Aelita

7 hrs. 6 min.

Language Russian

Author Alexey Nikolayevich Tolstoy

Narrator Alexey Bagdasarov

Description

Petrograd, 1921. On a cracked wall of an old house, an announcement appears:
“Engineer M. S. Losy invites those who wish to fly with him on August 18 to the planet Mars; come for personal negotiations between 6 and 8 p.m.”

Four days later, the ship really takes off into the sky. Not many people come forward, and only two set off on the journey: Losy himself—a reclusive scientist who has survived the loss of his wife and seeks to forget in the cold infinity of space—and Gusev, a former soldier, desperate, practical, and unfailingly upbeat in his search for adventure.

On Mars, they encounter an advanced Martian civilization—the descendants of the inhabitants of the sunken Atlantis. Losy becomes captivated by Aelita, the daughter of the supreme ruler, whose beauty seems impossible for the earthly world. And meanwhile, Gusev is nurturing a plan for revolution—to link Mars with the RSFSR. Ahead lie dangerous events, the intricate workings of Martian power, love from not of this planet, and secrets hidden beneath the red sky of a mysterious world.

“ Aelita ” is one of the early Russian science-fiction novels of the Soviet era. It spawned numerous imitations, free continuations, and interpretations, and the name “Aelita” became a household word. It was used to name the first Russian prize for contributions to science fiction, the oldest homegrown writers’ and genre fans festival, and many girls born in the 1920s.

Listen to an expressive performance by Aleksey Bagdasarov.

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