Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoskop #1-2

by Various (Contributor)

"Kaleidoscope" by Ray Bradbury (1-56740-958-X 17A)
"Human Operators, The" by Harlan Ellison and A.E. Van Vogt (1-56740-958-X 17B)
(see individual titles for more information)

Unabridged.

Read by Harlan Ellison.

1 audiocassette (approximately 90 min.) : analog.

Genres: Short Stories, Science Fiction, Fiction, Horror, Classics, Fantasy, Space

2 pages, Audio Cassette

First published June 1, 1940

About the author

Various is the correct author for any book with multiple unknown authors, and is acceptable for books with multiple known authors, especially if not all are known or the list is very long (over 50).

If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.

Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.

Reviews

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Kaleidoscope” is one of my favorite Bradbury short stories.

First published in the October 1949 edition of Thrilling Wonder Stories this describes a scene where a spaceship is hit by a meteor and torn apart – ejecting the crew into space. Each astronaut flies off on his own trajectory, hurtling to his doom. For a time they can all communicate through their helmet comms, but slowly, as the separation becomes millions of miles apart, they wind up as solitary figures, alone with his thoughts.

Quietly, creepily horrific with a setting simple, brutal and relentless. The story opens with a common disaster and then we follow all the characters to death. Combining Bradbury’s mastery of science fiction and horror, we examine themes of isolation, humanity, mortality and society.

A must read.

[Bara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't read many short stories but I'm glad that I made an exception. It was one of the more fortunate christmas surprises I get from my parents for Christmas not just because I read some Bradbury's novels before but the stories themselves are worth reading.
They are scary and creepy, dreamy and sad, suspenseful and thought-provoking. They are about worlds far away in the future but also about the worlds near us. These short stories combine traveling to different planets with human emotions and relationships. Who never missed their old home when they moved somewhere else? Who never longed after something which is almost impossible to get? And some are pure fantastical reading.
The horror stories get a bit repetitive after a while because they follow very similar scenario. Someone is experiencing something unpleasant or downright dangerous, he discovers the cause of this danger, he/she is suspected of craziness or accused of paranoia and then he dies in the end. Though the story about the bedridden boy and his dog is a refreshing one because it is creepy but in a kind almost amusing way. No one says the 'visit' is evil. The visitors are strange but maybe they just happened to be in for a chit-chat. Well, who knows, the end is open. :)

[P.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un recueil de nouvelles poétiques en édition bilingue, les histoires sélectionnées sont très représentatives du style de l'écrivain de Waukegan, Illinois, de ses thèmes favoris. La nouvelle éponyme est un sacré morceau de poésie.

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

After an accident some astronauts are catapulted into space, drifting apart from each other, knowing they will die eventually. Sad but somehow beautiful piece... the ending was touching...

[alex (eric whitacre version) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaleidoscope by Ray Bradbury

Genre: Sci-Fi

Language: 1-1.5/10 (very little swearing, maybe just a few words?)

Synopsis: This is a very simple story. A rocket blows up and the crew gets split up throughout space. It’s essentially just the captain reflecting on his life and how he’s kept his anger inside until the end.

Review: This was VERY well written! Bradbury has such a beautiful writing style and way of describing things. It was a reflection of how death can bring out such strong emotions because we’ve kept them in for so long. It’s also talks about the idea of who feels like they lived a better life when they’re dying, and what that really means. It’s a very beautiful short story!

4.5 🌟

[Mike Narvaez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very few authors can express so much human emotions through science fiction and fewer still can express so much of the human condition through short stories. Ray Bradbury does it all in his stories and this is a perfect example. His writing is as alive as ever and this story is as important as it has ever been. I recommend it. It’s entertaining and interestingly sad: it dissects the human condition when face with death.

[Agoaye Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Certes, lire en anglais nécessite plus de concentration que mes lectures habituelles mais j'ai aimé cet exercice et tenterai de le réitérer.
Les nouvelles de ce recueil sont très intéressantes et pour la plupart encore follement actuelles.
Il faudra que je les relise en français pour être sûre de ne rien avoir laissé de côté.

[Hanzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting mix of sci-fi with outer space explorations and somewhat of an introspective take on the human condition, and human emotions upon facing death.

[Brian Finch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gravity is a b*tch.

[Calimport · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kaleidoscope was incredible, don't get me wrong. That's the other short stories I hated.

I found Embroidery lacking in everything, the End of the Beginning empty, the Aqueduct gore and disgusting for no reason, and so on and so on. I had hopes for Vacation and The Murderer but the endings fell flat. Maybe I'm not the public for those kinds of stories.

I like characters, sci-fi and all, but the scenarios were just overly critical and I found them trying too much to be clever, and in the end missing the point.


[SPOILERS]


A place where there is too much noise and someone decides to make the world silent?? what an amazing setting! But in the end, nothing is done, nothing changes. Not even a hint of a change. That's a meh for me. At least, in Kaleidoscope there was something, that kind of bittersweet calm in the face of death, realising they were nothing but there's a wish in the end, a shooting star. I found that beautiful.

[Zane Neimane · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lasīju ieskatam Bredberijā. Vairāki brīnišķīgi stāsti par dzīvi uz Marsa, Zemes iekarošanu un raķetēm. Tomēr kopumā krājums nav labi novecojis. Pārāk daudz jūsmas par raķetēm, pārāk blīvi. Kādu vienu, divus stāstus var. Bet lasīt no vāka līdz vākam kļuva vienmuļi. Iesaku stāstus "Kaleidoskops" un "Viņi bija tumšu ādu, zelta acīm".

[George Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

How can so much be conveyed so intensely and so quickly

[Jackie Wu · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting and frightening concept!

[Ardon · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best short stories I’ve read in a while.

[Royce Ratterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kaleidoscope by Ray Bradbury
Where to Find It: The Illustrated Man, The Stories of Ray Bradbury
First Published: Thrilling Wonder Stories, October 1949
Plot Synopsis: A rocket crew experiences a catastrophic explosion onboard their ship, finding themselves cast out into space, going off in separate directions, yet still able to communicate to one another over helmet radios as they each come to terms with their inevitable fates.
Bradbury on the story: “I sat down at my typewriter and asked myself, ‘What would happen if an explosion occurred on a rocket and all the astronauts on board became castaways?’”
"The screaming filled the universe... Oh, death in space was most humorous. It cut you away, piece by piece, like a black and invisible butcher."
A space carastrophe... short and sweet.
An enjoyable read and a nice break from my usual literary patterns of pursuit.
Read for personal research.
Overall, a good book for the researcher and enthusiast.
I found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.

[saraaaah · Rating 4 out of 5]

“there’s nothing left to do but fall”

short story about astronauts that get into a crash and all barrel off into space in different directions, but they can still communicate, facing the inevitable reality of their deaths together. very sad but simultaneously sweet and comforting. i am sad now.

but also of course the one female character is only concerned about appearance, youthfulness and getting back together with the captain in the face of death. it was written in the 1940s so i guess i shouldn’t expect a male author to know that women actually have nuanced thoughts outside of men. sorry but if i am about to die in the vastness of space im not going to be raving about how space time is going to preserve my youthfulness, i got more pressing things to think about haha.

[Orin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this probably about six months ago (maybe? Anyone’s guess, really), and it’s SO good. I have very few words for it, but it’s deeply profound and thought provoking and emotionally powerful. I just love Bradbury’s writing. Easily one of my favorite authors. This short story is one that I think about often, and it always gives me that weird feeling of epiphanic nihilism mixed with profound optimism that resides in your chest after a life-changing read. It’s just amazing. Full stop. Goodnight.

[King Reinhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this particular short story before, and it remains an all-time favorite. In typical Bradbury style, the writing is stunning. It's also absolutely devastating. The ending never fails to make me cry, especially given I'm from Illinois, the same as Bradbury was. The same as... Well. Read it and see.

This particular version of the story is an audiodrama narrated by Paul Frees and first played in 1984.

Favorite quote: "There's nothing left to do but fall."

[Shelly Ganz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even know what to say about this story. It's heartbreaking and compelling. I definitely didn't expect Hollis to just tie up his suit after parts of his body were destroyed by asteroids. Life is short, Hollis makes me think about what I'm doing with my life and how I can improve myself. The ending was spectacular, though very sad!

[Veronika Sebechlebská · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaleidoskop alebo smrť na 70 spôsobov.

Väčšina tých dobrých dielov Aktov X musela byť tak či onak inšpirovaná Bradburym, len poéziu nahradili bizarnosťou.

[Dalibor Dado Ivanovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Odlicna zbirka, vrijedi ju imati. Na zalost, fali prica Raketas koja je meni jako draga.

[James Biser · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good tale about a group of astronauts who meet an accident in space, near Earth, and communicate with each other as they drift apart and toward their separate demises.

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful.

[Alpha Cyber Wizard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Space, accident, life.

So beautiful in so many ways, making the reader see the importance in life.

This is one of my favorite Ray Bradbury - stories. No doubt.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very short but interesting examination of guilt and regret

[Adrian Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

* Minor Spoilers? * Kaleidoscope is honestly a really great short story. Even with the short time we spend with these characters, they feel real. From the moment they were scattered into space, they had died. All that they were left as were voices in an infinite void. The people feel like nothing now that they were only voices. Now they can't do anything with their lives as they are shown how little their lives mattered. People die in seconds, limbs are torn before they even realize; everything here works against them. However, even in such a grim scenario, some are able to rest with their final moments alive not bitter at the world, but accepting in a way. They would die a meaningless death, yet the huaman spirit for some prevails to find meaning. Where some are left eternally screaming, still trying to find a way to live and let their lives mean something grand, the rest are ready to rest.

The words used in this story are fantastic. Such vivid images are coveyed through this excellent use of words. The words solidify the futility of their lives, comparing them to nothing helping show the reader the value of their lives. The descriptipons and thoughts of everyone are magnificent. We get to glimpse how each of the characters feel with their situation and it adds a lot. I feel as though this review fails show the greatness of this story. It's only a few minutes long, just go read it yourself.

[Marek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Výborná kniha, doporučuji. Nádherné byly povídky z vesmíru.

Vzpomínám si, že jsem také v minulosti rád sledoval seriál s názvem DIVADLO RAYE BRADBURYHO. Vzpomínám si na příběh s pěstováním žampiónů ve sklepě, který je také v knize.

Citáty, které mne oslovily:

povídka Volání v mlze: Stále někdo čeká na někoho, kdo se nikdy nevrátí. Stále někdo miluje víc, než je sám milován. Když to trvá nějakou dobu, zachce se ti zničit předmět lásky, ať je to cokoliv, aby už ti nemohl působit bolest.

povídka Možná že odcházíme: Neboť pouze docela mladí vidí život před sebou a jenom hodně staří vidí život za sebou. Ostatní jsou životem tak zaujati, že nevidí nic.

Z jednoho interviewu, ve kterém Bradbury vyjadřuje postoj k moderní technologii:

Co myslíte, že právě v této chvíli dělají milióny Američanů, Italů, Francouzů, Japonců a tak dále? Dívají se na televizi. Nemyslí. Nepohybují se. Nežijí. Prostě se dívají. Televize myslí za ně. Žije za ně. Ale žije skutečně...? Formuje je do stavu apatie, aniž si to uvědomují, protože se pořád jen dívají a dívají. V té prokleté bedně, která stojí jako oltář uprostřed pokoje, číhá veliké nebezpečí, a přesto všichni před ní klečí bez hlesu jako před skutečným oltářem.

[Martyna Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

“They were scattered into a dark sea…”

“From this outer edge of his life, looking me there was only one remorse, and that was only that he wished to go on living.”

“Now he was trying to pack a lifetime of suppressed emotions in interval of minutes.”

“Oh, death in space was most humorous, it cut you away, piece by piece, like a black and invisible butcher.”

“Hollis look to see, but saw nothing. There was only the grey jewelleries of space, the diamonds and sapphires and emerald mists and velvet inks of space, with God’s voice mingling among the crystal fires.”

“They were all alone. The voices had died like echoes of the words of God spoken and vibrating in the starred space. There went the captain to the Sun; their Stone with the meteor swarm; there are Simson, tightened and unto hismself; their Applegate toward Pluto; there Smith Turner and Underwood and all the rest, the shards of the kaleidoscope that have formed a thinking pattern for so long, now hurled away.”

“The small boy on the country the road looked up and screamed. ‘Look, Mom, look! A falling star!’ The blazing star fell down the sky of dusk in Illinois. ‘Make a wish,’ said his mother. ‘Make a wish.’”

[a warm embrace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel like I'm close to being obsessed with Ray Bradbury (as you might have already noticed by the books recently added to the "want to read" list).

Holy shit he's so good at writing, and every single story in this (short) collection somehow managed to punch me in the stomach and left me thinking. I want to read all the short stories he's ever written now, and honestly it's motivating me to start writing again as well.

Also side note on this particular book, it's from a "lire en anglais" series by "les langues modernes", apparently something that makes books specifically to teach people different languages in France. The book is: main content on the left, definitions on the right (almost entirely in english), and has an index in the end with corresponding words in french. Another book (different publisher) has footnotes for words and phrases with the french equivalent on either side of the text. I find it really interesting cause of how easy it makes learning new languages, wish India had something similar. Sigh.

[Zen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still my favorite Ray Bradbury story. The first time I read it I was around 12 years old. 50 years later it still holds up.

It made my young mind think about how people dying could react in many different ways. More or less quoting RB: Dying should come in a variety of ways.

The image of the dying spaceman becoming a falling star has stuck with me all these years. The idea seems to show up in so many places, in movies, literature and even in 'The Perry Bible Fellowship' comic strip.


The man-floating-through-space-in-only-his-spacesuit trifecta:
1. Kaleidoscope by Ray Bradbury
2. To Each His Star by Bryce Walton
3. Coffins by Robert Reed