società perfetta in cui non avvengono omicidi e reati, finirà per scoprire che semplicemente non vengono definiti tali per legge quelli che nella Terra reati lo sono. Quando poi cercherà di cambiare i costumi locali lasciando che la moglie esca dalla stasi per stare sempre con lui, incorrerà in spiacevoli conseguenze ai suoi moti di emancipazione.
Intelligente, divertente e decisamente scorrevole.

[Dmitry Demidov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Как будто вернулся на выходные в детство, когда читал весь золотой век американской фантастики, в том числе и Шекли.
Короткие, в основном, с юмором рассказы с очень понятной моралью в каждом. Очень увлекательное и развлекательное чтение. Конечно, сейчас, после большого количества прочитанной фантастики, становится видна простота и прямолинейность повествования, однако, удовольствие всё равно получил.

[Tex-49 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Questa è la descrizione italiana (che in Goodreads non si legge):

...Se un giorno incontrerete un vecchio spaziale dalla faccia di falco, con gli occhi grigi e penetranti, ascoltate pure le sue storie, perchè saranno sempre divertenti e istruttive... ma non credete una sola parola di quello che vi racconterà su Tranai, il pianeta benedetto!

[Dato Samniashvili · Rating 3 out of 5]

საინტერესო იდეაა გაფუჭებული. დასაწყისი ზედემეტად ინფანტილურია, დასასრული კი უბრალოდ მიფუჩეჩებული. 3 და არა ნაკლები იმიტომ, რომ გარკვეულ ასპექტებს არაუშავს, რაღაცეები მართლა სასაცილოა. განსაკუთრებით უტოპიაში გაჭირვებულების და მძარცველების არ არსებობის მიზეზები :

[Abacaba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've already read it 5 years ago and appreciated the satire's humor, but I didn't understand all the depth and subtleness of the novel then.
It's awesome.

[Levan Chkonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

გენიალური შეკლი <3
ასეთი მოთხრობა ჯერ არ წამიკითხავს, ყველასგან გასნხვავებულია.

ბევრი ვიცინიე, მაგრამ გასნაკუთრებით სასაცილო იყო სახელმწიფოს მიერ დასაქმებული მათხოვრის ეპიზოდი <3

[Alex Tumanoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Шедевр. Остроумно и неожиданно.

[Zaal Palavandishvili · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some interesting ideas, but nothing surprising. Feels like author put very little effort in any given aspect of the story. If there is anything sarcastic or ironic, it doesn't touch.

[Dmitry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes boring but interesting overall

[Ivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Social commentary rather than sci fi. Reviews some of liberal values without getting into lecturing

[Mariusz Kochański · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bardzo ciekawe, intrygujące, krótkie opowiadania.

[Marcin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Short, simple, light, yet as with Sheckley's work, just as captivating nonetheless. Definitely worth trying unless other larger compilations are available. Since its so short it can be read in a day, tops. You might get hooked but to really enjoy Sheckley's storytelling I'd suggest going elsewhere. Again, it's a compilation of only a few stories, interesting for those who already hunt for Robert Sheckley's works, but only mildly good for new-comers.
Even though stories are from the 50s-60s or so, their core is not that dissimilar to many stories returning to the scene now and then since the mythologies, with the punch line always correct, as now as before and as in the future, these stories seem to transcend any cultural and temporal limitations and hit you with the naked truth that has always been right beside you from the start of your journey.
Polish translation doesn't struggle with the storytelling, it's an easy read. Together with the original scene creation and character presentation, one shouldn't feel deferred from following onto next pages.

[Emiliano Dominici · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un raccontino distopico.
L'americano Goodman, idealista insoddisfatto della vita terrestre per la sua violenza, corruzione, ingiustizia e indifferenza, sente parlare da un vecchio viaggiatore spaziale del pianeta Tranai, dove tutto pare perfetto. Con un colpo di testa decide di affrontare il lungo e periglioso viaggio verso questo piccolo pianeta ai confini della Via Lattea. Naturalmente, il pianeta, che inizialmente si rivela praticamente perfetto, ha in sé molti difetti che lo trasformano, alla vista di Goodman, da Utopia a Distopia.
Mi ha divertito, questo racconto di Sheckley, la sua narrazione procede dritta e ironica, e le sue brevi considerazioni sulla vita terrestre (paragonata a quella di Tranai) sono molto azzeccate. Ma non è niente al confronto del suo bel romanzo Il matrimonio Alchimistico di Alistair Crompton, un vero gioiellino.

[Antonio Ippolito · Rating 3 out of 5]

come negli "orrori di Omega", anche qui Sheckley, con vena brillante e pungente, ci racconta di un pianeta "ideale": là si trattava di un pianeta carcere che si rivelava organizzato secondo una bizzarra giustizia; qui di un pianeta ideale, un'Utopia, che si rivela fondata su accorgimenti molto, troppo umani. E le donne..

[Peter]

The last short story about the robot-birds is very philosophical. It describes sort of inflation of learning, whatever you learn. Endless perfecting/learning distorts the truth. The first story (Thicket to Tranay) is very interesting.

[Sashko Valyus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Цікавий концепт антиутопії, яку би собі придумали два алкаша за пляшкою ввечері. Гарно розрулив ситуацію з женщінами вк фіналі. Надто жорстка, купа нюансів, в будь-якому випадку 4 за оригінальність.

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Next author please. I feel nothing about this book.
Before reading I hoped that his ideas will surprise me. Nope.