9作品を収めた短編集

しあわせの理由


しあわせの理由

グレッグ・イーガン著 山岸真 訳

image
グレッグ・イーガン著

山岸 真 訳

表題作をはじめとする9作品を収めた短編集である。

グレッグイーガンと言えば初心者にはいささかきついハードSF作家というイメージである。

実際今作に収められているどの作品にしても、アイデアのすごさはもちろんのこと、物理学や数学、科学や医学に量子力学、また文化や宗教等の価値観社会における様々な問題などを含んだ作品となっており、イーガンの知識の深さには思わず唸るほどである。

だがしかし、それぞれに対して説明があるわけでもないため、読んでいて難解であったり理解できないところも多々出てきてしまう。

この日本オリジナル短編集は、そんなイーガン作品の中でも読みやすい作品を集めたとのこと。

とはいうものの、それでもいまいち内容が頭に入ってこなかったり理解できない話や終わり方が...と感じる作品も多かった。

個人的にはチェルノブイリの聖母という作品が、タイトルからだと小難しい雰囲気はあるが、比較的に読みやすいと感じたし、兄弟作幸せの理由と本読んで内容を理解できたものの、作品全体を通してとなると、やはりわかりずらいという印象である。

今作には事故で脳だけ助かった夫を助けようとする妻の姿を描いた、「適切な愛」や近未来の人類を描き、量子サッカーに興ずる「ボーダー・ガード」等々、表題作以外にも多くの受賞及び受賞候補になった作品が並ぶ。

SF好きなら一度は読んでみる価値はある作品であろう。

The Madonna of Chernoby

Reasons for Happiness - A Review

English Virsion

Author: Greg Egan, Translated by Makoto Yamagishi

The collection comprises nine short stories, including the titular piece.

Greg Egan is known for his hard SF, which can be quite challenging for beginners due to the complex ideas and extensive use of physics, mathematics, quantum mechanics, and various cultural and societal issues embedded within his works. Indeed, the depth of knowledge in Egan's works is often astonishing.

However, not all stories come with explanations, which can make them difficult and sometimes incomprehensible.

This particular collection, original to Japan, is said to include some of Egan's more accessible works.

Nonetheless, many stories still felt elusive in terms of content comprehension and their conclusions.

Personally, I found "The Madonna of Chernobyl" relatively easy to understand, despite the seemingly complex title. The same goes for the companion piece, "Reasons for Happiness." However, comprehending the entire collection was still a challenge.

This compilation includes "Appropriate Love," about a wife trying to save her husband who survived a brain-only accident, and "Border Guards," a look at humanity in the near future and their engagement with quantum soccer, among other award-winning and nominated works.

For SF enthusiasts, this collection is undoubtedly worth a read.

English Word Japanese Meaning English Explanation
Compilation 編集物 A collection of various items, such as literary works or songs, gathered and formed into one volume or file.
Quantum Mechanics 量子力学 A fundamental theory in physics that provides a description of the physical properties of nature at the scale of atoms and subatomic particles.
Incomprehensible 理解できない Not able to be understood; not intelligible.
Elusive 理解しにくい Difficult to find, catch, or achieve; difficult to remember or recall.
Enthusiast 熱狂者 A person who is highly interested in a particular activity or subject.
Nominee 候補者 A person who is proposed or formally entered as a candidate for an office or as the recipient of a grant or award.
Hard SF ハードSF A category of science fiction characterized by an emphasis on scientific accuracy or technical detail.
Accessible アクセスしやすい Easy to approach, reach, enter, speak with, or use.
Comprehension 理解 The ability to understand something; the act or capacity of understanding.
Compilation 編集物 The action or process of compiling or gathering together from various sources.
SF沼におちた僕の本棚
音乃木坂図書室