SAVCHENKO, Vladimir (Ivanovich)

(1933-)

   Russian writer who began as an author of short stories, publishing Tchironyie Zviozdy ("Dark Stars") (coll 1960) and contributing to anthologies. His most famous novel, Otkrytiie Sebia (1967; trans Antonina W. Bouis as Self-Discovery 1979 US), depicts in uncliched termsthe scientific development of a SUPERMAN. Later stories, comparable with the metaphysical parables of Stanislaw LEM and Philip K. DICK, are to be found in Ispytaniie Istinoi ("Truth Test") (coll [date unconfirmed]) and Algoritm Uspekha ("Success Algorithm") (coll 1983). A play, Novoiie Oruzhiie ("New Weapons") (1983), portrays modern physicists obsessed by moral problems after discovering a process which neutralizes all nuclear weapons on Earth. A rare attempt, in the Soviet sf of the 1980s, to create a future communist UTOPIA is the less successful Za Perevalom ("After the Pass") (1984).

   VG