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Fatal Eggs (Hesperus Classics)
 
 
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Fatal Eggs (Hesperus Classics) (Paperback)

by Doris May Lessing (Foreword), Mikhail Bulgakov (Author), Hugh Aplin (Translator)
4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 112 pages
  • Publisher: Hesperus Press Ltd; New edition edition (29 Aug 2003)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1843910632
  • ISBN-13: 978-1843910633
  • Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 12.7 x 1.1 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 805,911 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #49 in  Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > B > Bulgakov, Mikhail
    #92 in  Books > Fiction > Authors, A-Z > L > Lessing, Doris

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  • See Complete Table of Contents

Product Description

Review

"'No afficionado of the genre could fail to be enchanted by this so perfect example' - From the foreword by Doris Lessing"

Product Description

This new translation of a key work by one of the greatest Russian satirists is particularly topical to the current debates on genetic modification. An inspired work of science fiction and a biting political allegory, Bulgakov's The Fatal Eggs tells of a brilliant scientist whose experiments with life spiral terribly - and fatefully - out of control. Quite by chance, Professor Persikov discovers a new form of light ray whose effect, when directed at living cells, is to accelerate growth in primitive organisms. But when this ray is shone on the wrong batch of eggs, the Professor finds himself both the unwilling creator of giant hybrids, and the focus of a merciless press campaign. For it seems the propaganda machine has turned its gaze on him, distorting his nature in the very way his 'innocent' tampering created the monster snakes and crocodiles that now terrorise the neighbourhood.
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Customer Reviews

4 Reviews
5 star:
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4 star:
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3 star:
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2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.2 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Good introduction to Bulgakov, 24 Oct 2009
This review is from: The Fatal Eggs (Modern Voices) (Paperback)
This is a very short novel, more a novella really, that is one of Bulgakov's lesser known works. Like most of his books, this was seen by the Russian government as dangerous to their regime, for obvious reasons. There are clear parallels in the plot to the Russian Revolution of 1917, and between the protagonist Persikov and Lenin.

Like most people, I would not regard this work as highly as other Bulgakov novels, it is not even on the same level, for example, as his masterpiece The Master and Margarita. Nonetheless, I would recommend this book as it is a very well-written satire, and the perfect introduction to Bulgakov and Russian authors in general.

The plot is very similiar to one referenced in the text, which is Well's 'The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth'. It takes the basic ideas of this and transplants them to Moscow, late 1920s. There are also echoes in it of another Well's novel, War of the Worlds, particularly in the ending.

The plot revolves around a 'Ray of Life' which professor Persikov has invented, and the disastrous consequences when it gets into the wrong hands.

I would advise any fans of Bulgakov's who have not picked this up to do so, even if only to get a complete picture of his writing. And for anyone who is interested in Russian literature, this is the perfect place to start.
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13 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Magnificent!, 12 Mar 2004
By A Customer
I have read this book in both the original Russian and in Hugh Aplin's SUPERB translation. He delightfully and masterfully conveys the nuances of the original. This is the perfect introduction to Russian literature in translation. BUY THIS BOOK!!!!
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5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars HG Wells lite, 20 Dec 2007
This review is from: The Fatal Eggs (Modern Voices) (Paperback)
"The Food of the Gods and How It Came to Earth" is one of HG Wells lesser known novels which I read as a teenager and "The Fatal Eggs" takes whole sections of it and transposes it to pre-war Russia. To give credit to Bulgakov he refers to this book in the "Fatal Eggs" making it clear to all that we should read the book from which the original idea for the plot came.

I have read all of Bulgakov's works (in English) and would suggest this is his weakest effort. Without a doubt "Master and Margarita" is a work of genius and I would point anyone in that direction. It is somewhat odd and you can't go wrong with anything else by Bulgakov otherwise.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Bulgakov
An excellent translation of one Russia's most brilliant twentieth century writers. This short work contains all we know and love about Bulgakov: Absurdity, satire, allegory,... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Dr. N. A. Hall

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