הפרדוקס האבוד

by Fredric Brown, פרדריק בראון, אלי טנא (Translator)

שלושה עשר הסיפורים המקובצים בספר "הפרדוקס האבוד" מציגים את הדמיון המקורי והפורה של בראון, שעשה אותו לסופר בולט בתחום המדע הבדיוני וספרות המתח. "אלורופוביה" מספר על גבר המפחד פחד נורא מחתולים ועל התוצאות המחרידות של ריפויו מפחדיו; "איפה ואיפה" מביא בט מרתק על הצנזורה, מתוך מקלט הטלויזיה אל תוך בתיהם של הצופים; ו"הנקישה" נפתח במילים המבעיתות: "האיש האחרון על פני כדור הארץ ישב לבדו בחדר. לפתע נשמעה נקישה בדלת.."
פרדריק בראון החל את הקאריירה שלו בכתיבת ספרי-מתח, שזכו להצלחה ואף הנחילו לו פרסים ספרותיים. אחר-כך החל לכתוב ספרי מדע בדיוני, והצלחתו בתחום זה הייתה לא פחותה. עד כה פרסם פרדריק בראון יותר משלושים ספרים וכמה מאות סיפורים קצרים. הטובים שבהם נמצאים בספר זה.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Fiction, Time Travel, Space Opera

176 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Fredric Brown was an American science fiction and mystery writer. He was one of the boldest early writers in genre fiction in his use of narrative experimentation. While never in the front rank of popularity in his lifetime, Brown has developed a considerable cult following in the almost half century since he last wrote. His works have been periodically reprinted and he has a worldwide fan base, most notably in the U.S. and Europe, and especially in France, where there have been several recent movie adaptations of his work. He also remains popular in Japan.

Never financially secure, Brown - like many other pulp writers - often wrote at a furious pace in order to pay bills. This accounts, at least in part, for the uneven quality of his work. A newspaperman by profession, Brown was only able to devote 14 years of his life as a full-time fiction writer. Brown was also a heavy drinker, and this at times doubtless affected his productivity. A cultured man and omnivorous reader whose interests ranged far beyond those of most pulp writers, Brown had a lifelong interest in the flute, chess, poker, and the works of Lewis Carroll. Brown married twice and was the father of two sons.

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection was the last book Brown completed before his death according to the touching introduction to it by his wife, Elizabeth. It spans the length of his career with stories from John W. Campbell's Astounding and Unknown Worlds in 1942 and 1943, stories from Captain Future, Thrilling Wonder Stories, Super Science, and Weird Tales from the 1940's and 1950's, through stories from Playboy, Dude, and The Magazine of F & SF in the 1960's. It includes his classic Knock, and other stories full of twists and turns and humor (one is titled Nothing Sirius). Brown was quite a clever craftsman, and this a very engaging volume.

[Harold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great! A collection of instantly engaging short sci-fi stories all of which would have made terrific episodes of a show like the original Rod Serling's Twilight Zone. I know Brown was a prolific writer and script writing was part of his livliehood. I don't know if he wrote for the TZ but he sure would have been at home with it. It is remarkable how Brown could draw you in after a paragraph or two.

[Ferio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Su último libro de relatos antes de fallecer. El autor pertenecía a aquella generación de escritores de ciencia ficción (entre otros géneros) que buscaba más la diversión y la apertura mental ante cuestiones que ahora creemos superadas que la ortodoxia científica que puebla el género en la actualidad. Si esto es bueno o malo dependerá del lector; yo, en estos tiempos, me inclino más por el modelo actual, pero eso no me impide disfrutar de los grandes precursores.

Y, de entre todos los relatos contenidos en este volumen, destaco El nuevo, que no sé si será mi imaginación pero me parece una evidente inspiración de American Gods; más ingenuo, más corto y más enfocado a la diversión que a la oscuridad del alma, pero podría ser una historia perteneciente al mismo universo sin ningún problema. O eso o tengo que leer a Joseph Campbell de una vez para entender ciertas cosas.

[Augusto Delgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dionysus bless the used book stores.

Having read a Spanish translation of this mind boggling superb collection of short stories yonks ago, a couple of decades later yours truly discovered this original first edition, yellowing pages and all in such a store somewhere in the inter-web for a quid or so. Couldn't reread it though, out of fetishist respect of the lovely little tome. But then run into another digital anthology that included a fistful of these stories and couldn't help but give it a last try.

Science fiction is a bit of a stretch if one intends to shoehorn most of Fredric Brown's work under that most appreciated genre. Perhaps it is a sub genre of classic scifi. But then again our highly esteemed author has a previous background of publishing crime novels and stories, and that type of literature definitely permeates throughout his "classic science fiction" work, but there is also a ting of the absurd and the unexpected twist in the stories outcome.

Take, for instance, me favourite story, the excellent "Aelurophobe" with its dark, darkest humour, so far away from space operas an the like. Similarly the "Ten Percenter" or "The Last Train" are more borderline horror and psychological thrillers than "proper" science fiction. But don't let this deviations from the canon deter you for a quality reading.

This should be mandatory.

[Scott Golden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nobody knows about him these days, but Fredric Brown was a great, FUN science fiction writer. This is a good collection.

[LectorNoir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cuando busco unas horas de diversión y situaciones disparatadas, Fredric Brown es a quien acudo. Me gustó mucho está antología de cuentos ya que me trajo recuerdos de anteriores novelas. Brown, siempre recomendable para salir un poco del contexto del sci-fi con trasfondo filosófico.

[Amina · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite book.

[Dony Grayman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tomo 28.
Faltaba el ISBN (8476343671)

[Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was definitely a very interesting book. All the short stories presented in it had an appeal to them and a sort of hidden comedy, and some were downright fascinating. It is a light book, easy to process, with clear messages.I would recommend it to anyone with an open mind.

[Johan Haneveld · Rating 4 out of 5]

9- Een paar verhalen waren voor mij als moderne lezer een beetje 'flauw' en aspecten als bijvoorbeeld man/vrouw-verhoudingen hadden de tand des tijds niet zo goed doorstaan, maar over het algemeen kon ik erg van deze bundel genieten. Ik had als tiener al eens een verhaal van Brown gelezen (waarin solipsisme een grote rol speelde), maar nooit een solo-bundel van hem tot me genomen. Ik wist wel dat hij bekend stond als geliefd auteur van korte verhalen, die bovendien vaak een humoristisch of minstens absurdistisch element hadden. Anders dan auteurs als Clarke, Asimov en Heinlein (om er maar een paar te noemen), is Brown niet geïnteresseerd in de natuurwetenschap. Je vindt hier geen verhalen die draaien om wetenschappelijke extrapolatie. Hij gebruikt het genre daarentegen om de menselijke waarneming (en ten diepste de menselijke ratio) te bevragen. Daarmee is het toch 'science fiction' - want onze wetenschappelijke instelling berust op ons vertrouwen in zowel onze waarneming van de feiten, als in onze ratio waarmee we die interpreteren. In deze verhalen kun je ervan uitgaan dat wat mensen zien en hoe mensen denken niet betrouwbaar is - daarom gaan ze of over schijnbaar rationele mensen die ontdekken dat hun werkelijkheid niet is hoe ze altijd dachten dat die was (ze blijken personages te zijn in een TV-serie bijvoorbeeld/of hun denkbeelden over buitenaardse wezens blijken niet te kloppen) of over irrationele mensen (schizofreen of obsessief) die hun 'waandenkbeelden' bevestigd zien - zoals iemand die een bijzonder muziekinstrument ontdekt. Zelfs achter de ernstige verhalen of de verhalen die aan horror grenzen, voel je als lezer de knipoog van de auteur - de enige reden dat het slecht afloopt met de hoofdpersonen is omdat ze zichzelf veel te serieus nemen.
Deze verhalen laten zien dat goede SF niet altijd wetenschappelijk hoeft te zijn, als de auteur maar heeft nagedacht over de werkelijkheid. Ook laten ze zien dat een heldere, frisse schrijfstijl en puntige dialogen zorgen dat een verhaal decennia nadat het geschreven is nog steeds goed leesbaar is. Ik zal als ik nog een keer een bundel van Brown tegenkom, niet aarzelen die aan te schaffen!

[Stormcrow Hayes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've spent the past year dipping in and out of Brown's work and really enjoying much of it. I began with this SF novels before diving into his mystery / suspense short stories, and even though it hasn't all been noteworthy, most of it has been fun. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for this collection. This was a mostly bland set of stories with only a few exceptions. My favorite was "The Puppet Master" just for its fun and silly ending. "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik" was interesting as well and reminded me a little of Lovecraft's "The Music of Erich Zann" in spirit. Unfortunately, almost every story felt padded and that's to be expected since they were written in an era where writer's were writing their fingers off just to survive. But it does turn what might be a cute short story into more of a slog than it should be.

Anyway, despite the setback, I'm still looking forward to reading more of Fredric Brown's work in the future. I just wouldn't recommend this collection unless you're a diehard fan.

[Jamie Huston · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brown is a steady, dependable creator of clever short stories, but they're almost twee in how much they resemble episodes of The Twilight Zone. Makes sense, since Brown and Rod Serling were working in similar genres around the same time.

Most of these are simple "what if?" stories and/or morality tales where a man discovers "the one odd truth" about his reality, or is ironically punished, or some such thing.

Most of the surprises were obvious; one was even ridiculously childish. The writing tends to be solid--I appreciate Brown's penchant for tight, focused dialogue (over Serling's loquaciously literary characters, week after week)--but only a few of these stories were genuinely impressive.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first discovered Fredric Brown when I was a teenager and have loved his work ever since. He was a genius of a storyteller, a master of the twist ending, had a wonderful sense of irony, and a great sense of humor. This collection of science fiction and fantasy stories was first published after his death and includes material from the 1940s to the 1960s. They would have fit right in on "The Twilight Zone."

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a study in how short fiction -- really short fiction -- can impact you and make you feel things.

Many of the stories are forgettable.

But many of them are not. 'Something Green' is great. So is 'Ten Percenter.' 'Knock' is rightly a classic. And 'The Last Train' and 'It Didn't Happen' and 'The New One' are like pieces of chocolate. Delectable.

[stefania · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved most of the short stories. A common factor regarding all of them was being mindblown. I loved the plot twists. Another thing I appreciated was that this isn't the kind of sf that is too technical.

[Tarash_bulba · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the short stories contained within. They were quite interesting and mostly funny takes on Lovecraftian horror, Space exploration, first contact and even a Fermi Paradox solution. Highly recommended for fun and interesting quick reads that stimulate your imagination.

[Ramirogonzalez22 · Rating 4 out of 5]

No conocía al autor. Una gran sorpresa. Leeré lo que más pueda de él.

[Geraud · Rating 4 out of 5]

La science fiction humoristique est un genre trop rare.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me han gustado mucho los cuentos de ciencia ficción, algunos los había leído ya por el recopilatorio pero otros no. Muy originales y con ideas y finales sorprendentes.

[Andrés · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buena recopilación de relatos de ciencia ficción. La mayoría de ellos tiene un buen nivel aunque alguno se hace demasiado largo.

[Jacob Guy Segalov · Rating 5 out of 5]

ארבעת המ"מים - מקורי, מבריק, משעשע ומפתיע.

[Desire Manara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paradoja perdida y otros doce cuentos más una gran introducción de Elizabeth Brown.

[Danny R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Colección de relatos, buenos en general, aunque hubo algunos más atrapantes que otros.

[haxxy · Rating 4 out of 5]

O culegere de povestiri excelentă! Textele lui Fredric Brown sunt scurte, intense și pline de idei ingenioase, comparabile cu episoadele din seriale ca The Outer Limits sau, mai recent, Black Mirror. Fiecare povestire are o întorsătură interesantă sau o temă care te pune pe gânduri. Mai jos am încercat o scurtă descriere pentru fiecare, fără spoilere!

Am rotunjit nota finală la 4★.

Paradoxul pierdut - 4★
În timpul orelor de curs, o muscă îi distrage atenția lui Shorty, dar aceasta dispare brusc. Întinzând mâna spre locul respectiv, dispare și el — și se trezește într-un loc cufundat în beznă, unde o voce îi spune că se află într-o mașină a timpului.

Marionetele - 4★
Garth, un reprezentant al unei rase extraterestre, vizitează Pământul și ne supune unor teste pentru a decide dacă merităm să fim acceptați în federația raselor inteligente.

Ultimul tren - 3★
Un bărbat beat încearcă să-și lase viața în urmă și să plece oriunde, dar mereu găsește un motiv să amâne plecarea.

Nu s-a întâmplat nimic - 4★
Lorenz Kane lovește cu mașina o fată pe bicicletă, dar când coboară, nu găsește pe nimeni. Povestirea explorează ideea solipsismului — convingerea că universul există doar în mintea individului.

Supunere - 4★
O navă de extratereștri telepați încearcă să comunice cu oamenii, dar pământenii reacționează tipic: trag mai întâi, întreabă după.

Domnul zece la sută - 4★
Bill, un actor ratat, găsește un portofel și începe să cheltuie banii. Când îl întâlnește pe proprietar, Roscoe, acesta îi propune o afacere neobișnuită: să-l reprezinte, în schimbul a 10% din câștiguri.

Din lac în puț - 3★
Hilari Morgan are o fobie severă de pisici. După ce se căsătorește, soția îl convinge să meargă la un psihiatru celebru, care, prin terapie, descoperă momentul declanșator al traumei.

Sirius anormal - 3.5★
Echipajul unei nave terestre, aflat în sistemul Sirius, descoperă o planetă necunoscută și o numește „Sirius anormal” după evenimentele bizare care au loc acolo.

Dincolo de ecran - 3★
Personajele din filme reușesc să privească dincolo de ecran și văd spectatorii — descoperind că legile realității lor sunt complet diferite.

Schema de principiu - 3★
Invadatori uriași, de 1500 de metri înălțime, dar cu o densitate foarte mică, ajung pe Pământ.

Ce înseamnă politețea - 3★
Un exo-psiholog vizitează Venus și încearcă să stabilească o relație de prietenie cu venusienii, cunoscuți pentru atitudinea lor ostilă.

Ondulații - 4★
Semnalele radio și TV sunt brusc invadate de mesaje Morse și transmisii vechi — primele emisii ale omenirii, care se întorc după decenii. Când oamenii de știință realizează acest lucru, înțeleg că nu e o simplă coincidență, ci începutul unei invazii extraterestre.

Dumnezeu - 3★
Un copil de patru ani, Petre, ajunge la porțile Raiului, este primit de Sfântul Petru și pornește în căutarea lui Dumnezeu.

Mă iubește, nu mă iubește, mult, puțin... - 3★
Doctorul Michaelson își invită soția în laborator pentru a-i demonstra ultima sa descoperire: o modalitate de a comunica cu florile.

O colecție plină de idei SF originale și ironice, cu teme care merg de la călătorii în timp și invazii extraterestre până la dileme filozofice. Unele povestiri sunt mai reușite decât altele, dar per total Paradoxul pierdut confirmă reputația lui Fredric Brown ca maestru al povestirilor SF scurte.

[Ana-Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Carry this little book with you when you go for a read in the park or on a short trip. It is perfect. It allows for a quick read and you will find an intriguing short story that will make you think about it the rest of the day. I enjoyed it a lot and it proved once more that great SF ideas do not necessarily require entire collections to be shared with the public.

[Newly Wardell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a special book. His tangents are wild. He's a one of a kind writer.