tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181327480848828236.post3926065159846984953..comments2024-01-30T09:28:20.715+01:00Comments on Val's Random Comments: Hard To Be a God - Arkady and Boris StrugatskyValashainhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13766127527509268224noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181327480848828236.post-80751790482122758022015-05-07T22:04:36.034+02:002015-05-07T22:04:36.034+02:00It is one thing to perceive a difference and anoth...It is one thing to perceive a difference and another to put it into words ;) I am generalizing a bit and I did try to compare it to works of more or less the same age. <br /><br />Mieville's language is ... er.. a challenge for a second language reader ;) It always takes a me a while to get into it. Valashainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13766127527509268224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181327480848828236.post-66565159242009689622015-05-07T18:04:49.354+02:002015-05-07T18:04:49.354+02:00So, you have sat down to think what the difference...So, you have sat down to think what the difference is. :)<br /><br />In today's science fiction world, we see everything. But looking back over the years, definitely there are strong leanings toward the American/Anglo elements you mention. You would have to look at specific authors rather than groups of authors to find works comparable to the Strugatskies, it seems. I find the language Jessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07796098208589965362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181327480848828236.post-52477468050083168232015-05-07T12:56:26.359+02:002015-05-07T12:56:26.359+02:00Sorry for the slow reply, I've had a busy coup...Sorry for the slow reply, I've had a busy couple of days. <br /><br />I'd say part of it at least is thematic. The Strugatsky brothers were not shy about pointing out the follies of the political system they lived in but they were very influenced by socialist theories and ideas on societies. In American SF you are much more likely to find libertarian thinking. There is a different view onValashainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13766127527509268224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9181327480848828236.post-58484909656972761832015-05-06T08:24:03.479+02:002015-05-06T08:24:03.479+02:00Just out of curiosity, what do you think the diffe...Just out of curiosity, what do you think the difference is between the Strugatsky's approach to science fiction compared to other Western science fiction? I've read Roadside Picnic (and will read Hard to Be a God based on this review) and I agree there's something different about their work, but I haven't sat down to figure out what exactly that difference is.Jessehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07796098208589965362noreply@blogger.com