The land of the future described by the Strugatsky brothers is clean and prosperous. Mankind has got rid of teenage complexes, there are no more wars, diseases and natural disasters on the planet. Earthlings defeated hunger, learned to control the weather and live in harmony with nature, they concluded from the mistakes of previous generations and now they know exactly what the planet and society need. Conquering the boundless expanses of outer space, perfect people are now ready to come to the rescue of other, younger worlds in order to rid them of the wrong paths that Earthlings have traveled.
But can a person take responsibility by changing the course of the history of the development of society, because, as you know, the road to hell is paved with good intentions? The trilogy about Maxim Kammerer, consisting of the books “Inhabited Island” (where the reader meets a very young hero), “The Beetle in the Anthill” (in which Maxim is already an experienced COMCON-2 employee), and “Waves Quench the Wind” (filed as diaries and the notes of Kammerer) raises this and other eternal human questions.
People of the future
Civilization on planet Earth has reached the highest level. Humanity has learned to fully use the capabilities of its brain and has eradicated such atavisms as cruelty, greed and aggressiveness. People are now engaged in science, research, and trying not to harm, they are kind and bright to other civilizations.
Maxim Kammerer is a typical representative of the Earth of the future. he has a kind heart, sharp mind, excellent health, excellent external and physical data and a full range of other positive qualities. Maxim was brought up in a happy and loving family, however, like all other earthlings. His father is a nuclear physicist, but the young man was always attracted to space, therefore, having not finally decided on the choice of specialty for his 20 years, he joins the free space search group.
"Inhabited Island"
In one of the free search expeditions on the starship of a young researcher, serious problems were discovered, as a result of which Maxim Kammerer was forced to make an emergency landing on the planet Saraksh. The young man cannot repair it by himself, besides the transmitter is broken, and the remaining members of the expedition do not know the coordinates of the landing. Maxim will have to solve the problem on his own, but first he must understand how to do it and get acquainted with the planet. From the first steps, it becomes clear to the earthling that there is a rational life on Saraksha and, most likely, fierce wars were fought. With their legacy in the form of abandoned and rusty, but combat-ready weapons, he came across in the forest near his spaceship. Further studies of Maxim showed that people live on the planet, and wars did not remain in the past, but they still tear society and destroy the planet.
Having become closer to the locals - Rada and Guy Gaal, Maxim Kammerer becomes embroiled in the political intrigues of a totalitarian state led by the Unknown Fathers organization. By deceiving and subjugating his people with the help of special emitters, the country's leadership blames the mutants for all troubles, the state is torn apart by internal and external military and political conflicts with the Island Empire. The young man does not fit into the local order: his friendliness and wide smile raise suspicion of the authorities, they begin to closely monitor him. Of particular interest in the earthling is a certain Wanderer - a very influential member of the government.
Having understood the situation, Maxim wants to help ordinary people who are deceived. He falls into the Resistance and, with the activity characteristic of civilized earthlings, joins the struggle. A rebellion begins in the country, and military clashes with the Island Empire turn into a full-fledged war. During these events, Maxim meets Rudolf Sikorski (aka Wanderer - a conspiratorial agent of the Galactic Security Committee). It turns out that people on Earth have long been aware of the problems on Saraksh and are trying to gently direct the course of events for the better, without, however, imposing their methods on the people of the planet. Maxim, by his desire to help, put the whole long-term work of the Committee under attack, and now the country and the planet are facing world war and chaos.
"Beetle in the Anthill"
Maxim has already had many years of experience, he is a mature man of over 40 years old, and is an employee of the Contact Committee (COMCON-2). His responsibilities include not only contact with representatives of extraterrestrial civilizations, but also the identification of a possible threat to humanity emanating from them. Learned from his own mistakes, Maxim Kammerer now listens to his teacher and leader Rudolf Sikorski. Earthlings did not leave Saraksh, and progressors still help the planet's population. Finding one of them, Lev Abalkin, is the task assigned to Kammerer.
It is known that Abalkin worked undercover in counterintelligence of the Island Empire, but after the death of his friend Tristan, he suffered a nervous breakdown and, betraying himself, was forced to flee. He left Saraksh without a corresponding order, so he is hiding on Earth. In the process of searching, Maxim receives information about the true causes of the commotion over the disappearance of Abalkin. It turns out that he belongs to a group of people, the so-called foundlings, grown from the germ found in the sarcophagus on a distant planet in 2137.
COMCON-2 is suspicious of these people, because the Wanderers (a highly developed civilization that was supposedly engaged in progression on many planets) are obviously involved in the history of their origin. Despite the humanity of human society, which grew out of the found embryos of full-fledged earthlings with all rights, the contact committee nevertheless closely watched them, believing that these people could carry a hidden threat to humanity. There is a theory exactly how foundlings can harm earthlings. Abalkin’s flight and attempt to hide is regarded by Sikorski as confirmation of this theory.
Rudolph considers it impossible to be gentle, he is a supporter of tough measures and intends to eliminate the possible danger in any way. Maxim does not approve of this, all the more so since the threat from the foundlings has not been proven, he is trying to protect Abalkin. But all efforts are in vain, Leo, learning about his origin, wants to get to the truth, and Sikorski, perceiving this as a direct threat, kills him. So Maxim thinks about the appropriateness of progression and COMCON with its secret power, and the committee’s everyday life includes the concept of “Sikorsky syndrome” (fear of progression by the Wanderers).
"The waves quench the wind"
Many years later. Maxim is already at the venerable age of 89. For almost half a century, his diary, which Kammerer kept all this time, tells about his life and work. After the events related to Sikorski, Maxim seriously thought about the activities of the Wanderers on Earth and the consequences that they could lead to. After all, scientists have discovered in some people hidden superpowers and superintelligence that humans do not possess. When activated, their person turns into a ludien, a practically new species. There are more and more such people, they do not have human emotions and cannot live in the company of people. This threatens humanity, and Maxim is busy exposing the secret organization of people on Earth. As a result, he succeeds with like-minded people. After the publication of the facts of interference in the development of mankind, people leave the Earth.
Character Creation History
The Midday World, created by the authors in 1962, showed all the attractiveness of the bright future that was promised to the Soviet people. The heroes of this world are bright and moral people, humanists, intellectuals, scientists and space explorers. They are busy improving themselves and the planet, so they seek to help other civilizations reach the same level. Having played on the contrast between the Earth of the XXII century and Saraksh, Arkady and Boris Strugatsky clearly demonstrated the futility of the totalitarian regime. They also raised the eternal theme of creating organizations that for the good of mankind decide how to live, and thereby lead him to death.
Therefore, the trilogy about the adventures of Maxim Kammerer was focused on censorship. The original name of the protagonist was Rostislavsky, but so that there was no association with the events that took place during the years of repression in the Soviet Union, censorship demanded that it be changed to German. Later, Arkady and Boris Strugatsky had the opportunity to return the first surname to the hero, but, having thought, they abandoned this idea. Speaking about the film adaptation of the book “Inhabited Island”, Boris Strugatsky noted that the picture was a success, and the main actor, Vasily Stepanov , most closely matches the image of Maxim Kammerer.