Hard to be a god
This 1963 masterpiece is widely considered one of the best novels of the greatest Russian writers of science fiction. Yet until now the only English version (unavailable for over thirty years) was based on a German translation, and was full of errors, infelicities, and misunderstandings. Now, in a new translation by Olena Bormashenko, whose translation of the authors’ Roadside Picnic has received widespread acclaim, here is the definitive edition of this brilliant work. It tells the story of Don Rumata, who is sent from Earth to the medieval kingdom of Arkanar with instructions to observe and to save what he can. Masquerading as an arrogant nobleman, a dueler and a brawler, Don Rumata is never defeated, but can never kill. With his doubt and compassion, and his deep love for a local girl named Kira, Rumata wants to save the kingdom from the machinations of Don Reba, the first minister to the king. But given his orders, what role can he play? Hard to Be a God has inspired a role-playing video game and two movies, including Aleksei German’s long-awaited swan song. This long overdue translation will reintroduce one of the most profound Soviet-era novels to an eager audience. Arkady and Boris Strugatsky were famous and popular Russian writers of science fiction, with more than 25 novels and novellas to their names. Hari Kunzru is the author of highly praised novels including Gods Without Men and The Impressionist.
Stats for nerds
19recommend
29mentions
27people
2009–2026years
66% recommend34% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- I can only recommend Strougastky brothers books’, I enjoyed ‘Hard to Be a God’ and wish to read more from them.
That is why I find the prospect of spoiling the plot without warning to be bad taste and didn’t finish the article.
- I highly recommend also reading the “Inhabited Island” as well as “Hard to be a God” by these authors. These books are brilliant as well.
- I also wanted to mention the Noon Universe, but I have to point out that two of the most famous books of the series(Трудно быть богом - Hard to Be a God[0]; Обитаемый остров - The Inhabited Island[1]), which are also my favorite books of the series, are also sort of set in a dystopian world. They had to sneak some dystopian worlds into the utopian universe to make it more interesting.
- If I had to pick three books that made me who I am, I would add Ask A Foolish Question by Robert Sheckley [0] and Hard to Be a God by Strugatsky brothers [1].
Those two are more about humility and imperialism than learning, though.
[0] https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/33854
[1] https://content.cosmos.art/media/pages/library/hard-to-be-a-...
- It's really one of the most haunting books I've ever read. "Hard to be a God" is also very poignant.
- Roadsise Picnic and The Snail on the Slope are IMO two of their best books (A. B. Strugatsky). I really liked others like Monday starts on Saturday or It's hard to be a God.
Sci Fi by Ursula k. Le Guin is also written from a very different perspective. Earthsea cycle, which is more fantasy, but unike any other. Also the book on the planet where people marry in quadruplets, The Planet of Exile, part of Hainish Cycle. Whole Hainish Cycle is awesome, Left Hand of Darkness, Rocannon's World.
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