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Spaceman of Bohemia

by Jakub Prockazka

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Summary

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Introduction

Spaceman of Bohemia is a 2017 science fiction novel by Czech-American author Jaroslav Kalfar. The novel unfolds in first-person perspective from the point of view of Jakub Procházka, a Czech cosmonaut on a solo mission to investigate a mysterious cloud of space dust near Venus. The closer he gets to the cloud, the lonelier he becomes, ultimately questioning his sanity after months of isolation and the emergence of a talking spider. 

Recently adapted for the silver screen in a space drama (starring Adam Sandler) retitled Spaceman, Kalfar's novel saw wild success — even though the movie differs markedly from the book. Spaceman of Bohemia was a finalist for both the prestigious Arthur C. Clarke Award and the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize.

The novel is rich with Czech history, lore and trivia. Many historical and cultural references foreshadow Procházka’s actions—even millions of kilometers away in deep space, he remains a part of Czech history. 

The character Hanuš, for instance, honors the famous Czech inventor of the astrological clock. Procházka’s ship is the Jan Hus 1, named after a scientist who was thought to be murdered but was actually just living out his life in solitude and peace. In the background, Rusalka, a Czech opera,plays, recalling the tragedy of doomed lovers from different worlds. These cultural and historical references offer Procházka a path to his own peaceful future in the countryside. 

Plot Summary

Jakub Procházka’s father is a clandestine member of the Soviet secret police in Czechoslovakia. After the Velvet Revolution—when Czechoslovakia rebelled against Communist rule—his secret was revealed, leading Jakub to become an orphan.  

Jakub spends his childhood in the countryside town of Středa. His grandparents raised him, and despite the bucolic setting of their life in Středa, their neighbors often harass them for Jakub's father's misdeeds. Shoe Man, a local politician, is the worst culprit, forcing the family to move to Prague and slowly tormenting them as Procházka's father once tortured him. 

In Prague, Procházka works hard, eventually becoming a scientist of merit. These early chapters critique the inhumane realities of life under forced communism, but they also discuss the violent retribution carried out against Soviet collaborators after the Velvet Revolution. The novel details the pain of a childhood spent in political turmoil and social unrest. In doing so, Kalfar reveals an era of corruption, extrajudicial killings, mob violence and hunger.

Procházka’s grandparents die young after a hard life and unceasing torment from Shoe Man, leaving Procházka devastated but motivated to recover his family’s honor. When a mysterious cloud appears after a passing comet and lingers for years in the night sky, the Czech Republic is the only nation willing to send someone into space to investigate what has been named the Chopra cloud. Procházka decides to go in order to become a national hero and clear his family’s name. 

Despite his personal motivations, the prospect of leaving his loving wife, Lenka, on Earth devastates Procházka. Even still, he embarks on the years-long endeavor, which includes training and transit into deep space. After only months away, Lenka cannot cope with the isolation and leaves Procházka. Through Petr, his contact at the command center, Procházka hires a spy to follow her, learning that she has started a new life in another town. The revelation only worsens his isolation and loneliness.

While working through daily tasks on the ship, Procházka notices a large spider. He questions if it is really there, assuming the isolation has driven him mad. Eventually, he speaks to the spider. To his surprise, it responds, opening an ongoing dialogue between the pair....

(This entire section contains 1011 words.)

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After this first interaction, Procházka names the spider Hanuš. The spider reveals his motive: He is a traveler and philosopher studying the cosmos and is onboard the ship to study Procházka. Through the spider, Procházka begins to address his childhood traumas as Hanuš listens and learns telepathically. 

When the ship reaches the Chopra cloud, Procházka is ready to cement his name in history. Unfortunately, the cloud’s particles tear through the ship, destroying it. Procházka escapes into his EVA suit, and joins Hanuš in space, where they explore the mysteries of the universe side by side in the cloud. When Procházka is about to run out of oxygen, a Russian ship emerges and brings him aboard. Petr and Czech mission control believe Procházka is dead, the ship lost, and the mission a failure.

Onboard the Russian ship, Procházka soon realizes he is in danger. The Russians intend to interrogate and possibly torture him. Procházka, traumatized by his childhood experience with the Soviets, decides to attempt an escape rather than submit. With the help of Russian cosmonaut Vasily, who claims the spider also spoke to him, Procházka sabotages the descent, crash-landing the ship on Earth. Procházka is the only survivor.

Rather than returning to national fame, Procházka decides to hide away and remain “dead.” He does not reunite with Lenka. However, he does confronts Shoe Man. After making peace with his former foe, Procházka lives out his days on his family’s farm in Středa. He has visited his statue in Prague and is aware of his status as a national hero, but he no longer needs the affirmation nor wants the fame because he—with the help of Hanuš—has made peace with his past.

The space saga is a metaphor for how far one has to travel to deal with trauma, describing the extent of the life-altering pain caused by political and social extremes. Left damaged and broken by the Soviets and the subsequent retribution from his countrymen, Procházka struggles to love and be loved fully, dooming his relationship with Lenka. His extreme isolation in space prepared him for a life back on Earth spent exploring the cosmos within. 

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