Books › Definitely Maybe
Definitely Maybe
First published 1979 · 149 pages
A paranoid, philosophical descent into the eerie pushback of the universe against human discovery.
What it feels like
Reading this novel feels like sitting in a quiet room and slowly realizing the walls are closing in. It is a steady, intellectually tense experience that blends the mundane frustrations of scientific research with a creeping, cosmic paranoia. The narrative builds an oppressive, eerie atmosphere as it explores the terrifying idea that the universe itself might actively resist human understanding. The prose balances grounded realism with philosophical inquiry, pulling the reader into a deep existential dread. It is a perfect fit for readers who crave science fiction that is less about technological spectacle and more about the psychological and philosophical weight of discovery, leaving a lingering sense of awe and profound unease.
- Mood
- eerie
- oppressive
- intellectually tense
- surreal
- Tone
- philosophical
- paranoid
- inquisitive
- existential
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- limits of human knowledge · existential dread · burden of discovery · humanity versus the universe
- The writing
- Thought-provoking and grounded in scientific realism while steadily tilting into the surreal.
- The arc
- Moves from focused intellectual ambition to mounting paranoia and profound existential awe.
- Who it's for
- Readers who enjoy philosophical science fiction that wrestles with the cosmic implications of human curiosity.
Content notes
- paranoia
- existential dread
About the book
Originally written in 1974, Definitely Maybe is here presented in its first ever unexpurgated edition. Its protagonist, Dmitry Alekseyevich Malyanov is an astrophysicist; just as he begins to realise that he is on the verge of a revolutionary discovery worthy of a Nobel Prize, his life becomes plagued by strange events. Malyanov suspects that his discovery is in the way of someone (or something) intent on preventing the completion of his work. An explanation is proposed by Malyanov's friend: the force is the Universe's adverse reaction to mankind's scientific pursuit.
Description from Open Library.
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