Far Rainbow / The Second Invasion from Mars [Paperback]

Arkady Strugatsky (Author), Boris Strugatsky (Author), Gary Kern (Translator)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Russian (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Collier Macmillan Ltd; New edition edition (March 1981)
• ISBN-10: 0020256108
• ISBN-13: 978-0020256106
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,679,736 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Grace, Beauty, and Disaster, June 3, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: Far Rainbow: The Second Invasion from Mars (Macmillan's Best of Soviet science fiction series) (Hardcover)

Arkady and Boris Strugatsky's "Far Rainbow" represents that
strangest of amalgams -- an eerily beautiful story of a
planetary disaster. From a population of millions, only a
handful could be saved. Paradoxically, the event brings out
the best of the inhabitants, who set about selecting those
among their number who represent the best of its people,
work, and aspirations.

Among the greatest works of all postwar Soviet fiction
irrespective of category, the sci-fi books of the Strugatsky
brothers deserve to be reprinted and disseminated to a new
generation.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Well written stories..., December 15, 2009

By 

Edmonson (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Far Rainbow / The Second Invasion from Mars (Paperback)

Both of these stories are well written and focus on human beings, and characters, rather than technologies.

"The Second Invasion of Mars" is a rather brilliant and humorous tale about the invasion of Earth by Martians. The Martians are taking over the Earth through commerce. This story cleverly parallels our own world, and cultures who feel their loss of identity through corporate giants, or through the immigration of "aliens". The Martians in this story remain largely mysterious entities that the humans rarely see, so the focus is mostly on the humans' reactions to being taken over as they notice small changes here and there in their lives as the "invasion" is taking place.

"Far Rainbow" is a story about a planet of people trying to escape their world which is about to be destroyed. First they must battle their own doubts about the mounting veracity of the ominous observations, and then there is the gradually mobilization of the people. The story focuses on individuals and feels true in the way they respond to adversity.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Two great stories in one book..., March 6, 2008

By 

Michael Valdivielso (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Far Rainbow / The Second Invasion from Mars (Paperback)

Far Rainbow is about a planet that finds it self facing the end. It has to make some choices. Choices on who will live and who will die. The Second Invasion From Mars is about Martians coming back to take over the Earth using different methods. Both stories deal mostly with the human condition and have little to do with science or technology. It is a must for any sci-fi library.