Solaris

The novel has been adapted into several films, most notably by Andrei Tarkovsky in 1972 and Steven Soderbergh in 2002. Stanisław Lem famously expressed dissatisfaction with both versions, feeling they shifted the focus away from his original exploration of the limitations of human knowledge and toward human relationships.

While it is a standalone story, it is often grouped by readers and critics with other works by Lem that explore the theme of failed contact with alien intelligence, such as Eden and Fiasco.

The most widely available English versions for many years were translated from a French translation rather than the original Polish, which Lem noted as a source of disappointment. A more recent translation by Bill Johnston is available and has been better received by the author's estate.