Janusz Zajdel
Encyclopedia
Janusz Andrzej Zajdel was a prominent Polish science fiction author, second in popularity in Poland after Stanisław Lem. His writing carees started in 1965. His novels were recognized as the best in science fiction in Poland in 1982 (Limes inferior
and in 1984 (Paradyzja
). He was a Trustee of World SF. He died of cancer
after three years of fighting the disease.
Zajdel is a precursor of social and dystopian fiction. In his works, he envisions totalitarian states
and collapsed societies. His heroes are desperately trying to find sense in world around them, sometimes, as in Cylinder van Troffa
, they are outsiders from a different time or place, trying to adapt to a new environment. The main recurring theme in his works is a comparison of the readers' gloomy, hopeless situations to what may happen in a space environment if we carry totalitarian ideas and habits into space worlds: Red Space Republics or Space Labour Camps, or both.
His works have been translated into Belorussian, Bulgarian, Czech, Esperanto, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Russian and Slovenian.
Frederik Pohl
dedicated the anthology Tales From The Planet Earth
to Zajdel and A. Bertram Chandler
. This book also contains the English translation of one of Zajdel's short stories, "Particularly Difficult Territory". No other of his works have been translated into English, so far.
Limes inferior
Limes inferior is a social science fiction dystopian novel written in 1982 by the Polish author Janusz A. Zajdel. Limes inferior, one of Zajdel's best known works, is a dystopia showing a grim vision of a future society resulting from a merger of the two systems competing at the time - communism...
and in 1984 (Paradyzja
Paradyzja
Paradyzja is a 1984 science fiction novel by Janusz A. Zajdel.It is a dystopian novel similar to George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. The space colonies are more or less federated with the Earth. Human rights are observed and respected everywhere, but Paradise has not been verified for sure...
). He was a Trustee of World SF. He died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
after three years of fighting the disease.
Zajdel is a precursor of social and dystopian fiction. In his works, he envisions totalitarian states
Totalitarianism
Totalitarianism is a political system where the state recognizes no limits to its authority and strives to regulate every aspect of public and private life wherever feasible...
and collapsed societies. His heroes are desperately trying to find sense in world around them, sometimes, as in Cylinder van Troffa
Cylinder van Troffa
Cylinder van Troffa is a social science fiction novel by Polish novelist Janusz A. Zajdel. The book, published in 1980 by Czytelnik, covers the problems of time travelling, society development, eugenics and isolated societies.- Plot synopsis :...
, they are outsiders from a different time or place, trying to adapt to a new environment. The main recurring theme in his works is a comparison of the readers' gloomy, hopeless situations to what may happen in a space environment if we carry totalitarian ideas and habits into space worlds: Red Space Republics or Space Labour Camps, or both.
His works have been translated into Belorussian, Bulgarian, Czech, Esperanto, Finnish, German, Hungarian, Russian and Slovenian.
Frederik Pohl
Frederik Pohl
Frederik George Pohl, Jr. is an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning over seventy years — from his first published work, "Elegy to a Dead Planet: Luna" , to his most recent novel, All the Lives He Led .He won the National Book Award in 1980 for his novel Jem...
dedicated the anthology Tales From The Planet Earth
Tales from the Planet Earth
Tales from the Planet Earth is a 1986 anthology of science fiction stories edited by Frederik Pohl and Elizabeth Anne Hull It presents 18 stories, sharing a common background developed by Pohl and Hull, by 18 authors from 18 different countries; each author's story is set in his native country.The...
to Zajdel and A. Bertram Chandler
A. Bertram Chandler
Arthur Bertram Chandler was a British-Australian science fiction author. He also wrote under the pseudonyms George Whitley, George Whitely, Andrew Dunstan, and S.H.M....
. This book also contains the English translation of one of Zajdel's short stories, "Particularly Difficult Territory". No other of his works have been translated into English, so far.
Selected bibliography
- Lalande 21185, 1966
- Cylinder van TroffaCylinder van TroffaCylinder van Troffa is a social science fiction novel by Polish novelist Janusz A. Zajdel. The book, published in 1980 by Czytelnik, covers the problems of time travelling, society development, eugenics and isolated societies.- Plot synopsis :...
("Van Troff's cylinder"), 1980 - Limes inferiorLimes inferiorLimes inferior is a social science fiction dystopian novel written in 1982 by the Polish author Janusz A. Zajdel. Limes inferior, one of Zajdel's best known works, is a dystopia showing a grim vision of a future society resulting from a merger of the two systems competing at the time - communism...
, 1982 - Cała prawda o planecie Ksi ("Complete Truth about planet Xi"),1983
- Wyjście z cienia ("Out of the Shadow"), 1983
- ParadyzjaParadyzjaParadyzja is a 1984 science fiction novel by Janusz A. Zajdel.It is a dystopian novel similar to George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four. The space colonies are more or less federated with the Earth. Human rights are observed and respected everywhere, but Paradise has not been verified for sure...
("Paradise, the World in Orbit"), 1984 - Dokąd jedzie ten tramwaj? ("Where is that tram going?"), 1988 — Collection of short stories
See also
- Janusz A. Zajdel AwardJanusz A. Zajdel AwardThe Janusz A. Zajdel Award , often called just Zajdel,is the annual award given by the Polish science fiction and fantasy fandom for the best stories published in the previous year...
, a Polish science fiction fandomScience fiction fandomScience fiction fandom or SF fandom is a community or "fandom" of people actively interested in science fiction and fantasy and in contact with one another based upon that interest...
award named after him - Science fiction and fantasy in PolandScience fiction and fantasy in PolandScience fiction and fantasy in Poland dates to the late 18th century. During the later years of the People's Republic of Poland, social science fiction was a very popular genre of science fiction. Afterwards, many others gained prominence. Currently there are many science fiction writers in Poland....
- Social science fictionSocial science fictionSocial science fiction is a term used to describe a subgenre of science fiction concerned less with technology and space opera and more with sociological speculation about human society...
- KoalangKoalangKoalang is a term invented by Janusz A. Zajdel, Polish science fiction writer. It was the language used by people in a totalitarian world called Paradyzja...
– term invented by Zajdel