Noon, 22nd Century | 
“This human being of yours,” Panin said angrily, “still has no clear idea of what‘s under his feet, and he‘s already snatching at the stars.”
“That‘s why he‘s a human being,” Malyshev answered. “That‘s the way he is. Look, don‘t go against the laws of nature. It doesn‘t depend on you. There‘s a law: the aspiration to find out in order to live inevitably turns into the aspiration to live in order to find out.”
#20Series20Days Day 14: Noon Universe
These have been around for awhile, but I first discovered them when "Hard To Be a God" came up in my DAW project. That's still my favorite volume so far, but I like the whole series vibe. It's a loosely-connected set of deliberately paced adventures, set in a post-scarcity future where humans have expanded to the stars. I love the cool technology, the pensive mood, and the optimism. If only I read Russian...
so-soA small crew of astronauts set out in an experimental spacecraft and return much later to a 22nd century where terrific advances have been made and even more amazing ones lie in store. This launches the Strugatskys' "Noon Universe" series, establishing the setting with interconnected short stories. The stories are heavy on ideas but light on plot. They're engaging, though they often end just as they're getting interesting.
