Solaris

When Kris Kelvin arrives at the planet Solaris to study the ocean that covers its surface he is forced to confront a painful, hitherto unconscious memory embodied in the physical likeness of a long-dead lover. 'A fantastic book' Steven Soderbergh 'A cult classic' Guardian Solaris is the masterpiece of Polish author Stanislaw Lem - a psychological drama and a profound exploration of the science fiction genre. Kelvin is a psychologist who arrives at a space station orbiting the mysterious planet of Solaris; his mission is to ascertain whether research should be terminated due to lack of progress. He finds the station all but deserted, its straggling crew seemingly haunted by hallucinations of figures from their individual pasts. But then Kelvin himself is visited in the middle of the night by a woman who is outwardly identical to his dead wife. Will Kelvin be able to resist the disturbing ambience of Solaris, and the emotional pull towards the living, breathing likeness of the woman he loved? 'A giant of mid-20th-century science fiction, in a league with Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov and Philip K. Dick. ' New York Times 'Widely regarded as one of the most distinctive voices in European literature . . . Visionary.' Telegraph 'After Jules Verne, the best-known and most influential sci-fi writer to be translated into English.' Independent 'Considered among the greatest sci-fi writers of all time.' Wired magazine