Russia: Boris Strugatsky Dies

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- на македонски на Блогерај: Русија: Умрел Борис Стругацки
- на македонски на Блогспот: Русија: Умрел Борис Стругацки     

en.wikipedia.org

Science-fiction writer Boris Strugatsky (79) died today, in a Moscow hospital.

Bulgarian portal OFFNews [bg] quoted Russian agency RIA Novosti that his health deteriorated rapidly during the last few days, and that he suffered from heart problems. RIA article in fact says:

Strugatsky died due to heart problems, a friend of the novelist who asked not to be identified told RIA Novosti. But novelist Nina Katerli said he died of blood cancer. The reports could not be immediately reconciled.

Boris (born in 1933) and his brother Arkady (1925-1991) were known as the Strugatsky brothers (shortened ABS) and, to quote Wikipedia:

"...are perhaps the best-known Soviet science fiction writers with a well-developed fan base. Their early work was influenced by Ivan Yefremov. Their famous novel Piknik na obochine has been translated into English as Roadside Picnic in 1977 and was filmed by Andrei Tarkovsky under the title Stalker.

Several other of their works were translated into German, French, English, and Italian but did not receive the same magnitude of the critical acclaim granted them by their Russian audiences. The Strugatsky brothers, however, were and still are popular in many countries, including Poland, Hungary, former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Germany..."

Another their notable novel is Hard to Be a God (1964), which masterfully combines high space adventure with Renaissance intrigue with prime directive dilemmas and post-World War II sentiments. .

Front page of an ex-Yugoslav edition of
Hard to Be a God, translated into Serbian.

OFFNews quoted a segment of Boris Strugatsky's recent interview [ru], given for a monthly magazine "Top Secret" (“Совершенно секретно”):

"Against all obstacles humanity continues to live, to perfect itself, to win over itself - isn't that a cause for optimism?

I remained an atheist or, as it is currently suitable to declare, an agnostic.  For better or for worse, I could not force myself to believe in the existence of a self-aware Omnipotence that rules over my life and the life of humanity. Faith helps those who feel weak."