Lem's latest futuristic satire sends his redoubtable protagonist Ijon Tichy-hero of The Futurological Congress, among other works-to the moon, which has been given over to intelligent, self-evolving war machines in a kind of super-detente. Weapons are banned on Earth, while each nation's robot army runs an arms race on the moon. When the governments of Earth become concerned that the machines are planning an invasion of the mother world, the Lunar Agency dispatches Tichy and several remote-controlled robots to investigate. What Tichy finds on the moon provides Lem with a first-class opportunity to skewer military thinking and arms-race politics (it's to the author's credit that his deft takeoff of the Cold War in no way seems dated). Even stranger, however, is what happens to Tichy himself-a bizarre encounter with an unusual weapon results in a unique twist on the theme of split personalities. Humor and a breathless pace create a delightful and thought-provoking read.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
While engaged in a clandestine operation on the moon's surface, agent Ijon Tichy suffers a mishap that severs the connections between his right and left brains, rendering himself his own worst enemy. Poland's premier sf writer offers a resounding send-up of modern society in his latest novel. Readers familiar with the author's wildly funny yet discerningly articulate speculations will not be disappointed. A good choice for general and sf collections.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.