A True Story, Lucian of Samosata
A True Story, Lucian of Samosata
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A True Story
The very first sci fi, written around 100AD

Author: Lucian of Samosata

Series: Proto Sci-Fi

Narrator: Charles Featherstone

Unabridged: 1 hr 48 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/10/2024


Synopsis

The very first sci fi, written at the height of people making stuff up and pretending it was history (looking at you, Herodotus). Nice to see the art of the spoof is so old...
A True Story (Ancient Greek: Ἀληθῆ διηγήματα, Alēthē diēgēmata; Latin: Vera Historia or Latin: Verae Historiae), also translated as True History, is a long novella or short novel written in the second century AD by the Syrian author Lucian of Samosata. The novel is a satire of outlandish tales that had been reported in ancient sources, particularly those that presented fantastic or mythical events as if they were true. It is Lucian's best-known work.
It is the earliest known work of fiction to include travel to outer space, alien lifeforms, and interplanetary warfare. It has been described as "the first known text that could be called science fiction". However, the work does not fit into typical literary genres: its multilayered plot and its characters have been interpreted as belonging to science fiction, fantasy, satire or parody, and have been the subjects of scholarly debate.
- From the wiki:

Reviews

Goodreads review by Ashleigh (a frolic through fiction) on December 07, 2020

Without a doubt the weirdest thing I've ever read, which is impressive for the 30 or so pages.......more

Goodreads review by Uroš on March 04, 2021

Stanovnici Meseca imaju jedinstvenu trpezu. Hrane se isparenjima od prženja žaba, a piju vazduh sabijen u pehar koji tvori neku vrstu rose. Nemaju digestivni trakt, a utrobe su im kao vreće, gde mogu, po potrebi, staviti sve što im treba. Njihova vrsta nema žena, već samo muškaraca, premda nije sasv......more

Goodreads review by Esme on March 24, 2022

This is so unhinged, but I had kind of a great time......more

Goodreads review by Marko on October 22, 2022

Verae Historiae još jedan su biser (pored Apulejevog Zlatnog magarca) iz II veka naše ere. Kod Lukijana, nema one Apulejeve blagoglagoljive deskripcije koja, poput tutkala, spaja segmente između putovanja glavnog junaka, pa tekst deluje nekako nabacno nabrojan, ali ima psihodeličnih elemenata i opis......more

Goodreads review by Saturn on October 06, 2023

Temo di non essere stata all'altezza di questa lettura. Si tratta di una storia burlesca e strampalata ai massimi livelli in cui il vero intento è satirico. Infatti mi ha ricordato per molti aspetti I viaggi di Gulliver, che mi avevano molto colpito. Bisognerebbe però avere una buona cultura dell'An......more