 First edition cover | |
| Author | Ivan Yefremov |
|---|---|
| Original title | Час Быка |
| Illustrator | Galina Boyko and Igor Shalito |
| Language | Russian |
| Genre | Social science fiction |
| Published | 1970 |
| Publisher | Molodaya Gvardiya |
| Publication place | Soviet Union |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Preceded by | "The Heart of the Serpent" |
The Hour of the Bull (Russian: Час Быка, Chas Byká) is a social science fiction novel written by Soviet author and paleontologist Ivan Yefremov in 1968. Six months after its publication in book form in 1970 Soviet authorities attempted to remove it from libraries and bookshops[1] after realizing that it contained a sharp criticism of the current state of affairs in the USSR disguised as a critique of "Capitalism" and Chinese-style communism of that time. It was published again in the 1980s "perestrojka" and thereafter.
This novel is considered a sequel to the 1957 novel Andromeda, taking place in the same universe some century or more later. Even though the cast of characters is entirely different, an occasional reference is made to the events and characters of the previous volume. For example, the main character in The Hour of the Bull is a female historian who on one occasion remembers most of the notable Andromeda characters as historical figures.
- ^ Lubenski, Andrew (October 1993). "A SHORT HISTORY OF RUSSIAN "FANTASTICA"" (PDF). The Mentor. No. 80. HAYMARKET, NSW 2000, AUSTRALIA: Ron Clarke. ISSN 0727-8462. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 21 April 2024.
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