According to Anna Nikolaevna, in socialist society the class ethics of the proletariat would necessarily become the universal moral code, while I believed that the proletariat was already moving toward the destruction of all morals and that the comradely feeling uniting people in labor, joy, and suffering would not develop fully until it had cast off the fetishistic husk of morality.
Yes, this is a science fiction novel. This line sounds like it could be any socialist novel set in Russia. (One easily identify it as a Russian novel because of the steadfast insistence upon addressing a character using a full name.) While it is a science fiction novel, it is also a novel of revolution and ideas. This is one case where the subtitle is perhaps more significant than the title and the subtitle is, after all, “The First Bolshevik Utopia.”
“You are to participate in the expedition leaving tomorrow for Mars in our etheroneph.”
With these lines, Leonid receives the information that will forever change his life. The etheroneph is the Martian space vehicle. Although he is a scientist, Leonid finds that his primary qualification is that he is an active revolutionary in the first revolution taking place on earth which mirrors the ruling ideology on Mars.
“You are to serve as a living link between the human races of Earth and Mars by familiarizing yourself with our way of life and acquainting the Martians with yours. For as long as you yourself wish, you are to be the representative of your planet in our world.”
The expedition which follows the announcement that he has been chosen to participate is not yet even completed before Leonid begins to realize that he has not quite been told everything that one might suspect one should be told under such circumstances. It is only during the flight that Menni outlines the exact purpose that Leonid will be expected to fulfill.
“Netti was at one time Sterni’s wife. If she has not told you about it, then I should not be mentioning it either. Obviously I have made a mistake, so please do not question me any further.”
Nella is Netti’s mother. Netti is a member of the crew with whom Leonid first comes into contact when he requires treatment to deal with sleeping problems while aboard the space ship. At first Leonid confuses Netti with being Menni’s brother. Later he shall learn that Netti is not a male at all, but female. Romance ensues and then, after some time, he learns that Netti was previously married to Sterni. This is bothersome because of one particular aspect of Martian colonization plans that Sterni advocates.
“colonization of Earth requires the utter annihilation of its population”
And there it is. So the bizarre Martian love triangle all leads to a showdown over potential plans for Martians to commit genocide of the entire popular of earth.
