Solaris (Magill’s Guide to Science Fiction and Fantasy Literature)
At a glance:
- Author: Stanislaw Lem
- First Published: 1961
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Science fiction—alien civilization
- Time of Work: After the twenty-first century
- Setting: The planet Solaris
- Genres: Long fiction, Science fiction
- Subjects: Sex or sexuality, Extraterrestrial life, Future, Other worlds, Space flight or travel, Space ships, stations, or vehicles, Mysteries, Planets, Monsters, Ocean
- Locales: Solaris (fictive)
The Plot
Researcher Kris Kelvin arrives on Solaris, a planet covered by a mysterious—and possibly intelligent—plasma-ocean- entity, only to find the facilities of the research base untended and in a state of disrepair. Kelvin searches the station and discovers Dr. Snow, a drunken, distracted base worker whose utterances and behavior indicate that the entire crew has become unstable. The station commander, Gibarian, has committed suicide.
During his initial investigation of the facility, Kelvin feels as though he is being watched and hears movement nearby when nothing...
[The entire page is 1119 words long]
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