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* FutureFoodIsArtificial: Probably. Either that, or it's processed in some novel ways, since Hal can't for the life of him recognize most foods and resorts to a mixture of careful observation and "I'll have what she's having" to avoid embarrassing himself and/or AlienLunch.
to:
* FutureFoodIsArtificial: Probably. Either that, or it's processed in some novel ways, since Hal can't for the life of him recognize most foods and resorts to a mixture of careful observation and "I'll have what she's having" to avoid embarrassing himself and/or AlienLunch.eating undesirable food.
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* RidiculouslyHumanRobots: Generally averted, because they make people feel uncomfortable, but sometimes used to staff passenger flights (the inperturably calm stewardess Hal saw might or might not have been one). Visiting a robot recycling facility Hal sees a store of malfunctioning robots and they act disturbingly like (not very sane) humans - including claiming they're people ''to be taken out of there''...
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* UnusualUserInterface: The infors, or terminals of the local OmniscientDatabase, resemble huge flowers. You put your face into them to get information.
to:
* UnusualUserInterface: The infors, or terminals of the local OmniscientDatabase, resemble huge flowers. You put your face into them to get information.
information. It may be considered symbolic that [[OurDoorsAreDifferent door knobs are obsolete]].
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* {{Lobotomy}}: Hal finds out betrization is accomplished by ''dissolving parts of the prefrontal cortex'' with selectively acting enzymes. Basically, lobotomy without a scalpel.
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* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Somewhat confusing to the girls themselves, but women's reactions to Hal vary from uncontrollable fear (and still trying to come for more) to outright fawning.
* GeniusBruiser: Hal, a former astronaut with HeroicBuild who taught himself higher mathematics during the boring parts of the flight, because it was difficult, thus interesting.
* HugeGuyTinyGirl: Hal towers above pretty much everyone in the future, not to mention his [[HeroicBuild hulking muscles]], so he's a huge guy for every girl he has any interactions with.
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* TimeDilation: Hal is hit with the realisation of how much time really had passed on Earth when he meets the son of one of the mission's theorist - then, a lively, curious seven-year-old, now a decrepid old man.
to:
* TimeDilation: Hal is hit with the realisation of how much time really had passed on Earth when he meets the son of one of the mission's theorist theorists - then, then a lively, curious seven-year-old, now a decrepid old man.
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* AloneInACrowd: Hal, due to his experience as an astronaut. Especially that the crowd comprises of people who find he very idea of going there and doing these things just unthinkable.
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* ColdSleepColdFuture: Astronauts who have completed a century-long interstellar exploration mission return to an Earth where violence and risk-taking is so foreign to the population that the returning astronauts are regarded as dangerous beasts.
* CrapsaccharineWorld A [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] deconstruction (or possibly an UnbuiltTrope, Lem being mostly unfamiliar with contemporary SF when he wrote the novel.)
* CrapsaccharineWorld A [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] deconstruction (or possibly an UnbuiltTrope, Lem being mostly unfamiliar with contemporary SF when he wrote the novel.)
to:
* ColdSleepColdFuture: Astronauts who have completed a century-long interstellar exploration mission return to an Earth where violence and risk-taking is so foreign to the population that the returning astronauts are regarded seen as dangerous beasts.
relics of the past at best, weird alien beings at worst.
*CrapsaccharineWorld CrapsaccharineWorld: A [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] deconstruction (or possibly an UnbuiltTrope, Lem being mostly unfamiliar with contemporary SF when he wrote the novel.) Yes, all the dirty jobs are done by robots, everyone is prosperous and, above all, safe. But the downside to this is - everyone is safe. Nothing you do matters. Hal goes to a carnival with a [[{{Holodeck}} very realistic simulation]] where you can "fall" into a "ravine". He instinctively catches a fellow passenger, slips and is very embarrassed when he learns this is just a simulation. The woman, who turns out to be an actress, tells him she could get him a role, because nobody can act like this anymore.
*
* PrematurelyGreyHaired: Hal. Biologically he's about fourty, but he's been through things nobody around can even begin to imagine.
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* RobotMaid: In the hotel and the villa there are robot butlers and waiters.
* StupidSacrifice: One of the most painful things about the future for Hal is that nobody goes on space missions anymore, because they decided they were pointless, ineffectual wastes of human life -- meaning the cause to which Hal and his fellow crewmen dedicated ten years of their life, alienated themselves from society permanently, and some even sacrificed their life to, is now considered worse than useless. Hal gets convinced, but some of his friends don't.
* TimeDilation
* StupidSacrifice: One of the most painful things about the future for Hal is that nobody goes on space missions anymore, because they decided they were pointless, ineffectual wastes of human life -- meaning the cause to which Hal and his fellow crewmen dedicated ten years of their life, alienated themselves from society permanently, and some even sacrificed their life to, is now considered worse than useless. Hal gets convinced, but some of his friends don't.
* TimeDilation
to:
* RobotMaid: In the hotel and the villa there are robot butlers and waiters.
waiters. Most shops are staffed by robots, as well.
* StupidSacrifice: One of the most painful things about the future for Hal is that nobody goes on space missions anymore, because they decided they were pointless, ineffectual wastes of human life -- meaning the cause to which Hal and his fellow crewmen dedicated ten years of their life, alienated themselves from society permanently, and some even sacrificed theirlife lives to, is now considered worse than useless. Hal gets convinced, but some of his friends don't.
*TimeDilationTimeDilation: Hal is hit with the realisation of how much time really had passed on Earth when he meets the son of one of the mission's theorist - then, a lively, curious seven-year-old, now a decrepid old man.
* StupidSacrifice: One of the most painful things about the future for Hal is that nobody goes on space missions anymore, because they decided they were pointless, ineffectual wastes of human life -- meaning the cause to which Hal and his fellow crewmen dedicated ten years of their life, alienated themselves from society permanently, and some even sacrificed their
*
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* ContemptibleCover: On [[http://writingcities.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/51t9ufjtfil.jpg one edition]], the artist seems to have taken the future people's perception of the protagonist as a beast overly literally.
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* FutureSlang: A little, mostly naming things that didn't exist in Hal's time and he has no idea what they are. So he wings it. For example, the first person he meets spots a "bons" place and asks if he wants one, so he answers "Do you want one?". The "bons" turn out to be [[spoiler: snacks somewhat, but not entirely, unlike [[DateCrepe crepes]] and after his first bite Hal decides he's going to like them]].
to:
* FutureSlang: A little, mostly naming things that didn't exist in Hal's time and he has no idea what they are. So he wings it. For example, the first person he meets spots a "bons" place and asks if he wants one, so he answers "Do you want one?". The "bons" turn out to be [[spoiler: snacks somewhat, but not entirely, unlike [[DateCrepe crepes]] crepes and after his first bite Hal decides he's going to like them]].
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* NoPaperFuture: Paper books are found only in antique shops. Instead, future books are recorded on DataCrystals and read on handheld devices (that very much resemble real-life e-book readers).
* RestrainingBolt: The betrization treatment, as well as a drug that inhibits sex drive, customarily taken for each date.
* StupidSacrifice: One of the most painful things about the future for Hal is that nobody goes on space missions anymore, because they decided they were pointless, ineffectual wastes of human life -- and the cause to which Hal and his fellow crewmen dedicated 10 years of their life, alienated themselves from society permanently, and some even sacrificed their life to, was an useless effort.
* RestrainingBolt: The betrization treatment, as well as a drug that inhibits sex drive, customarily taken for each date.
* StupidSacrifice: One of the most painful things about the future for Hal is that nobody goes on space missions anymore, because they decided they were pointless, ineffectual wastes of human life -- and the cause to which Hal and his fellow crewmen dedicated 10 years of their life, alienated themselves from society permanently, and some even sacrificed their life to, was an useless effort.
to:
* NoPaperFuture: Paper books are found only in antique shops. Instead, future books are recorded on DataCrystals {{Data Crystal}}s and read on handheld devices (that very much resemble real-life e-book readers).
* PostScarcityEconomy: To an extent. While there's still money in the future, to be used for buying antiques, opulent things or renting vacation villas, the people Hal talks to seem confused as to why living would cost anything.
* RestrainingBolt: The betrization treatment, as well as a drug that inhibits sex drive, customarily takenfor each before a date.
* RobotMaid: In the hotel and the villa there are robot butlers and waiters.
* StupidSacrifice: One of the most painful things about the future for Hal is that nobody goes on space missions anymore, because they decided they were pointless, ineffectual wastes of human life --and meaning the cause to which Hal and his fellow crewmen dedicated 10 ten years of their life, alienated themselves from society permanently, and some even sacrificed their life to, was an useless effort.is now considered worse than useless. Hal gets convinced, but some of his friends don't.
* PostScarcityEconomy: To an extent. While there's still money in the future, to be used for buying antiques, opulent things or renting vacation villas, the people Hal talks to seem confused as to why living would cost anything.
* RestrainingBolt: The betrization treatment, as well as a drug that inhibits sex drive, customarily taken
* RobotMaid: In the hotel and the villa there are robot butlers and waiters.
* StupidSacrifice: One of the most painful things about the future for Hal is that nobody goes on space missions anymore, because they decided they were pointless, ineffectual wastes of human life --
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* TimeTravelForFunAndProfit: Without actually moving back in time, but the protagonist and his crew have had bank accounts set up for them before they left, so now they can live comfortably from the interest.
* UnusualUserInterface: The infors, or terminals of the local OmniscientDatabase, resemble huge flowers. You put your face into them to get information.
* UnusualUserInterface: The infors, or terminals of the local OmniscientDatabase, resemble huge flowers. You put your face into them to get information.
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* AdvertOverloadedFuture: Possibly, but Hal just can't understand the ads.
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* CrapsaccharineWorld A [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] deconstruction (or possibly an UnbuiltTrope, Lem being mostly unfamiliar with contemporary SF when he wrote the novel.) [[spoiler:Unless you're a [[WhatMeasureIsANonhuman sentient AI]].]]
* FishOutOfTemporalWater
* FutureImperfect: Sort of. The protagonist goes to a theatre play set in the past (his own times), and comments on how wrong they got the customs.
* FutureSlang
* FishOutOfTemporalWater
* FutureImperfect: Sort of. The protagonist goes to a theatre play set in the past (his own times), and comments on how wrong they got the customs.
* FutureSlang
to:
* CrapsaccharineWorld A [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] deconstruction (or possibly an UnbuiltTrope, Lem being mostly unfamiliar with contemporary SF when he wrote the novel.) [[spoiler:Unless you're )
* CreditChip: The standard method of paying. You get a[[WhatMeasureIsANonhuman sentient AI]].]]
hand-held device to make Credit Chips of any denomination you like, connected to your bank account.
*FishOutOfTemporalWater
FantasyContraception: Having children is restricted, so this is necessary, but not discussed in detail.
* FishOutOfTemporalWater: Hal and his colleagues. Some of them [[spoiler: get to work organising another expedition]].
* FutureFoodIsArtificial: Probably. Either that, or it's processed in some novel ways, since Hal can't for the life of him recognize most foods and resorts to a mixture of careful observation and "I'll have what she's having" to avoid embarrassing himself and/or AlienLunch.
* FutureImperfect: Sort of.The protagonist Hal goes to see a theatre play set in the past (his own times), and comments on how wrong they got the customs.
customs and clothes.
*FutureSlangFutureSlang: A little, mostly naming things that didn't exist in Hal's time and he has no idea what they are. So he wings it. For example, the first person he meets spots a "bons" place and asks if he wants one, so he answers "Do you want one?". The "bons" turn out to be [[spoiler: snacks somewhat, but not entirely, unlike [[DateCrepe crepes]] and after his first bite Hal decides he's going to like them]].
* FuturisticSuperhighway: Lots and lots. Multiple levels of those.
* GoodAdulteryBadAdultery: Hal [[spoiler: pretty much steals his fellow vacationer's wife]]. It may be even contrary to her will, or maybe not - it's ''very'' confusing and complicated.
* CreditChip: The standard method of paying. You get a
*
* FishOutOfTemporalWater: Hal and his colleagues. Some of them [[spoiler: get to work organising another expedition]].
* FutureFoodIsArtificial: Probably. Either that, or it's processed in some novel ways, since Hal can't for the life of him recognize most foods and resorts to a mixture of careful observation and "I'll have what she's having" to avoid embarrassing himself and/or AlienLunch.
* FutureImperfect: Sort of.
*
* FuturisticSuperhighway: Lots and lots. Multiple levels of those.
* GoodAdulteryBadAdultery: Hal [[spoiler: pretty much steals his fellow vacationer's wife]]. It may be even contrary to her will, or maybe not - it's ''very'' confusing and complicated.
* JobStealingRobot: Nobody actually regards them this way, but all the jobs that involve risk, as well as many of those that are just repetitive and boring, and could cause risks if done badly, are done by robots.
* NeonCity: The future city is very colourful, filled with strange, incomprehensible architecture and rather overwhelming.
* NeonCity: The future city is very colourful, filled with strange, incomprehensible architecture and rather overwhelming.
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* NoPaperFuture: Paper books are found only in antique shops. Instead, future books are recorded on tiny crystals and read on handheld devices (that very much resemble real-life e-book readers).
to:
* NoPaperFuture: Paper books are found only in antique shops. Instead, future books are recorded on tiny crystals DataCrystals and read on handheld devices (that very much resemble real-life e-book readers).
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* ChallangeSeeker: Hal is distressed when he finds out that space missions are considered pointless in the future - and he finds the arguments for that persuasive. At the end of the book, a fellow astronaut argues that their mission was not done for any practical purpose.
to:
* ChallangeSeeker: ChallengeSeeker: Hal is distressed when he finds out that space missions are considered pointless in the future - and he finds the arguments for that persuasive. At the end of the book, a fellow astronaut argues that their mission was not done for never intended to have any practical purpose.purpose - it was done for the challenge.
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* ChallangeSeeker: Hal is distressed when he finds out that space missions are considered pointless in the future - and he finds the arguments for that persuasive. At the end of the book, a fellow astronaut argues that their mission was not done for any practical purpose.
-->What can one get from the stars? And of what use was Amundsen's expedition? Or Andree's? None. The only clear benefit lay in the fact that they had proved a possibility. That it could be done. Or, more precisely, that it was, for a given time, the most difficult attainable thing.
-->What can one get from the stars? And of what use was Amundsen's expedition? Or Andree's? None. The only clear benefit lay in the fact that they had proved a possibility. That it could be done. Or, more precisely, that it was, for a given time, the most difficult attainable thing.
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* ContemptibleCover: On [[http://writingcities.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/51t9ufjtfil.jpg one edition]], the artist seems to have taken the future people's perception of the protagonist as a beast overly literally.
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* NoNewFashionsInTheFuture: {{Averted}}. Future clothes are not sewn - they are sprayed on as qucikly solidifying foam (and one-use; you simply tear off your clothes when you're bored with them and spray on new ones). Clothes are skin-tight and usually sparkly.
to:
* NoNewFashionsInTheFuture: {{Averted}}. Future clothes are not sewn - they are sprayed on as qucikly quickly solidifying foam (and one-use; you simply tear off your clothes when you're bored with them and spray on new ones). Clothes are skin-tight and usually sparkly.
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* CrapsaccharineWorld A [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] deconstruction (or possibly an UnbuiltTrope, Lem being mostly unfamiliar with contemporary SF when he wrote the novel.) [[spoiler:[[CrowningMomentOfHorror Unless]] you're a [[WhatMeasureIsANonhuman sentient AI]].]
to:
* CrapsaccharineWorld A [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] deconstruction (or possibly an UnbuiltTrope, Lem being mostly unfamiliar with contemporary SF when he wrote the novel.) [[spoiler:[[CrowningMomentOfHorror Unless]] [[spoiler:Unless you're a [[WhatMeasureIsANonhuman sentient AI]].]]]
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[[quoteright:300:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ReturnFromTheStars_7488.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:I can't quite put my finger on it, but something seems to have changed ever since I've been here last time.]]
A 1961 ScienceFiction novel by Creator/StanislawLem, ''Return From The Stars'' tells the story of Hal Bregg, an astronaut who, after completing a 10 years long exploratory mission, returns to Earth where - due to TimeDilation - [[TheFuture 127 years have passed in the meanwhile]]. Of course, technology and society changed immensely in the meanwhile, and the arriving astronauts find themselves classic [[FishOutOfTemporalWater Fishes Out Of Temporal Water]]. Hal Bregg is one of the few who decides to integrate himself into modern society on his own instead of being subjected to a long preparatory (and propaganda-sprinkled) educational course.
The future Earth is borderline overwhelming for Bregg at first - if only due to the staggering changes in technology, everyday life and architecture, but what upsets him the most is the [[RestrainingBolt "betrization"]], a treatment given to all children that eliminates violent impulses, but also removes bravado and the courage necessary for risk-taking. The question of whether an utopia of safety and peace is worth sacrificing derring-do is but one of the book's themes.
----
!!This novel exhibits the following tropes:
* AlienGeometries: The first parts of the book, where Hal first steps onto the spaceship depot, are a confusing stream of consciousness because Hal is equally confused by the {{Bizarrchitecture}} surrounding him.
* ColdSleepColdFuture: Astronauts who have completed a century-long interstellar exploration mission return to an Earth where violence and risk-taking is so foreign to the population that the returning astronauts are regarded as dangerous beasts.
* CrapsaccharineWorld A [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] deconstruction (or possibly an UnbuiltTrope, Lem being mostly unfamiliar with contemporary SF when he wrote the novel.) [[spoiler:[[CrowningMomentOfHorror Unless]] you're a [[WhatMeasureIsANonhuman sentient AI]].]
* FishOutOfTemporalWater
* FutureImperfect: Sort of. The protagonist goes to a theatre play set in the past (his own times), and comments on how wrong they got the customs.
* FutureSlang
* {{Hologram}}s: There are holographic 3-D photos, as well as holographic theater plays.
* NoNewFashionsInTheFuture: {{Averted}}. Future clothes are not sewn - they are sprayed on as qucikly solidifying foam (and one-use; you simply tear off your clothes when you're bored with them and spray on new ones). Clothes are skin-tight and usually sparkly.
* NoPaperFuture: Paper books are found only in antique shops. Instead, future books are recorded on tiny crystals and read on handheld devices (that very much resemble real-life e-book readers).
* RestrainingBolt: The betrization treatment, as well as a drug that inhibits sex drive, customarily taken for each date.
* StupidSacrifice: One of the most painful things about the future for Hal is that nobody goes on space missions anymore, because they decided they were pointless, ineffectual wastes of human life -- and the cause to which Hal and his fellow crewmen dedicated 10 years of their life, alienated themselves from society permanently, and some even sacrificed their life to, was an useless effort.
* TimeDilation
----
[[caption-width-right:300:I can't quite put my finger on it, but something seems to have changed ever since I've been here last time.]]
A 1961 ScienceFiction novel by Creator/StanislawLem, ''Return From The Stars'' tells the story of Hal Bregg, an astronaut who, after completing a 10 years long exploratory mission, returns to Earth where - due to TimeDilation - [[TheFuture 127 years have passed in the meanwhile]]. Of course, technology and society changed immensely in the meanwhile, and the arriving astronauts find themselves classic [[FishOutOfTemporalWater Fishes Out Of Temporal Water]]. Hal Bregg is one of the few who decides to integrate himself into modern society on his own instead of being subjected to a long preparatory (and propaganda-sprinkled) educational course.
The future Earth is borderline overwhelming for Bregg at first - if only due to the staggering changes in technology, everyday life and architecture, but what upsets him the most is the [[RestrainingBolt "betrization"]], a treatment given to all children that eliminates violent impulses, but also removes bravado and the courage necessary for risk-taking. The question of whether an utopia of safety and peace is worth sacrificing derring-do is but one of the book's themes.
----
!!This novel exhibits the following tropes:
* AlienGeometries: The first parts of the book, where Hal first steps onto the spaceship depot, are a confusing stream of consciousness because Hal is equally confused by the {{Bizarrchitecture}} surrounding him.
* ColdSleepColdFuture: Astronauts who have completed a century-long interstellar exploration mission return to an Earth where violence and risk-taking is so foreign to the population that the returning astronauts are regarded as dangerous beasts.
* CrapsaccharineWorld A [[DeconstructedTrope deconstruction]] deconstruction (or possibly an UnbuiltTrope, Lem being mostly unfamiliar with contemporary SF when he wrote the novel.) [[spoiler:[[CrowningMomentOfHorror Unless]] you're a [[WhatMeasureIsANonhuman sentient AI]].]
* FishOutOfTemporalWater
* FutureImperfect: Sort of. The protagonist goes to a theatre play set in the past (his own times), and comments on how wrong they got the customs.
* FutureSlang
* {{Hologram}}s: There are holographic 3-D photos, as well as holographic theater plays.
* NoNewFashionsInTheFuture: {{Averted}}. Future clothes are not sewn - they are sprayed on as qucikly solidifying foam (and one-use; you simply tear off your clothes when you're bored with them and spray on new ones). Clothes are skin-tight and usually sparkly.
* NoPaperFuture: Paper books are found only in antique shops. Instead, future books are recorded on tiny crystals and read on handheld devices (that very much resemble real-life e-book readers).
* RestrainingBolt: The betrization treatment, as well as a drug that inhibits sex drive, customarily taken for each date.
* StupidSacrifice: One of the most painful things about the future for Hal is that nobody goes on space missions anymore, because they decided they were pointless, ineffectual wastes of human life -- and the cause to which Hal and his fellow crewmen dedicated 10 years of their life, alienated themselves from society permanently, and some even sacrificed their life to, was an useless effort.
* TimeDilation
----
