Join us on a literary world trip!
Add this book to bookshelf
Grey
Write a new comment Default profile 50px
Grey
Subscribe to read the full book or read the first pages for free!
All characters reduced
The Ugly Swans - Best Soviet SF - cover

The Ugly Swans - Best Soviet SF

Arkady Strugatsky, Boris Strugatsky

Publisher: Readers Union / The Science Fiction Book Club

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Summary

The Ugly Swans by brothers Strugatsky is the most prophetic and profound book which predicted the transformation of humanity we observe now. The humanity mutates into something new. The action takes place in an uncertain mildly-authoritarian country, in an unnamed town. Famous writer Victor Banev comes from the capital to the town of his childhood where the rain never stops. Banev finds himself in the middle of strange events linked to "slimies" or "four-eyes" - strange people suffering from disfiguring "yellow leprosy" manifesting itself as yellow circles around the eyes. These slimies live in a separate colony. The town's adult population is terrified by their existence, considering them to be the cause of all the bad and odd things in the town. Nevertheless, the town's teenagers simply adore slimies, that including Banev's daughter Irma... Science fiction readers weary of the repetitive taste of American SF shoud discover books like the Ugly Swans with appreciation and pleasure. Highly recommended!
Available since: 05/17/2023.
Print length: 185 pages.

Other books that might interest you

  • Women of Consequence - cover

    Women of Consequence

    Greg Wolos

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    In these stories, readers will meet women like: the fallen starlet who revives her career by voicing a wretched dog-man in an animated horror film; the surrogate nearing her due date who, hoping for greater profit, runs off to Mexico with her valuable cargo; the meals-on-wheels driver with an eating disorder who survives on bits picked from the dinners of her clients; the casting agent who hires a performance artist to nurse her new baby; the young professional who, seeking eligibility for an exclusive dating service, pretends severe colorblindness; the dangerously protective mother who attempts to destroy her child’s faith in his physical senses. Victims or victimizers, the mothers, daughters, sisters, lovers, friends, and ghostly presences in this collection face their unique circumstances with passion and creativity. Whether or not they find satisfaction, they are all Women of Consequence.
    Show book
  • Shadows Have More To Say - cover

    Shadows Have More To Say

    Sophia John

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    Shadows Have More to Say is a simple short story about Alisha coming face-to-face with her school and college rival at Art School in Boston. Though many years have passed, Mansi seems to be stealing Alisha's limelight. Again! But this time Alisha refuses to be left in the shadows. Will she make peace or will this be the start of another rivalry war on campus?
    Show book
  • The Facts in the Case of M Valdemar - cover

    The Facts in the Case of M Valdemar

    Edgar Allan Poe

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    Title: The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar 
    Author: Edgar Allan Poe 
    Narrator: Jonathan Dunne 
    Original Publication: 1845 
    Public Domain: Yes 
    Series Placement: Number 48 in the Timeless Terrors series 
    Description: 
    The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most macabre and unsettling tales — a dark blend of science, mesmerism, and the boundaries of death itself. 
    Told in the clinical yet horrified voice of a mesmerist, the story recounts an experiment performed on a dying man — one meant to test whether the human spirit can be held between life and death by hypnosis. What follows is a grotesque and unforgettable account of suspended mortality, decomposition, and the terrible price of curiosity. 
    A masterpiece of Gothic horror and proto-science fiction, Poe’s tale remains as shocking today as it was in 1845 — a story that anticipates both modern medical ethics and the existential terror of consciousness trapped beyond the grave. 
    Narrated by Amazon-bestselling horror author Jonathan Dunne, this performance channels Poe’s eerie precision and the suffocating dread of the impossible made real. While the text is in the public domain, this narration is an original performance and copyright © 2025 Jonathan Dunne. 
    Part of Timeless Terrors, a series devoted to resurrecting the masters of the macabre and uncanny, The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar endures as one of Poe’s most chilling studies in the unnatural stillness between death and decay — where science dares to trespass upon the soul.
    Show book
  • Journey to Wisdom - Short stories for a better world - cover

    Journey to Wisdom - Short...

    Vincent Norman

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    The world is changing right in front of our eyes. 
    And it often feels like there is very little we can do about it. 
    Perhaps you are searching for guidance and support with the challenges you find yourself 
    facing each day. 
    Or maybe you find yourself worrying about the future for yourself or society. 
    Whatever the case, this book is a must-read. 
    Journey to Wisdom is an actionable guide that offers you the tools you need 
    to plant good seeds that will eventually grow, take shape, and help change the 
    world. 
    This book is packed with anecdotal stories that will help you gain a fresh perspective, a 
    more positive mindset, and harden your values and morals. 
    Each story offers an insight into the weaknesses and flaws each of us possess. But rather 
    than dwelling on them, it will help you see these weaknesses as potential benefits and help 
    you use them to your advantage. 
    Inside Journey to Wisdom, discover: 
    ● Important advice you can take into your daily life. 
    ● A fresh perspective on common worries and concerns. 
    ● Steps to help you become a better version of yourself. 
    Isn't it time you said goodbye to your negative mindset and outlook and replaced those 
    thoughts and feelings with positive actions that could make the world a better place for 
    everyone? 
    Grab a copy of Journey to Wisdom today!
    Show book
  • Scribbles and Scrawls - A Short Story Collection - cover

    Scribbles and Scrawls - A Short...

    Bethany Votaw

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    Bethany Votaw gives you sixteen short stories featuring the darkness and the monsters surrounding us. Experience the uncomfortable realities lurking beneath the surface. Meet a devil at a coffee shop, discover what the Nightman is really after, and stumble upon strange creatures and events lurking just beneath the surface. 
      
    If you like supernatural horror, psychological thrills, and mind-bending twists, then you'll love this debut short story collection by Bethany Votaw. Unlock Scribbles and Scrawls and begin the journey into madness.
    Show book
  • A Week of Shadows and Light - A Journey Through Grief and Hope - cover

    A Week of Shadows and Light - A...

    Luigi Pascal Rondanini

    • 0
    • 0
    • 0
    In A Week of Shadows and Light, the author presents a touching account of grieving, resilience and the human ability to recover. 
      
    David is adrift. Grieving the sudden death of his wife, Sarah, he now wallows in his own despair, his life teetering on the edge of vainness. Does he have the resolve to find purpose again in the week that will decide his fate? Feeling lost in the grip of depression, David encounters unexpected allies to help him rediscover his strengths. 
      
    Concentrating on the period that signals the height of his depression, this short story is a poignant tale of journeying from despair to the first bright rays of hope. Its disarming honesty and empathy vividly capture both the tragic complexity of mental health struggles and the simple beauty of human connection. 
      
    A Week of Shadows and Light reminds us to keep climbing that dark stair, even when we feel like we might fall. It extends its comforting, dancing darkness – its light-suffused shadow – to anyone who has loved and lost and gives inspiration to anyone confronting shadows. 
      
    This book focuses on the invisible battles fought daily by many and helps foster understanding and compassion. 
      
    If you are struggling and cannot afford this book, contact the author 
      
    Remember, You are not alone.
    Show book