Ivan Antonovich (Antipovich) Yefremov (1908–1972) — a Soviet paleontologist, geologist, navigator, and science fiction writer. His literary legacy is characterized by an extraordinary diversity: Yefremov wrote about space, ancient civilizations, the Great Patriotic War, and Soviet reality. The rich life experience helped him present the plots of his works vividly and in detail: the writer's path, winding and bright, was filled with various events. At school, Ivan first became interested in the science of extinct animals, and in his youth, he passed the exam to become a navigator for coastal navigation and went to the shores of the Far East as a simple sailor. A year later, Yefremov entered Leningrad State University in the biology department. Soon, the young man became a scientific and technical employee of the Academy of Sciences and spent his life in geological and paleontological expeditions from the mid-1920s. His academic career advanced rapidly: in 1937, Yefremov graduated with honors from the Mining Institute and just four years later became a Doctor of Biological Sciences. Yefremov's name is associated with decades of development in Soviet science. However, the writer not only engaged in science but also popularized it. At that time, there were very few artistic works describing the work of scientists, and Yefremov's books about scientific expeditions, about exploring the depths of the ocean and the expanses of space, as well as about amazing discoveries of bygone times, were very successful. Yefremov's work is characterized not only by the development of characters and scientific accuracy of details in his science fiction works but also by an unshakeable belief in a bright future, the demonstration of the best in humanity, and confidence in the ability of people to build a more perfect society.
This edition includes Yefremov's historical duology "The Great Arc" and eleven of his stories. "The Great Arc" consists of two novellas: "The Journey of Baurdzhed" and "At the Edge of the Oikumene." The heroes of the works are separated by hundreds of years, yet they are united by their participation in dangerous journeys to uncharted territories, a thirst for freedom, a sense of camaraderie, and a longing for beauty. The Great Arc connects the aspirations and hopes of various people, intertwining their fates over many generations. The stories in the collection narrate about heroes — paleontologists, geologists, sailors, pilots, who overcome themselves and make astonishing discoveries. The author explains unprecedented natural phenomena in simple terms, describes the complex inner struggles of his characters, and exposes their bright human feelings. The texts of the edition are illustrated with poignant and expressive drawings by contemporary artist Anastasia Slon.
