461:
circumstances. Abalkin learned by chance that he has been banned from Earth and wanted to know the truth about himself, so he came to Earth and tried to make sure that his memories were real. Later he came in the MEC only to see Maya
Glumova whom he loved and was surprised to see the "detonator" with the mark very similar to his own. Anyway, some details of the text contradict this explanation blatantly.
429:": Abalkin (as well as Kornei Yashmaa) was a "foundling", one of thirteen humans born from embryos stored in the "sarcophagus" left by the Wanderers and discovered by Earthlings on an unnamed planet. The "detonators" were thirteen small discs each carrying a strange symbol identical to a birthmark that each of the "
447:
Kammerer does not believe that
Abalkin poses a threat, but suggests that this is a psychological test engineered by the Wanderers. Kammerer likens the situation to when a human might put a "beetle in an anthill" simply to watch the alarmed reaction of the ants. Sikorski, however, is afraid that the
443:
Upon returning to his COMCON-2 office with Maxim, Sikorski admits that he always believed that all "foundlings" carried a program deep in their subconsciousness that was potentially dangerous for Earth. It was because of this that all of them received an education that implied that they work as far
451:
Eventually
Abalkin comes to Sikorski and Kammerer voluntarily, and finds the truth about his origins. He demands to be left alone, but Sikorski orders Kammerer to follow him. Sikorski himself sets off for the MEC. Kammerer, guessing what is to come, tries to convince Abalkin to leave Earth for his
460:
The question if
Abalkin really had some program inside him and was a dangerous agent of the Wanderers was intentionally left unanswered by the authors. Later in interviews Boris Strugatsky told that Abalkin had been just an ordinary man with no program and had been a victim of unfavorable
415:
408:
397:
385:
418:, Sikorski's fiercest opponent in his policy about knowledge and its classification. Kammerer witnesses a long verbal argument, in which many of the details of the Abalkin case are revealed.
27:
452:
own safety, but to no effect. Abalkin enters the Museum of
Extraterrestrial Cultures, and is shot three times by Sikorski and dies on the floor millimeters from his "detonator".
444:
from Earth as possible. Sikorski believes that
Abalkin's surprise return to Earth indicates that the program has activated and he has become a dangerous agent of the Wanderers.
414:
Late at night, Sikorski orders
Kammerer to meet him at the MEC in order to ambush Abalkin. However, the one who comes to the Museum tonight is not Lev Abalkin but rather
404:
who worked closely with
Abalkin in projects on Saraksh and Hope. Each of these has had recent contact with Abalkin, and report that he had been behaving strangely.
335:
327:
541:
904:
425:
stored in the closed section of the MEC where
Sikorski and Kammerer had laid their trap. Reluctantly, Sikorski agreed to tell Maxim about the "
345:
Studying the materials on
Abalkin that Sikorski provided him with, Kammerer discovers that prior to his arrival on Earth, Abalkin was a
534:
401:
889:
527:
826:
894:
499:
159:
448:
situation may turn out to be "weasel in a henhouse" instead, so he cannot neglect the potential danger to Earth.
514:
899:
766:
638:
711:
695:
677:
289:
181:
780:
603:
551:
275:
40:
703:
656:
430:
426:
474:
734:
421:
Apparently, Abalkin has called Bromberg via videophone and talked to him about the "detonators", an
808:
801:
246:
422:
866:
850:
101:
8:
834:
663:
361:. Among other materials, he finds a sheet of paper with a strange symbol resembling the
759:
741:
610:
575:
519:
311:
268:
221:
135:
113:
384:
Kammerer's search leads him to several of Abalkin's friends and associates, including
624:
510:
495:
491:
434:
370:
208:
166:
154:
60:
670:
596:
263:
237:
192:
70:
858:
794:
787:
339:
294:
90:
773:
582:
323:
26:
883:
559:
407:
Kammerer also begins to perceive a connection between Abalkin and progressor
358:
279:
80:
617:
123:
292:
phenomenon. Another example of such a title in Strugatskys' books is the
589:
411:. Both men were born on the same day from mysteriously deceased parents.
331:
318:
The novel is set in 2178 AD (approximately 20 years after the events of
173:
354:
346:
509:
translated by Olena Bormashenko. Chicago Review Press, 18 April 2023.
389:
146:
433:" had on his/her elbow. Abalkin's symbol was the one resembling the
842:
362:
342:(called "Excellency" throughout the book), the chief of COMCON-2.
322:) and follows the story of the main character of the first novel,
350:
338:
but has returned nevertheless. The order was issued in secret by
271:
167:
494:. New York: Macmillan Pub Co, October 1, 1980, 217 pp.
193:
549:
488:
Beetle in the Anthill (Best of Soviet Science Fiction)
251:
881:
326:. Kammerer, now an experienced investigator of
298:, describing a possible origin of the "Zones".
330:, receives an order to track down a man named
535:
542:
528:
25:
16:1979 novel by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky
288:is the title of a theory explaining the
882:
315:, but its plot is almost independent.
905:Novels by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
523:
357:agent in the power structures of the
262:
381:) which only adds to his confusion.
334:, who was not supposed to return to
480:
394:Museum of Extraterrestrial Cultures
13:
14:
916:
301:
505:Strugatsky, Arkady and Boris.
486:Strugatsky, Arkady and Boris.
1:
767:The Second Invasion from Mars
639:The Waves Extinguish the Wind
264:[ʐukvmʊrɐˈvʲejnʲɪkʲɪ]
678:The Final Circle of Paradise
7:
890:1979 science fiction novels
552:Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
455:
276:Boris and Arkady Strugatsky
252:
41:Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
10:
921:
809:The Wish Machine (Stalker)
657:The Land of Crimson Clouds
31:Russian cover of the novel
818:
751:
735:Monday Begins on Saturday
726:
687:
648:
567:
558:
507:The Beetle in the Anthill
464:
241:
216:
203:
191:
179:
165:
153:
141:
131:Published in English
129:
119:
107:
97:
86:
76:
66:
56:
46:
36:
24:
895:1979 in the Soviet Union
827:Dead Mountaineer's Hotel
781:Dead Mountaineer's Hotel
471:Лишь разумные свободны?
469:A sequel to the novel,
20:Beetle in the Anthill
632:Beetle in the Anthill
307:Beetle in the Anthill
286:Beetle in the Anthill
233:Beetle in the Anthill
900:Noon Universe novels
473:has been written by
664:The Way to Amalthea
199:PG3476.S78835 Z4913
47:Original title
21:
851:Dead Man's Letters
760:Snail on the Slope
742:Tale of the Troika
611:Prisoners of Power
576:Noon: 22nd Century
502:. LCCCN: 80017172.
320:Prisoners of Power
312:Prisoners of Power
254:Zhuk v muraveynike
222:The Time Wanderers
19:
877:
876:
722:
721:
625:The Kid from Hell
492:Antonina W. Bouis
309:is the sequel to
250:
242:Жук в муравейнике
229:
228:
209:The Kid from Hell
120:Publication place
61:Antonina W. Bouis
51:Жук в муравейнике
912:
802:Definitely Maybe
712:Hard to Be a God
696:Hard to Be a God
671:Space Apprentice
597:Hard to Be a God
565:
564:
544:
537:
530:
521:
520:
481:English releases
353:, working as an
266:
261:
257:
245:
243:
217:Followed by
204:Preceded by
195:
169:
109:Publication date
29:
22:
18:
920:
919:
915:
914:
913:
911:
910:
909:
880:
879:
878:
873:
859:Days of Eclipse
814:
795:The Doomed City
788:Roadside Picnic
747:
727:NIICHAVO novels
718:
683:
644:
554:
548:
483:
467:
458:
392:working in the
340:Rudolf Sikorski
304:
295:Roadside Picnic
259:
184:
142:Media type
132:
110:
91:Science fiction
32:
17:
12:
11:
5:
918:
908:
907:
902:
897:
892:
875:
874:
872:
871:
867:The Ugly Swans
863:
855:
847:
839:
831:
822:
820:
816:
815:
813:
812:
805:
798:
791:
784:
777:
774:The Ugly Swans
770:
763:
755:
753:
749:
748:
746:
745:
738:
730:
728:
724:
723:
720:
719:
717:
716:
708:
700:
691:
689:
685:
684:
682:
681:
674:
667:
660:
652:
650:
646:
645:
643:
642:
635:
628:
621:
614:
607:
600:
593:
586:
583:Escape Attempt
579:
571:
569:
562:
556:
555:
547:
546:
539:
532:
524:
518:
517:
503:
490:translated by
482:
479:
466:
463:
457:
454:
416:Isaac Bromberg
409:Kornei Yashmaa
324:Maxim Kammerer
303:
300:
227:
226:
218:
214:
213:
205:
201:
200:
197:
189:
188:
185:
180:
177:
176:
171:
163:
162:
157:
151:
150:
143:
139:
138:
133:
130:
127:
126:
121:
117:
116:
111:
108:
105:
104:
99:
95:
94:
88:
84:
83:
78:
74:
73:
68:
64:
63:
58:
54:
53:
48:
44:
43:
38:
34:
33:
30:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
917:
906:
903:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
887:
885:
869:
868:
864:
861:
860:
856:
853:
852:
848:
845:
844:
840:
837:
836:
832:
829:
828:
824:
823:
821:
817:
811:
810:
806:
804:
803:
799:
797:
796:
792:
790:
789:
785:
783:
782:
778:
776:
775:
771:
769:
768:
764:
762:
761:
757:
756:
754:
750:
744:
743:
739:
737:
736:
732:
731:
729:
725:
714:
713:
709:
706:
705:
701:
698:
697:
693:
692:
690:
686:
680:
679:
675:
673:
672:
668:
666:
665:
661:
659:
658:
654:
653:
651:
649:Related works
647:
641:
640:
636:
634:
633:
629:
627:
626:
622:
620:
619:
615:
613:
612:
608:
606:
605:
601:
599:
598:
594:
592:
591:
587:
585:
584:
580:
578:
577:
573:
572:
570:
566:
563:
561:
560:Noon Universe
557:
553:
545:
540:
538:
533:
531:
526:
525:
522:
516:
512:
508:
504:
501:
500:0-02-615120-0
497:
493:
489:
485:
484:
478:
476:
475:Amnuel Pesakh
472:
462:
453:
449:
445:
441:
440:
436:
432:
428:
424:
419:
417:
412:
410:
405:
403:
399:
395:
391:
387:
382:
380:
376:
372:
368:
364:
360:
359:Island Empire
356:
352:
348:
343:
341:
337:
333:
329:
325:
321:
316:
314:
313:
308:
299:
297:
296:
291:
287:
283:
281:
280:Noon Universe
277:
273:
270:
265:
256:
255:
248:
239:
235:
234:
225:
223:
219:
215:
212:
210:
206:
202:
198:
196:
194:LC Class
190:
186:
183:
182:Dewey Decimal
178:
175:
172:
170:
164:
161:
160:0-02-615120-0
158:
156:
152:
148:
144:
140:
137:
134:
128:
125:
122:
118:
115:
112:
106:
103:
100:
96:
92:
89:
85:
82:
81:Noon Universe
79:
75:
72:
69:
65:
62:
59:
55:
52:
49:
45:
42:
39:
35:
28:
23:
865:
857:
849:
841:
833:
825:
807:
800:
793:
786:
779:
772:
765:
758:
752:Other novels
740:
733:
710:
702:
694:
676:
669:
662:
655:
637:
631:
630:
623:
618:Space Mowgli
616:
609:
602:
595:
588:
581:
574:
506:
487:
470:
468:
459:
450:
446:
442:
438:
420:
413:
406:
393:
386:Maya Glumova
383:
378:
374:
366:
344:
319:
317:
310:
306:
305:
302:Plot summary
293:
290:Stepchildren
285:
284:
253:
232:
231:
230:
220:
207:
124:Soviet Union
50:
819:Adaptations
704:Dark Planet
688:Adaptations
590:Far Rainbow
332:Lev Abalkin
278:set in the
884:Categories
515:1641606789
437:character
431:foundlings
427:foundlings
396:(MEC) and
373:character
355:undercover
347:progressor
260:pronounced
57:Translator
707:(2008–09)
550:Works by
477:in 1998.
390:historian
388:who is a
274:novel by
247:romanized
187:891.73/44
147:Hardcover
102:Macmillan
98:Publisher
843:Charodei
604:Disquiet
456:Analysis
435:Japanese
423:artifact
371:Japanese
363:Cyrillic
328:COMCON-2
67:Language
835:Stalker
402:Golovan
379:san juu
365:letter
351:Saraksh
267:) is a
249::
238:Russian
174:6421596
145:Print (
71:Russian
870:(2006)
862:(1988)
854:(1986)
846:(1982)
838:(1979)
830:(1979)
715:(2013)
699:(1989)
568:Novels
513:
498:
465:Sequel
272:sci-fi
224:
211:
77:Series
37:Author
398:Shokn
336:Earth
93:novel
87:Genre
511:ISBN
496:ISBN
400:the
269:1979
168:OCLC
155:ISBN
136:1980
114:1979
369:or
349:on
886::
282:.
258:,
244:,
240::
543:e
536:t
529:v
439:卅
377:(
375:卅
367:Ж
236:(
149:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
