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dave_peticolas's review against another edition
3.0
There is no other writer like Lem. You should read some!
brad_1's review against another edition
3.0
This would be five stars if not for the incredibly tedious final three stories.
bollu's review against another edition
4.0
Hit and miss collection of book reviews of books that do not exist. Some really interesting stories, especially the last one which tries to redefine the nature of physics. One in the middle is also really interesting, which is about the concept of a story that manages to say nothing. It is a contemplation on what it means to be a writer, through the lens of a book review of a book that fails at writing. Really fun overall.
svenpdb's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.25
dchaffin42's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book, but I would like to pick it up again as it has been many years since I read it.
bugnate4's review against another edition
challenging
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
aarongertler's review against another edition
3.0
3.5. Most of Lem's experiments aren't particularly successful, but the few that work [i]really[/i] work. (The New Cosmogony, Rien du Tout, and the titular introduction.) Too many of the rest either read like actual reviews of fairly bland books (Idiota, Gruppenfuhrer) or drop the book-review conceit and become mediocre essays (Die Kultur, Odysseus). I left with no desire to read or read about any of these fictional books, save for Rien du Tout and The New Cosmogony -- and the latter, I'd already seen done masterfully in the form of the [i]Remembrance of Earth's Past[/i] trilogy.
(As far as stories worth reading separately, U-Write-It wasn't bad, either.)
(As far as stories worth reading separately, U-Write-It wasn't bad, either.)
justiceofkalr's review against another edition
4.0
A book of reviews of imaginary books. Starting with an imaginary review of the book itself. Most of the "reviews" were either lots of fun, presented interesting ideas, or (usually) both. One or two stories in the middle kind of bogged down for me, but for the most part I liked every one. The stories that did bog down were still interesting ides, I just wish they would have had a bit chopped out and been a bit more to the point instead of going on and on. Definitely looking forward to reading more by Lem after this.
vampirehelpdesk's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
I admit a few reviews in this book filled with criticisms of non-existing books went whoosh, right over my head. VERY cerebrally dense piece of meta fiction. Of the false books, I would absolutely read Being Inc., Les Robinsonades, Sexplosion, Gruppenführer Louis XIV (I even had a dream of this one), Idiota, and U-Write-It. Basically, all of the fiction ones. The false books on physics, philosophy, and mathematics really made my eyes glaze over but that doesn’t make this a bad book. Glad I read it!