Definitely Maybe: A Manuscript Discovered under Unusual Circumstances (Macmillan's Best of Soviet Science Fiction) [Hardcover]

Arkadii Natanovich Strugatsky (Author), Boris Strugatsky (Author), Antonina W. Bouis (Translator), Theodore Sturgeon (Introduction)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Russian (translation)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 143 pages
• Publisher: MacMillan Publishing Company; 1st edition (December 1978)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0026151804
• ISBN-13: 978-0026151801
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,454,278 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Lem-ish mystery story, March 29, 2006

By 

Roopo (Finland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Definitely Maybe: A Manuscript Discovered under Unusual Circumstances (Macmillan's Best of Soviet Science Fiction) (Hardcover)

I happened to read this book after Stanislav Lem's 'His Masters voice' In my view, these books complement each other well, when Lem is more society-oriented, this book is something similar in a more personal way. I recommend reading this book first. Great reading if one wants to have a break amidst science studies. The tone of the book is somewhat humorous ('Who are all these people barging in...?') but more serious tones can also be heard. I'm amazed by how many layers Strugatsky has been able to put in this one. One could almost imagine this to be a true story about some Soviet scientists, though it's titled under SF. Great book.

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect, April 3, 2002

By 

T. H. Van Vleck "thvv" (Ocean City, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Definitely Maybe: A Manuscript Discovered under Unusual Circumstances (Macmillan's Best of Soviet Science Fiction) (Hardcover)

A perfect story: nothing extra, nothing missing. Conveys the true feeling of being a scientist and making discoveries, and elegantly states the moral dilemma of committment to truth versus committment to one's self, appetites, and family.

5.0 out of 5 stars very interesting, May 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Definitely Maybe: A Manuscript Discovered under Unusual Circumstances (Macmillan's Best of Soviet Science Fiction) (Hardcover)

Just read this book and liked it a lot. It seemed to explore the theme of why most people never really live up to their potential, or fulfill the dreams of their youth, but instead get sidetracked or sucked down in the concerns of everyday life. Perhaps it's the homeostatic universe at work. "Since then crooked, roundabout, godforsaken paths stretch out before me..." Great stuff!