Beetle in the Anthill

Beetle in the Anthill

Infobox Book |
name = Beetle in the Anthill
title_orig = Жук в муравейнике
translator = Antonina W. Bouis


image_caption = Russian cover of the novel
author = Arkady and Boris Strugatsky
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = Soviet Union
language = Russian
series = Noon Universe
genre = Science fiction novel
publisher = Macmillan
release_date = 1979
english_release_date = 1980
media_type = Print (Hardcover)
pages =
isbn = ISBN 0-02-615120-0
preceded_by = The Kid from Hell
followed_by = The Time Wanderers

"Beetle in the Anthill" (Russian: Жук в муравейнике, pronounced|ʐuk v muraˈvʲejnʲikʲe) 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. Another example of such a title in Strugatskys' books is the "Roadside Picnic", describing a possible origin of the "Zones".

Plot summary

The novel is set in 2178 AD and follows the story of Maxim Kammerer, an experienced investigator of COMCON-2 who receives an order to track down a man named Lev Abalkin, who was not supposed to return to Earth but has returned nevertheless. The order was issued by in secret by Rudolf Sikorski (called "Excellency" throughout the book), the chief of COMCON-2.

Studying the materials on Abalkin that Sikorski provided him with, Kammerer discovers that prior to his arrival on Earth, Abalkin was a progressor on Saraksh, working as an undercover agent in the power structures of the Island Empire. Among other materials, he find a sheet of paper with a strange symbol resembling the Cyrillic letter Ж or Japanese character ("san juu") which only adds to his confusion.

Kammerer's search leads him to several of Abalkin's friends and associates, including Maya Glumova who is a historian working in the "Museum of Extraterrestrial Cultures" (MEC) and Shokn the Golovan who worked closely with Abalkin in projects on Saraksh and Hope. Each of these has had recent contact with Abalkin, and report that he had been behaving strangely.

Kammerer also begins to perceive a connection between Abalkin and progressor Kornei Yashmaa. Both men were born on the same day from mysteriously deceased parents.

Late at night, Sikorski orders Kammerer to meet him at the MEC in order to ambush Abalkin. However, the one who comes to the Museum tonight is not Lev Abalkin but rather Issac Bromberg, Sikorski's fiercest opponent in his policy about knowledge and its classification. Kammerer witnesses a long verbal argument, in which many of the detals of the Abalkin case are revealed.

Apparently, Abalkin has called Bromberg via videophone and talked to him about the "detonators", an artifact stored in the closed section of the MEC where Sikorski and Kammerer had laid their trap. Reluctantly, Sikorski agreed to tell Maxim about the "foundlings": Abalkin (as well as Kornei Yashmaa) was a "foundling", one of thirteen humans born from embryos stored in the "sarcophagus" left by the Wanderers and discovered by Earthlings on an unnamed planet. The "detonators" were thirteen small discs each carrying a strange symbol identical to one that each of the "Stepchildren" had on his/her elbow. Abalkin's symbol was the one resembling the Cyrillic letter "Ж".

Upon returning to his COMCON-2 office with Maxim, Sikorski admits that he always believed that all "foundlings" carried a program deep in their subconsciousness that was potentially dangerous for Earth. It was because of this that all of them received an education that implied that they work as far from Earth as possible. Sikorski believes that Abalkin's surprise return to Earth indicates that he has become a dangerous agent of the Wanderers.

Kammerer does not believe that Abalkin poses a threat, but suggests that this is a psychological test engineered by the Wanderers. Kammerer likens the situation to when a human might put a "beetle in an anthill" simply to watch the alarmed reaction of the ants.

Eventually Abalkin comes to Sikorski and Kammerer voluntarily, and finds the truth about his origins. He demands to be left alone, but Sikorski orders Kammerer to follow him. Sikorski himself sets off for the MEC. Kammerer, guessing what is to come, tries to convince Abalkin to leave Earth for his own safety, but to no effect. Abalkin enters the Museum of Extraterrestrial Cultures, and is shot three times by Sikorski and dies on the floor millimeters from his "detonator".

English releases

# Strugatsky, Arkady and Boris. "Beetle in the Anthill (Best of Soviet Science Fiction)" translated by Antonina W. Bouis. New York: Macmillan Pub Co, October 1, 1980, 217 pp. ISBN 0-02-615120-0. LCCCN: 80017172.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • The Midwich Cuckoos —   …   Wikipedia

  • The Inhabited Island — English theatrical poster Directed by Fyodor Bondarchuk Produced by Alexander Rodnyansky Sergei Melkumov …   Wikipedia

  • The Way to Amalthea — (Russian: Путь на Альматею, Put na Amal teyu) also known as Destination: Amaltheia is an early science fiction short story by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky written in 1959. An English translation called Destination: Amaltheia was published in a… …   Wikipedia

  • The Time Wanderers — Infobox Book | name = The Time Wanderers title orig = Волны гасят ветер translator = Antonina W. Bouis image caption = author = Arkady and Boris Strugatsky illustrator = cover artist = country = Soviet Union language = Russian series = Noon… …   Wikipedia

  • The Kid from Hell — Infobox Book | name = The Kid from Hell title orig = Парень из преисподней translator = Roger DeGaris image caption = Illustration from 1992 Russian edition. author = Arkady and Boris Strugatsky illustrator = cover artist = country = Soviet Union …   Wikipedia

  • Minor personalities of the Noon Universe — The Noon Universe novels by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky featured a number of characters who were not of vital importance to the XXII century, like Leonid Gorbovsky or Maxim Kammerer. Bader, August Iogann Maria August Iogann Maria Bader was a… …   Wikipedia

  • List of minor Noon Universe characters — The Noon Universe novels by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky featured a number of characters who were not of vital importance to the XXII century, like Leonid Gorbovsky or Maxim Kammerer. Contents 1 Bader, August Iogann Maria 2 Bromberg, Isaac 3… …   Wikipedia

  • Noon Universe — The Noon Universe (Russian term: Мир Полудня or Мир Полдня World of Noon ) 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… …   Wikipedia

  • Minor planets of Noon Universe — The Noon Universe novels by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky featured a number of planets that were not covered extensively over the course of the narrative. Nonetheless, some scant information about them is available. Contents 1 Blue Sands planet 2… …   Wikipedia

  • Maxim Kammerer — (2137 after 2226) 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… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”