Half a Life

Доктор Павлыш #6

by Kir Bulychev, Кир Булычев, Theodore Sturgeon (Introduction)

In these seven superbly executed stories - all shaped by the imaginative twists, wry humor, and warmly human characters for which Kirill Bulychev's work is well-known in the Soviet Union - American readers are lifted into a delightfully varied future where some very likable Earthlings suddenly find themselves in the most fantastic situations.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Russia, Speculative Fiction, Russian Literature

Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Kir Bulychev was a pen name of Igor Vsevolodovich Mozheiko, a Soviet Russian science fiction writer, critic, translator and historian of Lithuanian ancestry. His magnum opus is a children's science fiction series Alisa Selezneva, although most of his books are adult-oriented. His books were adapted for film, TV, and animation over 20 times – more than any other Russian science fiction author – and Bulychev himself wrote scripts for early adaptations.
He began to write SF in 1965. He has translated numerous American SF stories into Russian.
Winner of the ESFS Awards in 1984 as the "Best Short Story Writer".
Winner of the Aelita award in 1997.

Other names:
Russian - Кир Булычев
Russian real name (non-fiction books) - Игорь Можейко
Bulgarian - Кир Буличов
Polish - Kir Bułyczow
Hungarian - Kir Bulicsov
Estonian - Kir Bulõtšov
Spanish - Kir Bulichov
Slovak - Kirill Bulyčov
Finnish - Kirill Bulytšev
Lithuanian - Kirilas Bulyčiovas
German - Kirill Bulytschow
Czech - Kir Bulyčov
Chinese - 季尔·布雷乔夫

Reviews

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great lil collection. Sadly it contains only to tiniest fragment of Kir's fantastic writing..
The translation is really well done and the whole thing flows nicely.

My biggest issue is more of a nitpick really - the character in the titular story, "Half a Life", her name has been changed. From Nadezhda she becomes Natasha - perhaps it was just easier to pronounce and write in English... but her original name literally is "hope", and that's important within the story itself!

[Apocryphal Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is one of the McMillan *Best of Soviet Sci-Fi* series and features seven short stories selected by Theodore Sturgeon to showcase the author. These stories really range in style, and I found them reminding me of a variety of authors from Clark to Lem and even to Vance, though these stories never reach the levels of absurdity that the latter two can reach.

Some of the stories were quite moving, others more comedic. The theme seems to be one of crossing. In one story an olympic official must cross the galaxy to investigate an incident and experiences cultural disorientation. In another a scientist must help rescue a group of people trapped in a cave-in by melding minds with a survivor. In a third, telephone lines get crossed, both in distance and in time. And a 100 year space exploration mission gets crossed by a newer and faster mission that was launched later. Read more about them here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_a_... and more about the author here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kir_Bul...

The stories themselves are not groundbreaking, but it's nice to read a different voice for a change, and to read of life in the Soviet Union that isn't melancholy or oppressive. This feels more like a true slice of life. I found the writing in the title story to be particularly nice, enjoyed how, in the opening scene, he can start describing a scene from a distance and zoom in slowly to detail.

I would recommend this book if you happen to see it somewhere and want to read something a bit different. I wouldn't suggest going out of your way for it, though. I'm glad I read it, and I love the cover image - looks nice on my shelf.

[Manuel Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Não sou fã de pequenas histórias pois acabam por me parecer sempre incompletas, mas “Por favor, a Nina está?” e “Donzela de Neve” captaram eficazmente o meu interesse. A única história que gostaria que tivesse sido desenvolvida foi a primeira, “Meia-vida”, pelo potencial que apresentava. O estilo de escrita é bastante “seco” e os diálogos pareciam por vezes bastante robóticos quase, tornando bastante difícil compreender as motivações das personagens.

[osoi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ступая какими-то неведомыми космическими тропками, я все чаще натыкаюсь на Булычева; сначала мне повстречался «Протест» – короткий, легко стираемый из памяти рассказ о спорте, олимпийских играх и таких-разных-инопланетянах. А теперь «Половина жизни» (повесть за таким фасадом могла скрывать все, что угодно) – история похищения, выживания и жертвы. Сначала хотела написать вместо жертвы «подвиг», но у меня все же не поднимается рука обозначить принятое решение/действие подвигом. Потому что а. все произошедшее кажется нелепой случайностью; б. спасти только избранных, а остальных оставить позади – это не подвиг.

Повесть трагична, и с самого начала, как только герой вступает на палубу заброшенного корабля, можно догадаться, что обитатели не просто так покинули свой дом. Формат записок, в котором подается большая часть истории, тревожит душу, но главная героиня словно находится в другой плоскости. Да, безысходность. Да, надежда. И все же ожила она для меня только в тот момент, когда обратилась в прах. Так всегда с героями, уже медленно угасающими, доживающими свое, отчасти смирившимися со своей судьбой – они внезапно вспыхивают в наивысшей точке, и сгорают за считанные секунды. В ней заключена неимоверная сила духа – жить, несмотря ни на что, даже потеряв ориентацию во времени и пространстве, удерживаясь от безумия только отчаянной попыткой занять себя делом.

Если бы не первая глава, оценка у повести была бы совсем другая. Уже с первых строк веет чем-то необратимым; скоро все изменится – но совсем не так, как предполагают герои. Этот маленький островок нормального человеческого существования тем более пронзителен, что перекликается с финалом. И корабль, так же медленно угасающий и десятки лет дрейфующий в космосе, мне не менее жаль, чем его обитателей.

annikeh.net

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ran across one of Bulychev's short stories in some other Soviet SF collection and it motivated me to find more work by him. This book was the first I found in that search. I loved this book and it made me an eternal fan of his going forward. The stories are original and varied, entertaining and sharp. He covers the whole range of the human experience - that sounds overly-dramatic but for a single author's work he covers a lot of ground.

This book is a great collection of short SF by a great author. My highest endorsement.

[Johnny · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book written in the soviet union which contains several stories and a novella called Half A Life which I can't deny loving to read. As a man ventures alone into a strange craft he becomes mesmerised by the short memoirs and letters he's finds scattered around and in such old and decaying form. He finds a strange blob like being which seems to have been kept locked away. But his real interest is in that of Natasha whose diary he continues to read. She was stolen and held against her will, taken from earth, taken away from her daughter and locked in a cage by mechanical creatures. Years go by and they learn to accept her presence allowing the russian girl Natasha to roam the craft as she pleases. She befriends other species around her though they seem hideous to her at first. After a time the 'gloopies' capture a new alien species whoes sluglike appearance digust Natasha but after a while she begins to care for them. Even trying to communicate to them. Not long after, her presence is known as she stands by the cage and she is attacked by a shock of electricity from a gloopy. The man Pavlych continues reading, following her captivity and her progress on this former slave zoo craft. Her efforts of communication grow and together these two different species decide to plan an escape. I enjoyed this more and more with every page. Wondering what will happen to Natasha, whether she somehow makes it home to her daughter, or if Pavlych ends up making contact with her. But the ending comes as a subtle shock while also ending happily.
The second story is one I don't care for much but only because there is little in the way of the plot while the writing does nothing to save it for me. But instead I will say it is just a bit of drama happening in the future on an unknown planet, involving a man and his crew and the accident he is involved in. It became interesting toward the end but I did not find it entertaining.
Though there is a strange twist in the story I wouldn't call it a science fiction one but being centred around the Olympic games in the far future where a high jump champion is called to visit a planet regarding their future in the games. The inhabitants seem to act strangely by the colour of their hair to the throwing of infants into pools of water. This shocking act is witnessed by Kim Pervo who quickly dives in to rescue the baby. Only to be gawked at by the onlookers and the parents who he sees pull their child safely out. Kim tries and tries to find out the reason why he was summond here and what caused these people to question their future in the games. The result is quite a fun little twist. You could say a type of shape shifting. I enjoy it.
Wow beginning as a stranger on the phone, with Vadim calling May I please speak with Nina? The tale delves deeply into the character of two people, a man in his forties and a girl in her teens and the the phone calls exchanged between them of the differing things seen outside the windows. Nina is sceptical of what Vadim is trying to tell her of things like the current year and what he can see around him. Until he tells her to find what he lost, once in the past. The ending is delightfully sad. I loved it.

[Temucano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Los cuentos de Bulychev se centran en las emociones humanas, en el problema del “ser”, no importando el escenario donde se encuentren los protagonistas. Y no es que falten extraterrestres extravagantes o situaciones insólitas, de hecho abundan, pero siempre con el problema humano de por medio.

Mis relatos favoritos, dentro de un buen promedio, fueron:

"Media Vida": el relato más largo del libro es una historia de esfuerzo sobre una mujer en las condiciones más extrañas posibles. Entretenido y de paso supe que son las holoturias.
"Yo fui el primero en hallarlos": sobre una expedición espacial que ya debe volver a casa. Paradójicamente triste.
"El ciervo rojo, el ciervo blanco": extraordinario relato de paleontología espacial.
"La doncella de nieve": Una historia de amor imposible con un final de película. Lo mejor del libro.
"El primer estrato de memoria": sobre experimentos con la mente humana en situaciones de catástrofe. Mas dentro de la línea clásica soviética.

En fin, vale la pena leer a este autor ya sea este libro o alguna antología de ciencia ficción donde aparezca el relato "Una chiquilla a la que nunca le sucede nada”, otra belleza de aventura.

[MinotauRock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente
Una serie de cuentos que nos muestran la psicología humana en situaciones "de ciencia ficción" en donde lo que se explora no es el espacio, sino la mente del hombre. Historias que también saben mezclarse con humor y/o crítica. Totalmente recomendable.
Otra cara de la ciencia ficción.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

decently written but somewhat bland soviet sci fi. still it's probably better than the equivalent from an american writer

[Desire Manara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Debe ser el único tomo de la colección Emecé Ciencia Ficción que quedó en la biblioteca.

[Tamerlaaane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story collection of Soviet scifi, which is always a pleasure to explore.
"Half a Life" is by far the best story in here. It alone carries it to an overall pleasant reading experience. The rest of the stories are okay at best.

[Dony Grayman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cuentos de ciencia ficción rusos.
Traducción de Helen Saltz Jacobson. Título original ruso: POPOIEA XIZEI (CB. RACCXAZOV)

[Andrew Orange · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of stories by Kir (Kier?) Bulychev translated into English.
The title story is one of the author's best.
I read these works in russian of course.