Science Fiktion

More about the book

When a young reader asked Franz Fühmann if he viewed his work as science fiction, he quickly denied it, distancing himself from the genre. However, as he crafted the stories in this volume, he embraced a hybrid genre he termed "Saiäns-Fiktschen," or ‘science fiktion’ with a k. In seven interlocking tales, this collection presents a steampunk critique of Cold War logic. Set in a future where two nations vie for supremacy, Uniterr represents an exaggerated Eastern Bloc with strict personal freedoms, while Libroterr embodies the excesses of the West taken to extremes. The narratives follow three young citizens of Uniterr: Jirro, a neutrinologist whose life is transformed by a year in Libroterr; Janno, a causologist trapped in mediocrity due to a fleeting impure thought; and Pavlo, an inventive drunkard whose mind challenges societal limits. Through their experiences, Fühmann intricately reveals the peculiarities of their world, showcasing a master class in understated world-building. As readers navigate the absurdities of Libroterr’s aggressive advertisements and Uniterr’s compulsory mind readings, Fühmann's dark comedy resonates with alarming relevance today, offering a chilling perspective from the other side of the Berlin Wall.