Spaceman of Bohemia
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4.3 • 31 Ratings
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- $10.99
Publisher Description
An intergalactic odyssey of love, ambition, and self-discovery.
Orphaned as a boy, raised in the Czech countryside by his doting grandparents, Jakub Prochv°zka has risen from small-time scientist to become the country's first astronaut. When a dangerous solo mission to Venus offers him both the chance at heroism he's dreamt of, and a way to atone for his father's sins as a Communist informer, he ventures boldly into the vast unknown. But in so doing, he leaves behind his devoted wife, Lenka, whose love, he realizes too late, he has sacrificed on the altar of his ambitions.
Alone in Deep Space, Jakub discovers a possibly imaginary giant alien spider, who becomes his unlikely companion. Over philosophical conversations about the nature of love, life and death, and the deliciousness of bacon, the pair form an intense and emotional bond. Will it be enough to see Jakub through a clash with secret Russian rivals and return him safely to Earth for a second chance with Lenka?
Rich with warmth and suspense and surprise, Spaceman of Bohemia is an exuberant delight from start to finish. Very seldom has a novel this profound taken readers on a journey of such boundless entertainment and sheer fun.
"A frenetically imaginative first effort, booming with vitality and originality . . . Kalfar's voice is distinct enough to leave tread marks."-Jennifer Senior, New York Times
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
If you can’t quite imagine a novel being both a heady sci-fi tale and a deeply felt character study, you haven’t read Spaceman of Bohemia yet. Jakub always wanted to be an astronaut. But when the Czech government finally sends him on a mission to investigate an interplanetary dust cloud, things go a bit…odd. It’s not just the giant, benevolent space spider who shows up to share his giant-sized jars of Nutella. It’s what happens when Jakub enters that mysterious cloud, suddenly transporting him out of time and into an enthralling swirl of memories. Jakub’s mission is legitimately suspenseful, and we were captivated when it took this introspective turn toward memories of his grandparents, regrets over his neglected wife, Lenka, and guilt about his father’s role as an informant during the Velvet Revolution. If you’re a fan of books like Solaris or 2001, this is a must-read.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A Czech astronaut travels to an interstellar dust cloud in an attempt to redeem his family name in this wonderfully jubilant and touching debut novel. Beginning with the launch of the spaceship JanHus1, the novel promptly flashes back to explore the complex motivations of the titular spaceman, Jakub Prochazka. The son of a Communist sympathizer who tortured dissidents, Jakub chooses to leave his beloved homeland and wife, Lenka, to bring renown to the oft-overlooked Czech Republic. Once in space, Jakub encounters a possibly hallucinated alien spider named Hanus, who interrogates him on philosophies both existential and personal. Through their conversations, Jakub is forced to confront Lenka's new, seemingly happier life without him, as well as the ghosts of his father's violent past. Their debates come to a head in the dust cloud Chopra, where Jakub must risk his mission, earthbound life, and contact with Hanus. Written in an erudite comic style, the novel boldly switches tones like a spacesuit built for multiple planetary atmospheres: from the historical to the domestic, from out-of-this-world fables to brutal terrestrial reality.
Customer Reviews
Wild Ride
I enjoyed this book in a way I have not in a while. It was easy to see everything as it was described. I had seen the movie and hoped the book would blow it out of the water. I was not disappointed. Highly recommend
Loved it.
Kind of a slow starter, and really climax’s about 3/4s of the way through but still holds you until the end. Great novel. I’m still thinking about it after finishing days ago!