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Red Star

Red Star: The First Bolshevik Utopia

( Russian - Krasnaya zvezda ( Красная звезда ) - 1908 )

Novel by Alexander Bogdanov

Translated by Charles Rougle

Edited by Loren R.Graham & Richard Stites

Published: Indiana University Press - hardback - 1984
ISBN: 0253173507 / 9780253173508
OP

Indiana University Press - paperback - 1984
ISBN: 0253203171 / 9780253203175
POD

Contents-
Preface ( Red Star: The First Bolshevik Utopia ) - essay by uncredited
Fantasy and Revolution: Alexander Bogdanov and the Origins of Bolshevik Science Fiction - essay by Richard Stites
...
Red Star - novella ( aka Krasnaya zvezda ( Красная звезда ) 1908 )
Engineer Meeni - novella - ( aka Inzhener Menni ( Инженер Мэнни ) 1912 )
Martian Stranded on Earth - poem - ( aka Marsianin, zabroshennyy na Zemlyu ( Марсианин, заброшенный на Землю ) 1924 )
...
Bogdanov's Inner Message - essay by Loren R. Graham



Synopsis ( Red Star )
Part I

The novel begins with an explanation of Leonid's few relationships within the revolutionary movement and the beginning of his relationship with Menni, a Martian in disguise. Soon after they become friends, Menni invites Leonid to go back home with him to Mars. The purpose of this visit would be to teach his own society to Martians and to understand and experience theirs. The trip is accomplished by the "etheroneph", a nuclear photonic rocket. On their way there, Leonid is exposed gradually to Martians and their society. With the help of Menni and Netti, his doctor, Leonid is able to speak the Martian language by the time they arrive.

Part II

At this point in the novel, Bogdanov details some of the aspects of the socialist Martian society as seen through Leonid’s eyes. Children’s colonies, factories, and housing are a few among the many aspects of this society that Bogdanov describes. Eventually, the unfamiliarity of Mars and the stress of his mission there exhaust Leonid to the point of being delusional. Just in time, Netti is alerted to his condition and treats him for his severe illness. While Leonid is recovering, he finds out, contrary to his original assumption, that Netti is female. His previous feelings for her are then expressed and they fall in love with one another. It is soon after this period that both Netti and Menni are called away for a mining expedition to Venus. While they are away, Leonid develops a relationship with Enno, another fellow shipmate from his arrival to the planet. While discovering many things about the nature of personal relationships on Mars, Leonid uncovers frightening information. He discovers that the council in charge of the Venus expedition was vying Earth’s colonization as a possibility. The argument presented, by Sterni (yet another shipmate), was that this was the only feasible solution and that it would only be made possible if Earth’s population was destroyed. As Leonid’s emotional state was not fully recovered from his exhaustion, this news sent him into a state of psychosis. His resolution is to murder Sterni, which he proceeds to do.

Part III

After this occurrence, Leonid is sent back to Earth to recover from his extreme apathy. He does so with the aid of Dr. Werner, an old comrade. Once he is able, Leonid rejoins the revolutionary fight, but this time with a mature perspective. The novel ends with a letter from Dr. Werner to Mirsky (a character assumed to be Plekhanov). In this letter, Leonid’s reunion with Netti is described and they are supposed to have returned to Mars together.

( Engineer Menni )
Prequel

( Martian Stranded On Earth )
He seems to have had in mind a third book during the composition of the poem.


( Essays )
Essays by Richard Stites and Loren R. Graham provide the political, social, and cultural context for these classic works of Russian science fiction.

Page last modified on Wednesday 30 of December, 2020 22:13:23 GMT-0000