I was wondering if any Seventh Wonder fans have checked out or own "Aniara: An Epic Science Fiction Poem"? After listening to "The Great Escape" so much I really wanted to read the poem the song was based off of.
Has anyone read Aniara?
- Thread starter RaptorGTA
- Start date
AndreasBlomqvist
Mr. Bassman
Check it out:
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Aniara-Epic-Science-Fiction-Poem/dp/1885266634/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332403073&sr=1-1[/ame]
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Aniara-Epic-Science-Fiction-Poem/dp/1885266634/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1332403073&sr=1-1[/ame]
I haven't read yet it but I have definately been considering it. I think it looks kind of expensive though.
Xandra
Member
I would love to read it, but $100 for a poem? Sounds a bit much. I wish there were cheaper copies available in English...
Edit: The hardcover for $774? Woah.
Edit: The hardcover for $774? Woah.
er. Sorry, I really didn't word my first post properly. I bought Aniara for $72 off of amazon. (that was cheapest i could find it). I was wondering if anyone else had bought the book. Was it worth it? Well i dont regret buying it. Yes its a lot for a book that may have 130 pages, but its amazing. Its really a shame there aren't many copies in English and Im really surprised there aren't any digital copies out.
Overall, Seventh Wonder did an amazing job taking the poem and making it into a master piece of a song. I think the best thing about reading the poem is the mental images you get while listening to "The Great Escape" that came from the poem. The ending with Tommy's vocals create such an emotion when knowing how the poem describes the ending of Aniara...to be honest i cant put it into words. The song and poem complement each other so well. They should have been sold together! lol
Can I suggest buying this poem? Well the price is pretty high. It does add more levels to an already amazing song. Im not a huge reader and really haven't to many poems in my day. There were a few areas in Aniara that I had a hard time understanding the context of what was trying to be said. Though it made going back and reading it more rewarding.
For those interested, here a section of the poem...bet you all will recognize this.
Efforts at escape through flights of mind
and slipping back and forth from dream to dream-
such methods were to hand.
With one leg drowned beneath a surge of feeling
the other braced by feeling dead and gone
we'd often stand.
Myself I questioned, but gave no reply
I dreamt myself a life, then lived a lie.
I ranged the universe but passed it by-
for captive on Aniara here was I.
Seriously Andreas, you guys are awesome!
Overall, Seventh Wonder did an amazing job taking the poem and making it into a master piece of a song. I think the best thing about reading the poem is the mental images you get while listening to "The Great Escape" that came from the poem. The ending with Tommy's vocals create such an emotion when knowing how the poem describes the ending of Aniara...to be honest i cant put it into words. The song and poem complement each other so well. They should have been sold together! lol
Can I suggest buying this poem? Well the price is pretty high. It does add more levels to an already amazing song. Im not a huge reader and really haven't to many poems in my day. There were a few areas in Aniara that I had a hard time understanding the context of what was trying to be said. Though it made going back and reading it more rewarding.
For those interested, here a section of the poem...bet you all will recognize this.
Efforts at escape through flights of mind
and slipping back and forth from dream to dream-
such methods were to hand.
With one leg drowned beneath a surge of feeling
the other braced by feeling dead and gone
we'd often stand.
Myself I questioned, but gave no reply
I dreamt myself a life, then lived a lie.
I ranged the universe but passed it by-
for captive on Aniara here was I.
Seriously Andreas, you guys are awesome!
The cheapest ive ever seen a copy go for was 45$ and im not wealthy , but I would love to read it. The stuff I have read is awesome and the sog did it justice.
Am i the only one who finds it ironic that a song about pretty much being trapped for the rest of their lives is called The Great Escape?
Am i the only one who finds it ironic that a song about pretty much being trapped for the rest of their lives is called The Great Escape?
Powerprogfan96
Drum Machine
I wonder if the character name Inara from Firefly/Serenity was taken from that poem? Different spelling (and pronunciation?), but there is a science fiction connection.
Xandra
Member
OMG, I'm so hyper excited at the moment. A dear friend in Sweden found me a used copy of Aniara in English. She's going to send it to me. I never thought I would ever get it considering the crazy prices on the net!!!
And from the picture she send me it looks like it's a hardcover version of the book. *flails*
And from the picture she send me it looks like it's a hardcover version of the book. *flails*
sirclansman
Man in Black Parade
Lucky you! I have been thinking to check this book out also.
I actually heard that one finnish metalband is considering to write a conceptalbum/some songs basing Aniara-story. I wont say the name of that band, because it's quite famous in Finland. And still, it's death-/thrash metal band anyway, but if they going to do it, it would be worthy to check that out!
Powerprogfan96
Drum Machine
Xandra
Member
I've been searching for it here in Melbourne, but having limited funds and whatnot it eliminates the amazon option. One day I might get lucky and stumble across it in a book store for $30
Xandra
Member
I started reading it and loving it so far. But reading goes very slowly. I have to admit - reading poetry in English is not the easiest thing. Especially when the topic is so technical. But I love the atmosphere created. AND it was very interesting to discover, how different the song is to the book. I had been wondering about that. It makes me appreciate and love the song even more. Such a masterpiece. 
AndreasBlomqvist
Mr. Bassman
Cool!
Never had the chance to get any feedback yet regarding that, since nobody I know has read the book.
When writing a "screen play" or whatever you want to call it, from a book you are always going to be required to modify it somewhat.
There was at least one big section I left out completely (the blind poet's tales -as they had nothing to do with the rest of the story),
but I think I basically stayed true to the main story line.
Looking forward to hearing more comments regarding all of this!
Never had the chance to get any feedback yet regarding that, since nobody I know has read the book.
When writing a "screen play" or whatever you want to call it, from a book you are always going to be required to modify it somewhat.
There was at least one big section I left out completely (the blind poet's tales -as they had nothing to do with the rest of the story),
but I think I basically stayed true to the main story line.
Looking forward to hearing more comments regarding all of this!
The blind poet... Assuming you've heard Ayreon before, is that in any way related to the blind minstrel Ayreon?
AndreasBlomqvist
Mr. Bassman
Xandra
Member
Since the whole backstory is unfolding quite slowly in the book, I hestitate to comment on it, but there are huge differences to the song.
While in Part 3 (Leaving Home) of TGE I get the impression humanity decides to leave earth to settle down somewhere else (indefinitely or a period of time I'm not sure of), with Aniara I realized after a while, that there is a huge background of colonies and life away from earth (Mars and Venus). The goldonda's seem to be established as more or less everyday ferries.
And I just realized I should read the Glossary first... that will help me understand quite a bit of the made-up words.
Oh and this part of the TGE:
I asked me a question, no reply
I dream me a life then lived a lie
...dream me a nightmare
I traveled the stars but passed them by
For trapped on Aniara, here was I
...always been leaving
I found almost identical in the book. Only that your version sounds so much more beautiful.
I'm just in the 34th song. This is going way too slowly...
While in Part 3 (Leaving Home) of TGE I get the impression humanity decides to leave earth to settle down somewhere else (indefinitely or a period of time I'm not sure of), with Aniara I realized after a while, that there is a huge background of colonies and life away from earth (Mars and Venus). The goldonda's seem to be established as more or less everyday ferries.
And I just realized I should read the Glossary first... that will help me understand quite a bit of the made-up words.
Oh and this part of the TGE:
I asked me a question, no reply
I dream me a life then lived a lie
...dream me a nightmare
I traveled the stars but passed them by
For trapped on Aniara, here was I
...always been leaving
I found almost identical in the book. Only that your version sounds so much more beautiful.
I'm just in the 34th song. This is going way too slowly...
AndreasBlomqvist
Mr. Bassman
Interesting!
Well, my interpretation was like both yes and no to that comment. I totally agree that the author makes it very clear that space travel as a phenomenon is not something new or "exciting" per se. In fact it happens quite routinely -so there Í agree with you completely.
But I also remember clearly reading that the mass exodus that is now happening to these far away colonies is because the earth needs to rest, and to be given time to recover. Then, whether or not these colonies existed prior to the decision to give earth some time to breath or not is not clear to me, and I don't think it matters all that much, but my impression was rather that the decision was made to some thousand people at a time leave earth while she recovers.
Regarding the non-exciting space travel, I made a conscious effort to try to picture it from the eyes of one of the emigrants. Like, even though we have had sea travel for thousands of years on earth I can still marvel when standing on a ship gazing out over the horizon, or the same goes for anyone whoo is on an airplane for the first time.
Like the traveler was just packing his bags and waiting in line, much like before any travel that anyone would do, but at the same time it is sti´ll "objectively" beautiful and breathtaking to leave the atmosphere for the first time and be "bathing in starlight".
It will be fun to track your progress through the book and there are at least two more places where I expect some interesting comments...
Have a good read!
Well, my interpretation was like both yes and no to that comment. I totally agree that the author makes it very clear that space travel as a phenomenon is not something new or "exciting" per se. In fact it happens quite routinely -so there Í agree with you completely.
But I also remember clearly reading that the mass exodus that is now happening to these far away colonies is because the earth needs to rest, and to be given time to recover. Then, whether or not these colonies existed prior to the decision to give earth some time to breath or not is not clear to me, and I don't think it matters all that much, but my impression was rather that the decision was made to some thousand people at a time leave earth while she recovers.
Regarding the non-exciting space travel, I made a conscious effort to try to picture it from the eyes of one of the emigrants. Like, even though we have had sea travel for thousands of years on earth I can still marvel when standing on a ship gazing out over the horizon, or the same goes for anyone whoo is on an airplane for the first time.
Like the traveler was just packing his bags and waiting in line, much like before any travel that anyone would do, but at the same time it is sti´ll "objectively" beautiful and breathtaking to leave the atmosphere for the first time and be "bathing in starlight".
It will be fun to track your progress through the book and there are at least two more places where I expect some interesting comments...
Have a good read!
