this book is difficult to read not just because my attention span has been eroded by modern internet but also because it's full of unironic Science and what others would write off as "it's sci-fi, I ain't gonna explain SHIT" Ivan Yefremov details and then details some more with calculations

but for the same reason it's also very funny to read, when you live in the near future full of technologies and read a completely opposite description in the book, like when all of mankind attentively listens to Important Space Announcements, like lmao

the author took picrelated to heart long before it even existed, except he uses actual science instead of esoteric magic system: to be honest, I remember fuck all about actual characters aside from very few plot points but I remember the overall plot driving force being women really wanting to fuck men and men in the most autistic fashion ever going "but I want to do Cool Manly Stuff" because the author's kink is hellenistic wanking on Men's Achivements and Form and that's also why everyone are constantly So Serious and Philosophizing and often they're Discussing Important Philosophy while also bathing borderline stark raving naked (and at one time in below zero temperatures because the author IS Russian)

the political powerfantasy is, naturally, sci-fi communism written so sickly sweetly that I would Not like to live under that system solely because everyone are Way Too Serious and there's literally no place for fooling around and having fun (I still have to read the spiritual sequel where the sci-fi communism will become outdated, too)

the sus part is that when writing about hellenistic communist utopia the author made everyone permanently on physics and mind enhancing drugs

would I recommend to read it? yes, but with caution: and just yes if you really like to read about people swimming