Razor's Edge
Encyclopedia
Razor's Edge is a 1963 science fiction
novel by the Soviet writer and paleontologist Ivan Yefremov. It includes four parts and is notable for a huge amount of the scientific facts and dynamism.
Efremov used the word "eidetica
" as an ability to a deliberate dreams, when man dreams in full details about something that is known to him only as told by friends, read in books or seen in pictures. In this novel such capability to see such panoramic color
image
s appears in one of the novel characters
after he was contused in time of Great Patriotic War. Later on he arrives in Moscow
, USSR to ask the doctor
s explain this symptom
. While healed he sees an even more detailed dream, but after he loses his unique ability.
Sima breaks a stereotype of sportswoman: instead of being ignorant, she is well-educated, fond of literature and arts and speaks English.
She catches Dayaram's eye by her beauty, but after she is acquainted with him and proves to be very heartful and intellectual.
Dayaram is curious about her life, and she tells him her life story. Her life does not seem to be very easy.
Her real name is Amrita Vidiadevi.
During the trip she reveals that she is not just a beautiful young actress, but the ancient history specialist.
"The high-browed critics considered "Razor's Edge" to be a failure of my creativity, but I value it much more than all my works (or I just love it much more). The audience gave its price on black market. You can buy "Razor's Edge" for 30 or 40 rubles. The bible costs the same. I had to put many things today you could not talk about or spend 10 years in Siberia in Stalin's time, in the frame of adventure. These things are yoga, the spiritual power of a human and self-education."
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel by the Soviet writer and paleontologist Ivan Yefremov. It includes four parts and is notable for a huge amount of the scientific facts and dynamism.
Efremov used the word "eidetica
Eidetic memory
Eidetic , commonly referred to as photographic memory, is a medical term, popularly defined as the ability to recall images, sounds, or objects in memory with extreme precision and in abundant volume. The word eidetic, referring to extraordinarily detailed and vivid recall not limited to, but...
" as an ability to a deliberate dreams, when man dreams in full details about something that is known to him only as told by friends, read in books or seen in pictures. In this novel such capability to see such panoramic color
Color
Color or colour is the visual perceptual property corresponding in humans to the categories called red, green, blue and others. Color derives from the spectrum of light interacting in the eye with the spectral sensitivities of the light receptors...
image
Image
An image is an artifact, for example a two-dimensional picture, that has a similar appearance to some subject—usually a physical object or a person.-Characteristics:...
s appears in one of the novel characters
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
after he was contused in time of Great Patriotic War. Later on he arrives in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, USSR to ask the doctor
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
s explain this symptom
Symptom
A symptom is a departure from normal function or feeling which is noticed by a patient, indicating the presence of disease or abnormality...
. While healed he sees an even more detailed dream, but after he loses his unique ability.
Plot
The plot contains some storylines which are intertwined. We can call this storylines according their setting places. The first one is the Soviet Storyline and is about the medical doctor and psychophysiologist Ivan Girin, who studies the hidden possibilities of human brain and is interesting in human beauty. The second storyline is about Italians who go to Africa to find diamond, but find Alexander's The Great Crone with mysterious minerals. The third storyline is about Dayaram Ramamoorty, the sculptor from India, and Amrita Tillottama, the dancer. The characters meet each other in the end of the novel.Ivan Girin
He is the main character in the soviet storyline and then, in the whole book, too. He is a medical doctor, who worked as a surgeon, but later dedicated himself to psychopysiology.Serafima Yuryevna (Sima) Metalina
She is a 28-year old sportswoman (modern rhythmic gymnastics). She meets Girin at the exhibition where Anna's statue is present.Sima breaks a stereotype of sportswoman: instead of being ignorant, she is well-educated, fond of literature and arts and speaks English.
Dayaram Ramamoorty
Dayaram Ramamoorty is the main character in the Indian Storyline. He is a sculptor and is looking for a way to sculpt his idea of perfect beauty.Tillottama
Tillottama is a second main character in the Indian storyline.The readers meet her with Dayaram in the Khajuraho Temple.She catches Dayaram's eye by her beauty, but after she is acquainted with him and proves to be very heartful and intellectual.
Dayaram is curious about her life, and she tells him her life story. Her life does not seem to be very easy.
Her real name is Amrita Vidiadevi.
Sandra Citti
We get to know Sandra Citti in Italian Storyline. She is Ivo Flaiano's girlfriend, young, beautiful and glamorous. She goes to the adventurous yacht trip with Cezare, Lea and Ivo.During the trip she reveals that she is not just a beautiful young actress, but the ancient history specialist.
Art
The theme of art is present in the whole novel. It begins in the prologue with the description of mineral sculptures and ends with the last Tillottama's dance.Intertextuality and Intermediality
We can see, a lot of works of literature and history are quoted in the novel.Efremov about his Work
In the letter to Dmitrievsky, Efremov writes about his novel(Moscow, the 25th of May, 1971):"The high-browed critics considered "Razor's Edge" to be a failure of my creativity, but I value it much more than all my works (or I just love it much more). The audience gave its price on black market. You can buy "Razor's Edge" for 30 or 40 rubles. The bible costs the same. I had to put many things today you could not talk about or spend 10 years in Siberia in Stalin's time, in the frame of adventure. These things are yoga, the spiritual power of a human and self-education."