영어로 읽는 공상과학 소설 _ 알지스 버드리스의 평행우주
Never Meet Again은 1950년대에 발표된 Algis Budrys의 SF 단편 소설이다. 이 작품은 시간과 공간의 제약을 넘어선 인간 관계의 단절과 재회 불가능성을 다룬다. 소설은 과학 기술의 발전으로 인해 영원히 만날 수 없게 된 두 인물의 이야기를 통해, 현대 사회에서의 인간 소외와 관계의 단절을 탐구한다. 특히 시공간의 왜곡이라는 SF적 설정을 통해 영원한 이별이라는 실존적 문제를 다루며, 인간 관계의 유한성과 그로 인한 상실감을 섬세하게 묘사한다. 이 작품은 Budrys 특유의 심리적 통찰력과 함께 과학 기술 발전이 인간 관계에 미치는 영향을 깊이 있게 다룬다.
Reading Science Fiction in English _ Never meet again by Algis Budrys
Never Meet Again is a science fiction short story by Algis Budrys published in the 1950s. It deals with the disconnection of human relationships and the impossibility of reunion beyond the limitations of time and space. The novel explores human alienation and the disconnection of relationships in modern society through the story of two people who can never meet again due to the advancement of science and technology. In particular, it deals with the existential problem of eternal separation through the science fiction setting of the distortion of time and space, and delicately depicts the finiteness of human relationships and the resulting sense of loss. This work deeply deals with the impact of scientific and technological advancement on human relationships, along with Budrys' characteristic psychological insight.
Summary
He had spent fifteen patient years of painstaking work, all to construct an exit—which could be used only once!
"Never Meet Again" by Algis Budrys is a science fiction novella written during the mid-20th century, specifically around the time of the Cold War. The story focuses on themes of alternate realities and the consequences of choices made in different worlds, as it follows a scientist who has spent years working on a device that allows him to shift into a parallel universe. The narrative explores the philosophical implications of his work, particularly concerning lost opportunities and the nature of his existence. The protagonist, Professor Jochim Kempfer, is an aging scientist who grapples with the memories of his deceased wife, Marthe, while reflecting on the years spent in a drab routine dominated by his painful past. After activating his invention, he unexpectedly finds himself in a grim version of Berlin where Germany lost World War II, bringing into question the choices and sacrifices made by him and his contemporaries. As he reunites with Marthe, who has lived through her struggles in this alternate existence, Kempfer confronts the stark reality of their lives, the changes brought by the different outcomes of the war, and the burden of his scientific responsibilities. Ultimately, he must decide how to navigate this new world while reconciling the shadows of his former life, leading to a haunting exploration of grief, identity, and the notion of "what if."
서평
Algis Budrys의 'Never Meet Again'은 과학기술의 발전이 역설적으로 가져온 인간 소외를 섬세하게 포착한 작품이다. 영원한 이별이라는 보편적 테마를 SF적 상상력으로 승화시키며, 시공간의 왜곡이라는 설정을 통해 현대인의 고립과 단절을 효과적으로 은유한다. 특히 두 인물의 재회 불가능성을 다루는 과정에서 드러나는 심리적 묘사는 깊은 공감을 자아낸다. 기술이 발전할수록 오히려 더욱 멀어지는 인간 관계라는 아이러니를 통해, 진보 시대의 역설을 예리하게 지적한다. 단편이지만 상실과 그리움이라는 감정을 SF적 문법으로 잘 표현해낸 수작이다.
Book Review
Algis Budrys' 'Never Meet Again' is a work that delicately captures the alienation of humans paradoxically brought about by the advancement of science and technology. It sublimates the universal theme of eternal separation with science fiction imagination, and effectively metaphorizes the isolation and disconnection of modern people through the setting of distortion of space and time. In particular, the psychological descriptions revealed in the process of dealing with the impossibility of reunion between the two characters evoke deep sympathy. Through the irony that human relationships become more distant as technology advances, it keenly points out the paradox of the progressive era. Although it is a short story, it is a masterpiece that expresses the emotions of loss and longing well with science fiction grammar.
Algis Budrys는 1931년에 태어나 2008년에 사망한 리투아니아계 미국인 SF 작가이다. 본명은 Algirdas Jonas Budrys이며, SF 작가이자 편집자, 평론가로 활동했다. 그는 "Who?", "Rogue Moon", "Michaelmas" 등의 대표작을 남겼으며, 작품에서는 주로 정체성, 현실의 본질, 인간의 한계에 대한 철학적 주제를 다루었다. Writers of the Future 콘테스트의 조정자로 오랫동안 활동했으며, Tomorrow Speculative Fiction의 편집자로도 일했다. 또한 Galaxy와 같은 유명 SF 잡지에 평론을 기고하면서 1950년대부터 2000년대까지 SF 장르에서 중요한 영향력을 행사했다.
Budrys는 또한 영향력 있는 편집자이자 비평가였으며, 다양한 공상과학 잡지에서 일했고 이 장르에서 떠오르는 재능을 홍보했습니다. 그의 작품은 종종 철학적 주제와 인간의 상태를 탐구하여 공상과학 독자와 작가 모두에게 존경받는 인물이 되었습니다.
그의 작품들은 냉전 시대의 긴장감과 과학기술 발전이 인간성에 미치는 영향을 주로 탐구했으며, 2008년 일리노이 주 에반스턴에서 77세의 나이로 생을 마감했다.
Algis Budrys, born in 1931 and died in 2008, was a Lithuanian-American science fiction writer. His real name was Algirdas Jonas Budrys, and he worked as a science fiction writer, editor, and critic. His most famous works include "Who?", "Rogue Moon", and "Michaelmas", and his works mainly deal with philosophical themes such as identity, the nature of reality, and human limitations. He was a long-time moderator of the Writers of the Future contest and an editor of Tomorrow Speculative Fiction. He also contributed reviews to popular science fiction magazines such as Galaxy, exerting a significant influence on the genre from the 1950s to the 2000s. Budrys was also an influential editor and critic, working for various science fiction magazines and promoting emerging talent in the genre. His works often explored philosophical themes and the human condition, making him a respected figure for both science fiction readers and writers. His works explored the tensions of the Cold War and the impact of technological advancements on humanity, and he died in Evanston, Illinois, in 2008 at the age of 77.