The Fatal Eggs by Mikhail Bulgakov (EPUB)

Description

As the turbulent years following the Russian revolution of 1917 settle down into a new Soviet reality, the brilliant and eccentric zoologist Persikov discovers an amazing ray that drastically increases the size and reproductive rate of living organisms. At the same time, a mysterious plague wipes out all the chickens in the Soviet republics. The government expropriates Persikov’s untested invention in order to rebuild the poultry industry, but a horrible mix-up quickly leads to a disaster that could threaten the entire world. This H. G. Wells-inspired novel by the legendary Mikhail Bulgakov is the only one of his larger works to have been published in its entirety during the author’s lifetime. A poignant work of social science fiction and a brilliant satire on the Soviet revolution, it can now be enjoyed by English-speaking audiences through this accurate new translation. Includes annotations and afterword.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Mikhail Bulgakov (1891– 1940) was a Russian writer who was born before the Revolution and who died before the Thaw. Most of his writings were censored or supressed. Many were never printed until at least the 1960s, well after his death. _The Fatal Eggs_ was first published in the journal _Nedra_ in 1925 and related events occuring in the “near future” of 1928-1929. Because of its anti-Soviet satire, it was Bulgakov’s last complete work that was published in his lifetime.I first read “The Fatal Eggs” when I was in high school in the form of a novella published in _Fantasy and Science Fiction_ (December, 1964), translated by Mirra Ginsberg. The story was old-fashioned in a way, a bit slow-moving in its introduction of the characters and its description of Professor Persikov’s colorful discoveries. But the tale was alternately funny and horrific. I didn’t realize that Soviet science fiction could be this good. It made a lasting impression on me.The translation of _The Fatal Eggs_ that I am currently reviewing is that of Michael Karlpelson, which is a longer version than the _F&SF_ novella. The Karpelson version strikes me as a little more colloquial and relaxed in style:”Send him to the devil,” Persikov said in a monotone and threw the card under the table. (Ginsberg, 84-85)”Throw him the hell out,” Persikov said monotonously and brushed the card under the table. (Karlpelson, 20)On the other hand, sometimes the magazine version is more clear than the book version:”You mean you mean you don’t know the difference between amphibians and reptiles?” Persikov would ask “That’s just ridiculous, young man. Amphibians don’t have metanephros. The metanephros is missing. So there. For shame.” (Karlpelson, 6)”You do not know how amphibians differ from reptiles?” Persikov would ask. “It is simply ridiculous, young man. The amphibians have no pelvic buds. None. Yes… You ought to be ashamed.” (Ginsberg, 77)Bulgakov was familiar with the novels of H.G. Wells, and we can easily see the influence of such Wells novels as _The Food of the Gods_ (1904) and and _The War of the Worlds_ (1898) on _The Fatal Eggs_. But this is a novel that could only have been written in Soviet Russia. Russian education, the Russian Secret Service, Russian bureaucracy are all mercilessly satirized. So is the scientific antihero of the piece, Professor Vladimir Ipatievich Persikov. Persikovok is an undisputed genius in biology, who is more comfortable with reptiles and amphibians than with people. His wife left him long ago, leaving the note:”_Your frogs make me shudder with intolerable disgust,I will be unhappy my entire life because of them._” (4)The professor discovers under his microscope a “clear and thick ray of light” which is “bright red, protruding from the swirl like a tiny blade, about the size of a needle” (14). This ray is the source of a life force, and the professor uses the ray to manufacture various kinds of life forms in his laboratory.The Soviet government enters the picture and confiscates a large batch of giant eggs from Persikov’s laboratory to a farm outside moscow. The government fondly believes that they are a new breed of chicken that will feed the starving masses in the city. They are not. Persikov being Persikov, they are giant snakes and crocodiles. And what is unleashed on the public is nothing short of pure horror:Manya turned a pale yellow color, and her long hair rose a foot above her head, as if made of wire. Right before Phate’s eyes, the snake opened its maw for an instant, revealing something resembling a fork, grasped Manya’s shoulder with its teeth as she sank down in the dust, and jerked her a yard above the ground. Then Manya repeated her piercing deathly scream. The snake twisted into a twelve-yard corksrew, kicking up a whirlwind with its tail, and began to crush Manya. She did not make another sound, and Phate could only hear her bones snapping. Her head soared high above the ground, pressed tenderly against the cheek of the snake. (72)In the Afterward (presumeably written by Karlpelson), we learn that Bulgalkov once considered leaving the reptiles victorious over Moscow. In the final version of _The Fatal Eggs_, the reptiles are finally defeated. But not by peasant courage, or scientific cunning, or political craftiness, or military might, or mob violence. Who knows? If not for a fluke, there might be snakes in Moskow today!

⭐”The Fatal Eggs” works as satire, pure comedy or tongue-in-cheek sci-fi. While the developments at the end of the tale lend a more serious sci-fi/horror tone to the work, it’s difficult to dismiss humor entirely. After all, it is Bulgakov.Recommended for: fans of light-hearted sci-fi; those looking for more of Bulgakov’s work; fans of Russian writing/literature from the 1920s”Professor Persikov did not read the papers or go to the theater, and his wife had left him with a tenor from Zimin’s Opera House in 1913, leaving him the following note: “Your frogs make me shudder with intolerable disgust. I will be unhappy my entire life because of them.”- – – – -“He returned to the table, picked up the paper, read it again from top to bottom over his glasses, then from bottom to top through his glasses, and suddenly howled: “Pankrat!”Pankrat appeared in the doorway as if he had just emerged from a trap door in an opera. Persikov glanced at him and barked: “Get out, Pankrat!”And, without a trace of surprise on his face, Pankrat disappeared.”

⭐The Fatal Eggs was written early in his career by Mikhail Bulgakov, the author of the much more famous book The Master and Margarita. Later, Bulgakov wrote Heart of a Dog, which is similar to The Fatal Eggs but much funnier. Both The Fatal Eggs and Heart of a Dog are about a loner scientist who experiments with “life” and gets unexpected results. Besides being funny, these books are quite clearly a sardonic comment on Soviet life. This, of course, got Bulgakov into trouble with the state. Decades later, these books still resonate.

⭐First of all, this is a good translation – not too dry, with (IIRC) only about one obvioius idiom-literally-translated. Not scholarly, or not noticeably so.It’s a stemwinder of a story, the Soviet Union during the NEP when things seemed to actually be working and the future was bright (though dangerous when those with Influence pushed too hard). Accompanying notes indicate that, before the censors got to it, the happy-among-the-ruins aspect was much darker. There are no perfect villains, just the stupid and ambitious – but they’re enough!It’s a wild ride by the author of “The Master and Margarita,” an early work – soft sci-fi, we’d call it today. Highly recommended.

⭐I am very much a fan of Mikhail Bulgakov, but NOT for this minor effort. His other Si-Fi novel of about the same time, “Heart of a Dog” is far better (both, I believe were products of 1925). This one is just oh so derivative of Well’s ‘War of the Worlds”! And featuring the stock character of the ‘mad scientist’ whose experiment runs amok (true, the same plot line is used in ‘Heart of a Dog’, but to a much greater effect). So predictable and, in the end, uninspired — a real disappointment after the sarcastic/satiric genius of “Heart of a Dog”

⭐! Bulgakov would go on to write, 1929 – 40, what may be the greatest novel of the 20th century, “The Master and Margarita”.

⭐Good book from one of my favorite authors. Not as good as Heart of a Dog and does not have the character development as seen in Bulgakov’s masterpiece and my favorite, The Master and Margarita. But this is essentially a short story running about 100 pages so not much can be expected. If you like Bulgakov’s satirical portrayal of Soviet style communism in the early 1900’s or have read his other books, I can recommend The Fatal Eggs.

⭐My first Bulgakov read. A nice 100 page jaunt about the hubris of Soviet era politics and the prevailing attitude that humans can do no wrong to things that they may not necessarily understand. Also, it allows a plausible escape for the author to suggest traditional cold war powers at play – but it does not dwell on this in favor of keeping the story moving along.

⭐This is an enjoyable short novel of 100 pages by Mikhail Bulgakov. It is in the science-fiction/horror genre, set in the early days of the Soviet Union. An interesting 40-page article follows it, on the life and writings of the author.The plotting and characterisation are straightforward. This is a story of ideas, mainly of human and institutional folly, hubris and nemesis. Bulgakov wrote this story in 1924, setting it four years in the future. This was a utopian time. The civil war had finished and the new Soviet government brought stability. The grim political and social repression had yet to start. However, Bulgakov saw that folly is always with us. After its publication, the Soviet Union became more orthodox and puritanical. There would be a place for socialist realists. but not for someone of Bulgakov’s imagination.The hero/anti-hero of the story is Professor Persikov, the Director of the Moscow Zoological Institute. The year is 1928. Persikov is a narrow and focussed man. “Persikov found normal existence alien – it simply didn’t interest him.” His wife left him to get away from his frogs. He does not read newspapers and he does not go to the theatre. His life is his work. He survived the bad times of 1919 to 1922 when there was no heating. The Institute’s toads and frogs died through lack of food as did the institute’s watchman. Eventually things improved.Persikov accidently discovers the red ray, called by his assistant the ray of life. This dramatically increases the size and reproductive speed of animals. Then a plague wipes out the entire chicken population. News of Persikov’s discovery leaks out and the government seizes on the new discovery as a way to replenish the lost chicken population. They establish a new red ray facility in the countryside and order a large quantity of chicken eggs from abroad. At the same time the Zoological Institute orders some snake, crocodile and ostrich eggs. Of course, the two orders are delivered to the wrong addresses. A horrific farce begins. Godzilla-sized monsters created by the red ray roam the Russian countryside.The story was translated by Roger Cockrell, who provides a four page introduction. He mentions Bulgakov’s love of H. G. Wells and suggests that he may have been influenced by two book by Wells:

⭐The Island of Doctor Moreau

⭐(1896) and

⭐The Food of the Gods

⭐(1904). Indeed, “The Food of the Gods” is mentioned in Chapter Three of The Fatal Eggs.Bulgakov wrote this in 1924, the year that Lenin died. The New Economic Policy was in force, giving moderate economic liberalism to the early Soviet Union. This is a time before the Soviet Union became the Soviet Union. Thus, there are powerful GPU operatives, the precursors of the KGB, but the professor is happy to phone the Lubyanka directly when he wants to report a disturbing meeting with a foreign diplomat. There are newspaper sellers on the street and newspapers reporters, all acting and sounding as if they could be in London, Paris or New York. You can read Izvestiya or Pravda as normal newspapers.

⭐This was written in the early twenties of the last century and is a satire on the dangers of scientific research which is not accountable to the community – an early warning of what was to come. written in his usual elegant style and sometimes very funny!

⭐If you’ve never read anything by Bulgakov try this one for starters. It’s short, witty, simple but poignant. One-day (or in my case one-night) read. Even if, by the beginning of the end you know what went wrong, you still love it and laugh a lot. Leaving aside political background, satirical sub current ignored, it is a bloody good story (loads of blood). And it’s almost hundred years old. Once you’ll finish it, you’ll buy Master and Margarita. Believe me.

⭐I thought I had read all of Mikhail Bulgakov`s novels !!!! But not so. Thankfully the lady returned the novel to me after she had read it, so now its very pleasantly my turn to be entertained by this wonderfully important author.

⭐There is little to say about this book that hasn’t already been said. It’s a masterpiece and it’s also great fun.As with all classics, I recommend reading the introduction and the details of the author’s life because these help truly appreciate the work.

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