Solaris

The Definitive Edition

By: Stanislaw Lem, Bill Johnston - translator

Narrated by: Alessandro Juliani

Length: 7 hrs and 42 mins

Publisher's summary

At last, one of the world’s greatest works of science fiction is available - just as author Stanislaw Lem intended it.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the publication of Solaris, Audible, in cooperation with the Lem Estate, has commissioned a brand-new translation - complete for the first time, and the first ever directly from the original Polish to English. Beautifully narrated by Alessandro Juliani (Battlestar Galactica), Lem’s provocative novel comes alive for a new generation.

In Solaris, Kris Kelvin arrives on an orbiting research station to study the remarkable ocean that covers the planet’s surface. But his fellow scientists appear to be losing their grip on reality, plagued by physical manifestations of their repressed memories. When Kelvin’s long-dead wife suddenly reappears, he is forced to confront the pain of his past - while living a future that never was. Can Kelvin unlock the mystery of Solaris? Does he even want to?

©1961 Stanislaw Lem. Translation © 2011 by Barbara and Tomasz Lem (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Few are [Lem's] peers in poetic expression, in word play, and in imaginative and sophisticated sympathy." (Kurt Vonnegut)

"[Lem was] a giant of mid-20th-century science fiction, in a league with Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick." ( The New York Times)
"Juliani transmits Kelvin’s awe at Solaris’s red and blue dawns and makes his confusion palpable when he awakens one morning to find his long-dead wife seated across the room. Juliani’s performance is top-notch." ( AudioFile)

Solaris

I like science fiction. I'm a fan the cold equations and sliced clockwise only on Tuesday worlds. I like stories that use science fiction as a backdrop for a view into the human condition. This is one of those books. The science is there, as well as the humanity. This is about the struggles Kris Kelvin and how he deals with his skeletons in his closet. Both chilling and serene, this book was a fantastic listen.

Top notch on all parameters

What made the experience of listening to Solaris the most enjoyable?

The combination of the story and the narrator's portrayal of the different characters made this audio book really enjoyable and as I also bought the whispersync'ed Kindle book it was really easy to get into the book

What did you like best about this story?

The depths of the characters and their internal struggles combined with the alien context they were in.

Which scene was your favorite?

Where the main character reconciles with the strangeness of his reproduced wife and comes to love this new person

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Sometimes you need to travel far to get in touch with your inner self

For fans of Stanislaw Lem

I saw there were a lot of rave reviews for this book. It seems to be from fans who were familiar with the movies and probably the author's other books (which would have given them more insights into this book upon re-reading). Having only read the book, I didn't find it engaging. I thought the dialogue was awkward at times. It could be that the intent didn't translate well from Polish to English or because it was written in 1961 and has become dated. As a story, I think the book is lacking. For example, the focus is around the main character Kelvin and the physical manifestation of his "guest" shortly after he arrives on the planet. The other two characters are also facing their own of past regrets and guilts. The book teases the readers with moments where the other two characters are struggling to contain their "guests," but it is never revealed who they are. This left an unsatisfactory feeling. It's as if the author spent all his energy creating the dead lover of Kelvin and trying to unveil the part he played in her death. And he couldn't think of anything else to create for the other two shipmates. The book also spent more time describing the science that emerged from studying Solaris (and all the scientific jargon that evolved) than in developing the characters.

The book is interesting from a philosophical perspective. Humanity is arrogant in thinking that it can study and understand an alien life when we don't even understand ourselves. Also it appears that the planet Solaris could be one giant life form. Humanity's attempt to make contact with it would be like an ant trying to make contact with an elephant.

Don't judge a book by it's movie!

I've seen both the Russian and the Clooney movies for Solaris and neither quite jelled for me. This book is SO much better. A must read for any sci-fi lover. Alessandro Juliani does an amazing job as the Narrator and I hope to hear more from him.

Refreshingly old

The first thing you must do before you listen to Solaris is to remove from your mind any memories of the film bearing the same name. That disappointing effort probably did more harm to Stanislaw Lem's wonderful work of science fiction than any poor review, and most likely has turned people away from reading the book itself. The truth is that given that Solaris was written in 1961, it remains poignant even today. Stanislaw Lem's portrayal of communication between completely different lifeforms and the issue of "anthropomorphism" also reflects our own difficulties with communication across cultures within our own species.
There are a couple of chapters that get a bit bogged down with pure description and taxonomy, but overall the book flowed well. Alessandro Juliani's narration is a fine performance, giving the book a natural, realistic feel.

But perhaps the most refreshing thing about this book is that it is "traditional" science fiction rather than merely a re-hash of the old good vs evil, right vs wrong type plot that just happens to be set on another world or in space.

beautiful

one of the best books I have ever read, beautiful words like liquid poetry from an alien God

hard to listen to at times

the storyline is awesome, but the rambling was terrible. some of the terminology was over my head along with the subject matter. should I have to be a rocket scientist to be able to enjoy the read?

great concepts, solid performance

the ideas expressed were thought provoking, and the book was well read. character development was decent for the main character, the setting didn't call for more than that.

A fantastic listen.

This is a phenomenal story, worthy of translating. It has you on the edge of your seat at times, and sifting through your own most private beliefs and philosophies at others. It simultaneously stimulates what every sci-fi reader appreciates, while reinforcing that which makes us human. Juliani's performance is second to none.

Great classic sci-fi, amazing performance

Alessandro Juliani performance is really amazing: he can bring a lot of atmosphere and depth to all characters without exceeding with his interpretation. His delivery is perfectly understandable for a non native speaker yet it's still full of character and personality.

The story itself is a little slow at the beginning but once you're involved in the characters and their emotions it's easy to get lost in the narration.
I especially loved the "world-building" work the author put in the story: the setting is completely alien and still completely believable, the creation of a meta-scientific-literature really does the trick and the descriptions of Solaris are suggestive and evocative.

I watched the 2002 movie just after finishing the book and it really doesn't hold a candle to the book. If you saw the movie and was put off do yourself a favor and listen to this audiobook.