Every man is a magician in his heart, but he only becomes a magician when he starts thinking less about himself and more about others, when his work becomes more interesting to him than simply amusing himself according to the old meaning of that word.

I thought at first that this was going to be a comedic farce, and in a lot of ways it is, but it very quickly reveals itself to be big-hearted and starry-eyed. it is the warmest of the Strugatsky books I’ve read and I think the most optimistic. I am used to their bleak (Roadside Picnic) and bitter (Hard to Be a God) stuff so this really surprised me. they are such good comedy writers! and props to Bromfield’s translation which captures an extremely precise and hilarious dry wit that must have been difficult to recreate in english.

I love stories about academia because I think it comes close to showing what a life free of capitalist motivation looks like: art and curiosity for the sake of pleasure, thinking as a distinctly social activity. obviously that's not really the case but in a novel like this it can be. I love the effortless blending of science and magic. the second and third parts are especially engaging. 

the one inescapable drawback is that, like many classic sci-fi authors (the great Piers Anthony excluded), the Strugatskys clearly don't think of women as human beings. it weakens every part of this.