Aleksander Belyaev: Pioneer of Russian Science Fiction Born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 1959, Aleksander Belyaev emerged as a singular voice within the landscape of Soviet science fiction—often hailed as “Russia’s Jules Verne.” His artistic journey began with formal training at the Sverdlovsk Art School named after Shadr, where he honed his skills under luminaries like Leonid Baranov and Sergei Grigoriev, fostering an appreciation for classical realism that would permeate his oeuvre. Early Influences: Belyaev’s formative years were marked by exposure to the works of Konstantin Petrov…