Yellow Blue Tibia Paperback – July 9, 2010

This book has some issues, but overall I would recommend it. The beginning, in 1946 Stalinist Russia, was a bit off-putting, but necessary for the plot. When it jumps ahead to 1986, it is downright hilarious. Think “The Man Who Knew Too Little” meets “The X-Files”. However, when our hapless protagonist finally has the big epiphany, the book fizzles out to a bizarre-O lackluster ending. (maybe it was just me)

Adam Roberts certainly is in the running for a gold medal with Yellow Blue Tibia. His novel, in the form of a Soviet science fiction writer's memoir, leads the reader on a perplexing, high-strung, high-concept pursuit. Konstantin Skvorecky (the writer); Stalin; KGB officers; other science fiction writers; an American man and woman representing Scientology; and a phobic, tic-ridden taxi driver all play their parts in this elaborate, ironic, schizophrenic "fantasy.'In the 1950's, Skvorecky, as a young man of twenty-eight, is brought, together with a handful of other Soviet science fiction writers, to see the leader before whom they quake, Joseph Stalin. He orders the group to come up with a plotline about invading extraterrestrials which the Communist dictator intend to feed the people when America is defeated and another enemy is needed to unite the U.S.S.R. The plan is abandoned however and Skvorecky forgets the whole interlude. He also stops writing science fiction. For many years a heavy drinker, in 1986 he's now on the wagon and supports himself with translating jobs. One day, he meets Ivan Frenkel again -- one of the men with whom he worked on the alien plot. And that's when the zaniness shifts into high gear. Soon, Skvorecky; the large American woman, Dora, for whom feelings sweetly blossom within him; and the compulsive taxi driver; motor for Kiev and, more specifically, the nuclear reactor at Chernobyl where "radiation aliens" allegedly plan a sabotage that could slaughter millions. It seems that the wild storyline the science fiction writers invented is coming true!At one point Frenkel upbraids Skvorecky: " 'Fundamentally, you take nothing seriously. You believe it is all a game. It was the same with your novels; they were never serious....For me, as for Asterinov, literature was a high calling. A serious business. One story, not the ludicrous branchings of possibilities and ironic alternatives.' " Frenkel is, of course also speaking of Adam Roberts' version of science fiction. YELLOW BLUE TIBIA often leaves one dizzy as Skvorecky, though not drunk, sometimes feels himself in a dream or is sure something dire (such as death) has befallen him only to discover he's still kicking. He also engages in some seemingly nonsensical or downright childish conversations that spin the reader around and around like a helpless top. However, the silliness, irony, and the possibilities have a great science fiction hand behind their madness. Even the curious title will, in due time, get its moment in the sun and be a revelation.Roberts spoofs both the concept of science fiction and honors it. He both twits the whole UFO/alien phenomenon and gives it new, sturdier legs. He bids the reader to stretch their minds with him as he introduces an innovative theory about what is going on around us. YELLOW BLUE TIBIA may jumble your brain a bit, but don't let that stop you. 4.5 stars.

Either I loved this book, or I didn't love it, or it was some third thing.But (really) I loved it, and you'll just have to read the book to understand the first sentence of this review.In 1946, science fiction author Konstantin Andreiovich Skvorecky, along with a group of other writers, is given the task of inventing an alien invasion scenario by Josef Stalin. Stalin believes that America's defeat by the Soviet Union is imminent, and he wants to invent a new enemy that the Soviet people can be united against.So begins the utterly wonderful Yellow Blue Tibia by Adam Roberts.Konstantin stumbles through the next 40-odd years, mostly drunk, until he runs into an old friend -- another former SF writer who was also part of Stalin's project -- who informs Konstantin that the imaginary scenario they came up with all those years ago is actually coming true.From that point on, Konstantin is involved with numerous misadventures as he struggles to understand what is going on in the world around him. He is charming and funny, and my favorite parts are his conversations with others. There is a dry wit to these conversations that seems wholly Russian, and a wealth of authentic details of life under Communism.I can't say much more about this book without giving something away, so I'll end before I spoil it.

Delightful and quick read, with a sense of humor that is off kilter and that I attributed to the culture it is set in. I loved the main character, self aware, ineffectual and way over his head dealing with all the weirdness he can’t escape.

Since 2009 when I first read a review of Yellow Blue Tibia, I have been wanting to read it. Its premise entranced me: science fiction writers in Russia invent an alien invasion for Stalin and 40 years later discover it's coming true. It sound like alternative history with a twist.Which it is. However, this is primarily an ideas-driven novel, not a plot-driven novel. The author is primarily concerned with a philosophical discussion on UFOs and, to some extent, science fiction itself, rather than plot. The book moves at the pace necessary to advance the conversation rather than to keep the reader turning pages.I generally enjoy thought-provoking novels but I like the ideas to be built around a snappy plot. I like to enjoy the novel at both a superficial, plot-driven level as well as at a deep, philosophical level. As Yellow Blue Tibia really only serves the second level, I struggled with reading it and while I picked up some interesting quotes, didn't enjoy the book as a whole. However, for a reader primarily interested in reading for ideas, I'm sure this book would be just right,

Just after the Second World War, Konstantin Skvorecky was a science fiction author who was gathered by Stalin along with several of his fellow writers to concoct an invasion story that would unite the whole world against an (imaginary) alien threat after the inevitable fall of capitalism. Soon afterwards, the operation is abandoned and the writers all told to forget what they were doing, on pain of death. Many years later, in the Perestroika era, Skvorecky meets one of his fellow writers from that time who tells him that what they were working on at that time is starting to come true.This was an odd book. Skvorecky has a great narrator's voice. Ironic, deadpan and authentically Russian. Not many other characters get as much detail but that's okay because Skvorecky is the one at the heart of it all. He's a comedic, tragic figure straight who could have been written by one of the greats of Russian literature.The plot is confusing, to say the least. I still don't necessarily understand a lot of it, but there's the involvement of an American Scientologist who gets killed, dragging Skvorecky into the Soviet Kafka-esque legal system. There's the prediction that Chernobyl will be blown up, as will Challenger; there's the other American Scientologist; there's the constant attempts to kill our protagonist; and that's just scratching the surface.There's some plot thrown in towards the end, mostly relating to Quantum, but if it's plot you're looking for, this book probably isn't for you. It's Skvorecky and the situations that he finds himself in that drive the book and everything in it. Amusing, probably quite deep, but somewhat bewildering as well.

Yellow Blue TibiaWell, I was sucked in by several aspects of this book. A couple of people had recommended it or had suggested that it was well worth the read. The premise was sufficiently quirky and engaging that I felt it worthy of my time and the paperback cover was seriously eyecatching ("A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian" played the same trick on me. Shallow? Me?).The story is well covered in the blurb and other reviews, so I won't waste space on recounting that for you. The setting is (mostly) in mid '80's Russia (Moscow & Kiev) which adds some novelty to the affair and the plot follows a Russian science fiction writer as he uncovers a UFO conspiracy that he was in part responsible for starting. The cause of the Challenger shuttle and Chernobyl disasters are laid at the feet of his fictional (or are they non-fictional?) aliens and interestingly the Church of Scientology gets a look in as well.Yes, it's a diverting story. Yes, the characters are interesting (I can only agree with a fellow reviewer that Saltykov, with his "syndrome", deserved a novel all to himself). Yes the plot is engaging and intriguing. Yes it's really well written (I can't agree with another reviewer about the authenticity of the Russian language - I have no expertise in the matter, but the majority of readers will share my handicap and are unlikely to be disturbed by the linguistic nuances). ...ad so on. This is a book that really should have worked.Unfortunately, for me, it didn't. I found the plot horribly confusing (and confused) and by the time I reached the last page, the only aspect of the story that really got resolved was the title. Questions remained (for me) unanswered... Were the aliens real? If so, what did they want and why? What was Frankel and Skvorecky's part in the development of the events? ...and others that would be spoilers if I listed them here.Perhaps the book needs another reading and maybe things would be clearer, but all in all, I found this deeply unsatsifying - a little like finishing the first two courses of a 3-course gourmet meal, only to be told that the desert is off the menu after all.In my opinion, if you took out the UFO/conspiracy theory element and simply presented the characters and settings as a "slice of Russian life", this would be a novel well worth reading and if you try to read it as it stands but on those terms alone, then yes it's worth a go. As sci-fi though, despite the promising premise, it falls flat for me.

This is a thought-provoking and darkly witty tale, although the humour reveals itself rather more in hindsight than in the moment. Like many Adam Roberts' books, it revolves around a central conceit, which is revealed late in the day - but the ride is exciting, fast-paced, and tense. Most especially it is tense - the backdrop of Soviet Russia helps to accentuate this tension, and Roberts brilliantly evokes an atmosphere of political claustrophobia and fear. Readers of Roberts' work will recognize the slightly chaotic behaviour of his characters, which is something I relish - they always feel very human to me. This book does feel to have more direction than some of the author's other works, though; the chaos is nicely paced with a steadily mounting tension. All in all, one of my favourites - a book to read, enjoy, and muse upon.

In the last six weeks, I have read two novels with brilliant titles. By coincidence, the Chernobyl disaster played a pivotal role in both. Where The Sun and Moon Corrupted was more hard science, extrapolating solid physics, 'Yellow Blue Tibia' is more metaphysical, exploring multiple universes and extra-terrestrial life. 'YBT' is also similar to another recent read The Manual of Detection. All three novels are worth investigating, but this one is the most accomplished and entertaining.'YBT' is light science fiction, and is laugh-out-loud funny in places. It had me in fits of giggles at one stage, such is the dry wit of main character, Konstantin Skvorecky. The novel's premise is simple. In 1946, in order to unite the world under the banner of Communism, Stalin gathers together the Soviet Union's pre-eminent science fiction writers. Having secluded them in an isolated dacha, he tasks the writers with planning a convincing alien invasion. The writers complete their task, only to be told to forget all about it; to return to their lives and forget that ever met General Secretary Stalin. Skvorecky was one of these writers.The narrative then jumps forward forty years. Skvorecky encounters one of the other writers, who tells him that their invented tale of alien attack has commenced in the real world. Skvorecky is understandably sceptical, but he finds himself drawn into a plot that involves, assassins, the KGB and Scientologists.As much as it is a science fiction novel, 'YBT' also examines the act of writing. It analyses the relationship an author has with their work, and how their work is viewed changes over time. There is also unexpected and sweet love story running through much of the novel, something not often seen in science fiction. It is a comical affair, yet somehow a real one.The novel's conclusion is slightly baffling, and oddly forgettable (I'm struggling to recall, a week on, how the book finished). This is not particularly a problem, there is plenty of subtle food-for-thought about existence, and the possibilities of the many-worlds theory. Discovering why the book is called 'Yellow Blue Tibia' is worth the cover price alone. This is a light and comic read. Diverting and entertaining, reading 'YBT' is a fine way to pass a hot summer's afternoon. The Sun and Moon CorruptedThe Manual of Detection

This is an enjoyable read. The first half of the book contains a lot of humour that is quite like the Russian humour found in the work of Vladimir Voinovich (see The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Private Ivan Chonkin) but, IMHO over does it a little.The hero of this novel is a Science Fiction author who is reduced to working as a lowly translator. He fought in the Great Patriotic War and was subsequently asked, by no less a personage than Joseph Stalin, to work, in secret, with a number of other Science Fiction authors, to produce the story of an attack on Earth by aliens from outer space. This collaboration is started shortly after WWII and is not a very long lived venture.The story then leaps to the 1980s and we are provided with details of what was really behind the disaster at Chernobyl.The first three quarters of this novel could be considered plausable, or the incredulous elements could be explained away by rational explanation. The final quarter is a different matter.I have heard great things about the work of Adam Roberts, but this book has not encouraged me to rush out and grab another by him. Luckily, the version I have contains the first chapter of his next book, [The New Model Army], so I can sample that before handing out cash.A good read, but not a must read.

The concept is clever, the characters are interesting, and the plot is exciting. Add to that some quality prose - the author especially has a great way of describing the sky in all its guises - and some genuinely funny scenes, and you have a very good novel. Ok, sure, there are a few holes in the logic, and a few James Bond moments (let me just explain all my evil plans to you, Mr. Bond, before I kill you...), but you get the feeling the author had his tongue lodged in various cheeks while writing, so... Overall, recommended.

Uphill but rewarding alternative view. Strangely compelling. Grounded and outlandish. Love the scepticism of age colliding with the optimism of Science Fiction.

An interesting and original plot, developed with gusto by a writer of obvious talent, intelligence and wit. Maybe I'm getting old, but for me the characterisation was 2D, the repeated recalling of other writers' work tiresome, and the humour overcooked. The ending is satisfying, but I was relieved to reach it.

The best Adam Roberts I have read so far, and worth 4.5 stars. A strange mixture of SF, comedy, and thriller in one book. I wanted to throw it away but had to keep reading one more chapter before doing so. A small bonus is that I now know how to say "I love you" in Russian ( or so Mr Roberts affirms).

Impossible to follow the ever-changing and ever-less-plausible plot. First Stalin's an alien, then he's not, then someone's dead, then they're not... a bit like a satire of scifi

"Fantastic" books like this don't normally manage to create characters realistic enough to hold my attention, but this one did. It was a page turner of a book and has a novel approach to Soviet Union history as well as UFOs!Entertaining and effortlessly informative, in an odd way.

I hugely enjoyed this - it is one of the few SF books to really address politics and a venture where instead of looking into the future, this book looks back into the past to come up with an alternative explanation for real events. It's well written and funny, and a little bit like The Hitchhiker's Guide in its light-hearted tone. Highly recommended.

What an amazing read - the story takes many turns, all woven together such that the overtly bizarre can be made believable. Really good fun - literally laugh out loud at times.

I liked this book. It wheehks you around all over the place. Equally amusing and fascinating.

Heard this book referred to as "the best Science Fiction book of the year and worthy of the Booker Prize" - or words to that effect. Although no sci-fi aficionado I was intrigued....Yellow Blue Tibia only loosely falls into the science fiction genre. It is in essence an alternative history of the Soviet Union. Konstantin Skvorecky and a group of fellow writers are brought together by Stalin and tasked with constructing a convincing alien plot. It had to be a serious threat that could be told to the people. After working cooperatively on this they were then told to forget all they had done there on pain of death and were sent on their different ways.Years later when Skvorecky is working as a translator strange things begin to happen - and it seems that the story concocted by sci-fi writers appears to be coming true.The strength of the book lies in its humour and quirky dialogue while at the same time raising questions of truth, belief and and reality. He raises the need for an enemy or a serious threat in order to galvanise the population - very prescient in a world of dodgy dossiers and alleged weapons of mass destructions.My favourite scene was when Konstantin is confronted in a Moscow street by two KGB men threatening to kill him. Passers-by think that something is about to be sold and begin to form a queue hoping that there may be oranges or vodka on offer!