Amphibian Man

For the 1962 film based on this novel, see Amphibian Man (film). For amphibian humanoids, see List of piscine and amphibian humanoids.

Amphibian Man is perhaps the best-known novel by Alexander Beliaev, a Soviet Russian science fiction writer. It was published in 1928.

The book tells a story of a young man named Ichtiandr (literally "Fish Man" in Greek) who as a child received a life-saving transplant - a set of shark gills. The operation was performed by his father, Doctor Salvator, a scientist and a maverick surgeon. The experiment was a success but it limited the young man's ability to interact with the world outside his ocean environment. Similar to other works by Beliaev, the book investigates the possibilities of physical survival under extreme conditions, as well as the moral integrity of scientific experiments. It also touches on socialist ideas of improving living conditions for the world's poor. The book is set in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Other media

The 1962 film adaptation the Amphibian Man (Russian: Человеκ-aмфибия, translit. Chelovek-Amphibia), was directed by Vladimir Chebotaryov. The movie recorded 65 million ticket sales (the actual ticket revenue is unknown) quickly becoming one of the most admired movies in the USSR. Filmed on the South Coast of the Crimea and featuring a cast of beautiful young actors, the film features some popular song and dance numbers and has certain characteristics of a musical. The first song and the musical theme of the movie - "The Sea Devil" became a hit that was sung well into the 1990s.

See also

• Aquaman