Spaceman of Bohemia Jaroslav Kalfar Books
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An intergalactic odyssey of love, ambition, and self-discovery
Orphaned as a boy, raised in the Czech countryside by his doting grandparents, Jakub Procházka has risen from small-time scientist to become the country's first astronaut. When a dangerous solo mission to Venus offers him both the chance at heroism he's dreamt of, and a way to atone for his father's sins as a Communist informer, he ventures boldly into the vast unknown. But in so doing, he leaves behind his devoted wife, Lenka, whose love, he realizes too late, he has sacrificed on the altar of his ambitions.
Alone in Deep Space, Jakub discovers a possibly imaginary giant alien spider, who becomes his unlikely companion. Over philosophical conversations about the nature of love, life and death, and the deliciousness of bacon, the pair form an intense and emotional bond. Will it be enough to see Jakub through a clash with secret Russian rivals and return him safely to Earth for a second chance with Lenka?
Rich with warmth and suspense and surprise, Spaceman of Bohemia is an exuberant delight from start to finish. Very seldom has a novel this profound taken readers on a journey of such boundless entertainment and sheer fun.
Spaceman of Bohemia Jaroslav Kalfar Books
Early on, I thought this book was fantastic. As others have written, it bounces around among personal history, Czech history, sci-fi, love and general philosophical musings. As it progressed, I felt that the author had lost his way (or, perhaps, was pursing an idea until it forgot the point he was trying to make). While I had hoped for a somewhat happy ending (and arguably it has a happy ending), it became obvious that any happy ending wouldn't be the one a reader had begun to anticipate. And that's fine. Unfortunately, in trying to tie together all of the disparate threads, the author seems to have sacrificed the beautiful, seemingly effortless style of the first 80% of the book by more or less making declarative philosophical statements that seem to have come out of nowhere. It does make sense in its context, but it left me a bit frustrated at the end. Still, nicely written and, until near the end, highly engaging.Product details
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Spaceman of Bohemia Jaroslav Kalfar Books Reviews
An interesting idea with one disappointing element for a Czech insider - some facts as described reveal an author living for a long time far from home. A family expulsed from the middle of nowhere to Parizska street? Come on. Worth checking for people visiting Prague (Parizska = the most posh street of Prague). This is just an example of wrong facts that disturb an otherwise good read. I know it is not the most important aspect of the book but for me it was quite disturbing. The story of guilt, failed relationship, all this in the context of surrealist space travel is what I found intriguing. And I obviously loved Hanus sharing his passion for Nutella )
The story is well-summarized in other reviews, so I will comment only on its broader significance. It is placed in post-communist Czech Republic but reflects the new realities in all of central and eastern Europe, dealing with and digesting precipitous changes in politics, the economy and culture. A sci-fi adventure is superimposed on this background. It is well-written, inventive and it rings true for those of us who came from that corner of the world. It is a good read for anyone interested in other cultures but also treats romance and adventure in terms familiar to the American reader.
Takes a little effort during the first 1/4 or so before you can really get into the story, but it's worth it...even though the author is a transplanted Czech who grew up in the US, the unique literary voice and sensibility of the old country shines through.
Yes there are somewhat obvious nods to Kafka (possibly the most famous Prazak writer), and maybe a few shades of Hrabal and Hasek too, but overall it's very different from the usual American or British writing.
The denouement is rather contrived and convoluted and unsatisfying. Otherwise a very enjoyable read.
It's not really Sci-Fi. Well Kind of. I'm fast to buy books but slow to read them. Finally dug into this after it sat on my nightstand for a year. Wow! What I had been missing! I have so many books to read but now I want to read this one again.
Expect to be taken on a journey to destinations that keep getting away. Prior reviews are already on the mark and you'll note that not a single review of this fabulous new author is below 3 star and most squarely at 5 star. I hope he pens a new book soon as this next one won't sit on my nightstand waiting a year for me to pick it up.
This is a wonderful book. It is not really a space travel or science fiction book as you might think. More about Prague, people and the changes and choices they make through life. ...there is that space spider however.
Very enjoyable and enlightening.
I am a bit lost for words right now - I expected, based on the first few pages, a vaguely wry semi satire. I did not expect the emotional depth and unflinching complexity and sincerity that this book laid out.
It’s about space sure, but it’s about history and time and about the ways you can and cannot know the hearts of others, about the way every decision we make has a cost and about the way nothing we do only impacts us.
This whimsical little exploration contains universes. It made me grin, it made me guffaw, it made me tense up in dread and it made me sob.
This is life.
As some other reviewers have stated, "Spaceman of Bohemia" is something of a mishmash; it is part science fiction (though that turns out to be a small part); part family saga; part rumination on love and what it entails; and part a mini-history of Czechoslovakia and the collapse of the Soviet Union.
It is not a perfect book by any means; it meanders and rambles and goes off on digressions and lines of thought that can be tedious. However, at the end of the day (or, rather, of the book), there is a sweetness and acceptance of some of the bumps that life puts in our way, along with some sadness that things don't necessarily work out the way you'd like.
While it's impossible to exclude or ignore some of the excesses of the book (those digressions noted earlier), Kalfar definitely has talent. He uses a mixture of devices -- straight narrative, dialogue and an epistolary set of transcripts from the hero's wife's psychotherapy sessions, among others -- to make his point. The characters seem quite real as well.
So while he needs some more discipline, there is a good and maybe a great writer here, and I look forward to his next work(s).
Early on, I thought this book was fantastic. As others have written, it bounces around among personal history, Czech history, sci-fi, love and general philosophical musings. As it progressed, I felt that the author had lost his way (or, perhaps, was pursing an idea until it forgot the point he was trying to make). While I had hoped for a somewhat happy ending (and arguably it has a happy ending), it became obvious that any happy ending wouldn't be the one a reader had begun to anticipate. And that's fine. Unfortunately, in trying to tie together all of the disparate threads, the author seems to have sacrificed the beautiful, seemingly effortless style of the first 80% of the book by more or less making declarative philosophical statements that seem to have come out of nowhere. It does make sense in its context, but it left me a bit frustrated at the end. Still, nicely written and, until near the end, highly engaging.
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