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Продавец воздуха
В повести Александра Беляева "Продавец воздуха" рассказывается о том, как алчный англичанин мистер Бэйли решил захватить монополию над самым ценным, что есть на нашей планете, — воздухом. Он построил в Якутии подземную лабораторию, куда с помощью мощных установок затягивались воздушные потоки, что спровоцировало невиданные смерчи, разрушения, гибель и страдания миллионов людей.
- GenresScience FictionRussia
188 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1929
4 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Alexander Belyaev
294 books200 followersAlexander Romanovich Belyaev (Russian: Александр Беляев); born 16 March 1884 in Smolensk, Russian Empire; died 6 January 1942 in Pushkin, USSR]
Born in Smolensk, at the age of 30 Alexander became ill with tuberculosis. Treatment was unsuccessful; the infection spread to his spine and resulted in paralysis of the legs. Belyayev suffered constant pain and was paralysed for six years. In search for the right treatment he moved to Yalta together with his mother and old nanny. During his convalescence, he read the work of Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, and Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, and began to write poetry in his hospital bed.
By 1922 he had overcome the disease and in 1923 returned to Moscow where he began his serious literary activity as writer of science fiction novels. In 1925 his first novel, Professor Dowell's Head (Голова Профессора Доуэля) was published. From 1931 he lived in Leningrad with his wife and oldest daughter; his youngest daughter died of meningitis in 1930, aged six. In Leningrad he met H. G. Wells, who visited the USSR in 1934.
In the last years of his life Belyaev lived in the Leningrad suburb of Pushkin (formerly Tsarskoye Selo). At the beginning of the German invasion of the Soviet Union during Second World War he refused to evacuate because he was recovering after an operation that he had undergone a few months earlier.
Belyayev died of hunger in the Soviet town of Pushkin in 1942 while it was occupied by the Nazis. His wife and daughter, who managed to survive, were taken away to Poland by the Nazis. The exact location of his grave is unknown. A memorial stone at the Kazanskoe cemetery in the town of Pushkin is placed on the mass grave where his body is assumed to be buried.
Born in Smolensk, at the age of 30 Alexander became ill with tuberculosis. Treatment was unsuccessful; the infection spread to his spine and resulted in paralysis of the legs. Belyayev suffered constant pain and was paralysed for six years. In search for the right treatment he moved to Yalta together with his mother and old nanny. During his convalescence, he read the work of Jules Verne, H. G. Wells, and Konstantin Tsiolkovsky, and began to write poetry in his hospital bed.
By 1922 he had overcome the disease and in 1923 returned to Moscow where he began his serious literary activity as writer of science fiction novels. In 1925 his first novel, Professor Dowell's Head (Голова Профессора Доуэля) was published. From 1931 he lived in Leningrad with his wife and oldest daughter; his youngest daughter died of meningitis in 1930, aged six. In Leningrad he met H. G. Wells, who visited the USSR in 1934.
In the last years of his life Belyaev lived in the Leningrad suburb of Pushkin (formerly Tsarskoye Selo). At the beginning of the German invasion of the Soviet Union during Second World War he refused to evacuate because he was recovering after an operation that he had undergone a few months earlier.
Belyayev died of hunger in the Soviet town of Pushkin in 1942 while it was occupied by the Nazis. His wife and daughter, who managed to survive, were taken away to Poland by the Nazis. The exact location of his grave is unknown. A memorial stone at the Kazanskoe cemetery in the town of Pushkin is placed on the mass grave where his body is assumed to be buried.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 25, 2011
This prominent Soviet 1920's-30's writer is absolutely fascinating, but for some reason has not been "discovered" in the west. I am not a big SciFi fan, but I love his work. My favorite novella from this book is 'The Man Who Found His Face', which is a study of a physically deformed young man who is a wealthy movie star because of his unusual looks. With treatment he becomes a very handsome man, and his life changes based only on his appearance. Very interesting and believable. Although most of the action in this story takes place in Hollywood, there is no happy Hollywood ending here!
December 17, 2024
Хорошая повесть формата "база в осаде" с акцентом на сай-файный гиммик. Может проводится не особо серьезная работа с персонажами, но для приключенческой журнальной повести это и не нужно. И тема с тем как капиталисты могут эксплуатировать науку и пожертвовать планетой ради краткосрочной выгоды все еще актуальна как никогда.
Разве что был разочарован насколько быстро был забыт твист про , а также последние главы книги, где книга становится неприкрыто идеологической, а также случается
Разве что был разочарован насколько быстро был забыт твист про , а также последние главы книги, где книга становится неприкрыто идеологической, а также случается
January 7, 2025
Вечно во всем виноваты капиталисты.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 29, 2025
У этой книги одно преимущество, она короткая.
March 27, 2020
A classic Soviet science fiction thriller
Another classic of Radium-Age science fiction by prolific Soviet author Alexander Belyaev, this opus was well-paced and highly enjoyable while proposing some thought-provoking ideas. But there were too many elements in the plot that were annoying for me which ultimately cost this otherwise riveting adventure a couple of stars.
First, the troublesome bits. The entire premise of the novel was based on one crazy scientist managing to establish an underground base and factory with incredibly advanced technology in one of the most remote regions of Yakutia in order to suck all of the air from the earth to be converted into liquid stockpiles. Air would then become "rarified" (pun intended) and thus a hot commodity to be resold in rationed quantities. Once you've suspended your disbelief that all the air of the entire globe could be sucked up by a single funnel near the Arctic circle, you are faced with having to believe that it was possible to keep the extremely volatile condensed air stabilized via extreme refrigeration in vast caverns. The novel has people zipping up into diver suits made of extremely cold-resistant material to work with this liquid air. That's some serious technology for the 1920s! SPOILER AHEAD: one character even commits suicide in the cavern by simply unzipping the suit and immediately freezing. Considering how well my jacket zippers have worked in the past 20 years, I can only say that they just don't make 'em like they used to.
Speaking of the characters, the only likeable one in the bunch is the Yakut guide Nikola, whose cheery philosophy awkwardly conveyed through pigeon-speak is a refreshing break from the otherwise straight-laced and dour main cast. Particularly annoying is the relationship between the Engelbrechts, a father and daughter duo who work in the underground air factory for the fiendish mastermind, Mr. Bailey. Daughter has some major issues with daddy, and it is implied she has been raised to maintain the role of the "good little girl" throughout her life while secretly harboring resentment and even hatred for her father's neglect in favor of his scientific experiments. This leads to some pretty darn stupid choices by the characters in critical moments of the story, and these actions seem forced by the author towards the end when he realized he had almost finished an entire project otherwise devoid of any pathos.
The idea of private enterprise taking control of resources that do not belong to anyone (in this case, the very air we breathe) and claiming it as their property is a particularly intriguing look into how the Communist Soviet mind saw Capitalism. The elite selling back to us our right to breathe is a farcical but terrifying forecast of how far such a system could go with the right political muscle. This may be annoying to some readers, as it comes across as pure Soviet propaganda, which it is, but I still find it a fascinating glimpse into the Bolshevik world.
Another positive is that this book makes some gutsy decisions about the fates of some characters, which are surprisingly gruesome for the period in which it was written.
Overall, I recommend this book to any fan of science fiction or thrillers featuring tech-savy arch-villains. Just don't be surprised if you find it a little thin in the end.
Another classic of Radium-Age science fiction by prolific Soviet author Alexander Belyaev, this opus was well-paced and highly enjoyable while proposing some thought-provoking ideas. But there were too many elements in the plot that were annoying for me which ultimately cost this otherwise riveting adventure a couple of stars.
First, the troublesome bits. The entire premise of the novel was based on one crazy scientist managing to establish an underground base and factory with incredibly advanced technology in one of the most remote regions of Yakutia in order to suck all of the air from the earth to be converted into liquid stockpiles. Air would then become "rarified" (pun intended) and thus a hot commodity to be resold in rationed quantities. Once you've suspended your disbelief that all the air of the entire globe could be sucked up by a single funnel near the Arctic circle, you are faced with having to believe that it was possible to keep the extremely volatile condensed air stabilized via extreme refrigeration in vast caverns. The novel has people zipping up into diver suits made of extremely cold-resistant material to work with this liquid air. That's some serious technology for the 1920s! SPOILER AHEAD: one character even commits suicide in the cavern by simply unzipping the suit and immediately freezing. Considering how well my jacket zippers have worked in the past 20 years, I can only say that they just don't make 'em like they used to.
Speaking of the characters, the only likeable one in the bunch is the Yakut guide Nikola, whose cheery philosophy awkwardly conveyed through pigeon-speak is a refreshing break from the otherwise straight-laced and dour main cast. Particularly annoying is the relationship between the Engelbrechts, a father and daughter duo who work in the underground air factory for the fiendish mastermind, Mr. Bailey. Daughter has some major issues with daddy, and it is implied she has been raised to maintain the role of the "good little girl" throughout her life while secretly harboring resentment and even hatred for her father's neglect in favor of his scientific experiments. This leads to some pretty darn stupid choices by the characters in critical moments of the story, and these actions seem forced by the author towards the end when he realized he had almost finished an entire project otherwise devoid of any pathos.
The idea of private enterprise taking control of resources that do not belong to anyone (in this case, the very air we breathe) and claiming it as their property is a particularly intriguing look into how the Communist Soviet mind saw Capitalism. The elite selling back to us our right to breathe is a farcical but terrifying forecast of how far such a system could go with the right political muscle. This may be annoying to some readers, as it comes across as pure Soviet propaganda, which it is, but I still find it a fascinating glimpse into the Bolshevik world.
Another positive is that this book makes some gutsy decisions about the fates of some characters, which are surprisingly gruesome for the period in which it was written.
Overall, I recommend this book to any fan of science fiction or thrillers featuring tech-savy arch-villains. Just don't be surprised if you find it a little thin in the end.
September 1, 2024
Recensione pubblicata su Cronache di Betelgeuse
Eccoci di fronte a un’avventura di fantascienza con un messaggio ecologista molto attuale. Nel panorama della letteratura fantascientifica sovietica, Aleksandr Romanovič Beljaev emerge come una figura di spicco.
La trama ci trasporta nelle remote e misteriose terre della Jakuzia, una regione della Siberia orientale nota per i suoi paesaggi mozzafiato e le sue condizioni climatiche estreme. Il protagonista, lo scienziato e meteorologo Georgij Petrovič Klimenko, viene inviato in questa terra inospitale per studiare alcune enigmatiche variazioni nelle correnti d’aria. Ad accompagnarlo nel suo viaggio c’è Nicola, una guida jakuta che funge da ponte tra la scienza moderna e la saggezza ancestrale del territorio.
Ciò che inizia come una missione scientifica di routine si trasforma presto in un’avventura oltre ogni immaginazione. Klimenko e Nicola si imbattono in una scoperta che sfida ogni logica e che potrebbe rivoluzionare il mondo intero: un inventore ha creato un dispositivo in grado di produrre aria pura e respirabile. Questa invenzione, apparentemente benefica, si rivela essere un’arma a doppio taglio: l’aria viene sottratta dalle altre regioni della Terra. Subito si sollevano interrogativi profondi sulle implicazioni etiche e sociali del progresso tecnologico, che viene sfruttato solo per mero profitto personale.
L’autore dimostra una notevole abilità di trasportarci in mondi fantastici pur mantenendo un piede saldamente ancorato nella realtà scientifica del suo tempo. Uno degli aspetti più affascinanti del romanzo è la sua sorprendente attualità. Il libro contiene un potente monito ecologista, mettendo in guardia contro lo sfruttamento sconsiderato delle risorse naturali e la devastazione dell’ambiente. La critica all’ideologia capitalista, rappresentata dalla volontà di mercificare persino l’aria che respiriamo, offre uno spunto di riflessione ancora rilevante nell’era della crisi climatica e della crescente consapevolezza ambientale.
La lettura scorre fluida e coinvolgente, trascinandoci in un vortice di eventi e colpi di scena. I personaggi sono ben delineati e credibili, con le loro ambizioni, paure e contraddizioni che li rendono autentici. Tuttavia, se c’è un aspetto che ci lascia un po’ a bocca asciutta, è la brevità del romanzo. La ricchezza dei temi trattati e la complessità del mondo creato avrebbero meritato un’esplorazione più approfondita. In particolare, il finale sembra giungere troppo rapidamente, lasciando alcune questioni irrisolte e privando il lettore di un’analisi più dettagliata delle conseguenze delle azioni dei personaggi.
Eccoci di fronte a un’avventura di fantascienza con un messaggio ecologista molto attuale. Nel panorama della letteratura fantascientifica sovietica, Aleksandr Romanovič Beljaev emerge come una figura di spicco.
La trama ci trasporta nelle remote e misteriose terre della Jakuzia, una regione della Siberia orientale nota per i suoi paesaggi mozzafiato e le sue condizioni climatiche estreme. Il protagonista, lo scienziato e meteorologo Georgij Petrovič Klimenko, viene inviato in questa terra inospitale per studiare alcune enigmatiche variazioni nelle correnti d’aria. Ad accompagnarlo nel suo viaggio c’è Nicola, una guida jakuta che funge da ponte tra la scienza moderna e la saggezza ancestrale del territorio.
Ciò che inizia come una missione scientifica di routine si trasforma presto in un’avventura oltre ogni immaginazione. Klimenko e Nicola si imbattono in una scoperta che sfida ogni logica e che potrebbe rivoluzionare il mondo intero: un inventore ha creato un dispositivo in grado di produrre aria pura e respirabile. Questa invenzione, apparentemente benefica, si rivela essere un’arma a doppio taglio: l’aria viene sottratta dalle altre regioni della Terra. Subito si sollevano interrogativi profondi sulle implicazioni etiche e sociali del progresso tecnologico, che viene sfruttato solo per mero profitto personale.
L’autore dimostra una notevole abilità di trasportarci in mondi fantastici pur mantenendo un piede saldamente ancorato nella realtà scientifica del suo tempo. Uno degli aspetti più affascinanti del romanzo è la sua sorprendente attualità. Il libro contiene un potente monito ecologista, mettendo in guardia contro lo sfruttamento sconsiderato delle risorse naturali e la devastazione dell’ambiente. La critica all’ideologia capitalista, rappresentata dalla volontà di mercificare persino l’aria che respiriamo, offre uno spunto di riflessione ancora rilevante nell’era della crisi climatica e della crescente consapevolezza ambientale.
La lettura scorre fluida e coinvolgente, trascinandoci in un vortice di eventi e colpi di scena. I personaggi sono ben delineati e credibili, con le loro ambizioni, paure e contraddizioni che li rendono autentici. Tuttavia, se c’è un aspetto che ci lascia un po’ a bocca asciutta, è la brevità del romanzo. La ricchezza dei temi trattati e la complessità del mondo creato avrebbero meritato un’esplorazione più approfondita. In particolare, il finale sembra giungere troppo rapidamente, lasciando alcune questioni irrisolte e privando il lettore di un’analisi più dettagliata delle conseguenze delle azioni dei personaggi.
November 14, 2025
Përpara se në skenë të shfaqeshin vëllezërit Strugacki, personaliteti më i shquar i fantashkencës sovjetike ishte Aleksandër Beljajev. Novela "Shitësi i ajrit" botuar në vitin 1966 me përkthim të Vedat Kokonës është një nga dy veprat e Beljajevit në gjuhën tonë. Fabula e librit është e thjeshtë megjithëse e zhanrit fantastik: një kapitalist anglez që do ta njohim vetëm me emrin z. Bejli, me ndihmën e shkencëtarit suedez Engelbreht, ka ndërtuar në një skutë të fshehtë të Polit të Veriut (në territor sovjetik) një qytet-uzinë që përthith dhe përpunon ajrin, qëllimi pra merret vesh, është ta kthejë ajrin në mall konsumi. Kundër këtij synimi ogurzi punojnë meteorologu rus Klimenko dhe ndihmësi i tij jakut Nikolla të cilët në njëfarë mënyre "infiltrohen" brenda qytetit nëntokësor të Bejlit. Përgjatë kësaj historie ata do të ndihmohen edhe nga Nora, vajza e Engelbrehtit, shkencëtare si i ati. Rrëfimi ecën shpejt, dhe pavarësisht ndonjë pasazhi kalimthi "kapitalizmi i keq/socializmi i mirë" çuditërisht niveli i propagandës është i pranueshëm, dhe nuk e pengon shijimin e tekstit, që duhet thënë është një fantazi e imagjinuar mjaft bukur, ide të tilla shkrimtarët e fantashkencës i lypin me qiri.
November 21, 2023
Totally awestruck !!!
Written by Alexander Belyaev
Translation By Maria K.
And narrated by Seathon Williams
Absolutely amazing,
Published in 1928 at Russia by Alexander, truly a science fiction writer !
First was named the Air Seller but after translation by Maria the name was changed from seller to merchant which fits perfectly.
It feels that only a true scientist could have thought of and have written such a beautiful book,
Admittedly he earned my respect.
Translation and Narration were done absolutely perfectly.
My recommendation !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
Written by Alexander Belyaev
Translation By Maria K.
And narrated by Seathon Williams
Absolutely amazing,
Published in 1928 at Russia by Alexander, truly a science fiction writer !
First was named the Air Seller but after translation by Maria the name was changed from seller to merchant which fits perfectly.
It feels that only a true scientist could have thought of and have written such a beautiful book,
Admittedly he earned my respect.
Translation and Narration were done absolutely perfectly.
My recommendation !!!
Oded Ostfeld.
December 18, 2024
У некоторой литературы есть срок годности, у этой книги он кончился лет 70 назад (это если оптимистично). Пропагандистские вставки улыбнули.
January 17, 2022
Solid, easy to read sci-fi book, except some anti-capitalist propaganda.
February 8, 2024
Зангиа аудио-с сонслоо. Яг цаасаар нь олж уншмаар байна.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews