Maxim Kammerer
Encyclopedia
Maxim Kammerer is a fictional character
in Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
's series of science fiction
novels set in the Noon Universe
.
It has been speculated that the character was based on Ivan Zhilin - a protagonist of earlier works of the Strugatsky brothers.
of the local civilization of Saraksh
and overthrowing the totalitarian regime of one of its states in 2157. However, his actions also resulted in a severe crisis (both political and psychological) on the planet, forcing him to stay there and help the progressors to sort it out. Approximately at that time he also discovered the canoid (dog-like) race of Golovans.
Later Kammerer became a prominent official in the COMCON-2, "Control Committee", which is a type of intelligence and security service. His career thereafter focuses on studying the Wanderers
, an alien civilization that has left traces on many of the planets known to humans
of Earth
. In 2178 he was briefly acquainted with the "Stepchildren Case".
While gathering little meaningful information about intentions, history, or potential threat of the Wanderers to the human civilization of Earth, Kammerer eventually presided, as the head of the "Unexplained Events" department of the COMCON-2, over the Great Revelation involving the discovery of Ludens, a subgroup of humans capable of superhuman
intelligence after certain medical procedures.
, Beetle in the Anthill
and The Time Wanderers
. He was briefly mentioned in Space Mowgli
. He was also used as one of the main characters in "The Snake Milk" - a sequel to Strugatsky's The Kid from Hell
written by E. Uspenskiy.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
in Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
The brothers Arkady and Boris Strugatsky are Soviet Jewish-Russian science fiction authors who collaborated on their fiction.-Life and work:...
's series of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novels set in the Noon Universe
Noon Universe
The Noon Universe is a fictional future setting for a number of hard science fiction novels written by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. The universe is named after Noon: 22nd Century, the chronologically first novel from the series...
.
It has been speculated that the character was based on Ivan Zhilin - a protagonist of earlier works of the Strugatsky brothers.
Fictional character biography
Kammerer starts out as an adventurer and space explorer, becoming involved in the politicsPolitics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
of the local civilization of Saraksh
Saraksh
Saraksh is a fictional planet described in Prisoners of Power by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. This planet is a part of the so called Noon Universe and presents a world that survived an atomic war. As a result, the surface of the planet is mostly covered with debris and junk...
and overthrowing the totalitarian regime of one of its states in 2157. However, his actions also resulted in a severe crisis (both political and psychological) on the planet, forcing him to stay there and help the progressors to sort it out. Approximately at that time he also discovered the canoid (dog-like) race of Golovans.
Later Kammerer became a prominent official in the COMCON-2, "Control Committee", which is a type of intelligence and security service. His career thereafter focuses on studying the Wanderers
Wanderers (Noon Universe)
Wanderers are a fictional alien race from the Noon Universe created by Strugatsky brothers. Their homeworld is unknown. No official contact between Earth and Wanderers has ever been registered, although they've contacted humans from other planets, e.g...
, an alien civilization that has left traces on many of the planets known to humans
Humans (Noon Universe)
Humans of the Noon Universe created by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky are mostly identical to homo sapiens. Humans inhabit numerous planets, but their original homeworld is probably Earth, others being populated by humans, presumably, as a result of Wanderers' manipulations.-Human Planets:The...
of Earth
Earth (Noon Universe)
In the Noon Universe created by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky Earth is one of the planets populated by humans as well as their assumed origin. It is identical to the modern Earth except for the fact that it is set in the 22nd century...
. In 2178 he was briefly acquainted with the "Stepchildren Case".
While gathering little meaningful information about intentions, history, or potential threat of the Wanderers to the human civilization of Earth, Kammerer eventually presided, as the head of the "Unexplained Events" department of the COMCON-2, over the Great Revelation involving the discovery of Ludens, a subgroup of humans capable of superhuman
Superhuman
Superhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
intelligence after certain medical procedures.
Censorship
Originally, Strugatsky brothers dubbed Maxim Maxim Rostislavsky (Максим Ростиславский). However, the Soviet censors demanded that Maxim's last name would be changed to something more Germanic (this was part of the censor's efforts to steer the novel away from its originally anti-Soviet undertones). When Strugatsky brothers got an opportunity to reverse the changes brought on by Soviet censors, they chose to retain the "Kammerer" last name. They felt that changing it back to the original would create a continuity problem for other Noon Universe stories where Maxim went by his altered last name.See also
Kammerer appears in Prisoners of PowerPrisoners of Power
Prisoners of Power also known as Inhabited Island is a science fiction novel written by Soviet authors Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. It was written in 1969 and originally published in 1971, the English translation was released in 1977...
, Beetle in the Anthill
Beetle in the Anthill
Beetle in the Anthill is a 1979 sci-fi novel by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky set in the Noon Universe.-Explanation of the novel's title:Beetle in the Anthill is the title of a theory explaining the Stepchildren phenomenon...
and The Time Wanderers
The Time Wanderers
The Time Wanderers is a 1985 science fiction novel by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky, set in the Noon Universe...
. He was briefly mentioned in Space Mowgli
Space Mowgli
Space Mowgli also known as The Kid is a 1971 sci-fi novel by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky set in the Noon Universe.- Plot summary :...
. He was also used as one of the main characters in "The Snake Milk" - a sequel to Strugatsky's The Kid from Hell
The Kid from Hell
The Kid from Hell is a 1974 sci-fi novel by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky set in the Noon Universe. The English translation was included in a single volume entitled Escape Attempt with the other Noon universe stories Escape Attempt and Space Mowgli.-Plot summary:The novel tells the story of Gack, a...
written by E. Uspenskiy.