His Master's Voice

As philosophical as sci-fi gets, and as cynical. A fascinating exploration of the question of interspecies communication, with all the game-theoretical analysis that facing a clearly superior civilization entails. Generally a challenging read, though, I suspect, not because of bad translation, but rather one that authentically captures the author's writing style.

Memorable quotes:

“A civilization as “spread out” techno-economically as ours, with front lines swimming in wealth and the rear guard dying of hunger, had by that very spread already been given a direction of future development. First, the troops behind would attempt to catch up with the leaders in material wealth, which, only because it had not yet been attained, would justify the effort of that pursuit; and, in turn, the prosperous vanguard, being an object of envy and competition, would thereby be confirmed in its own value... when the first emissaries of Earth went walking among the planets, Earth's other sons would be dreaming not about such expeditions but about a piece of bread.”

“...a fetus, quite handsome at birth, but strangling on its own umbilical cord, the cord being that arm of culture which draws the vital fluids of knowledge up from the placenta of the natural world.”

MIT Press.

A fairly dense read, but like most Lems, well worth breaking your head over. Feels pretty cynical and unfortunately all too timely. This packed so many things into it, I almost feel like a re-read will have to be essential to give them all some proper thought...