SCIENCE FICTION

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31077, 4 June 1966, Page 4

SCIENCE FICTION

The Crystal World. By J. G. Ballard. Jonathan Cape. 221 pp.

Mr Ballard is almost unique among science fiction writers in that he enjoys some success in his attempts to fuse science fiction with "mainstream” fiction. Quite apart from the science fiction aspects of his latest novel, there is considerable merit in Mr Ballard’s account of the reactions of his characters to a strange and fundamental change in their environment, and his description of the rainforests of West Africa has an oppressiveness reminiscent of Conrad. The theme concerns a complex but fundamental change in the physical structure of the universe. The result is a crystallising of matter, which affects not only the forest and villages of West Africa, where the novel is set, but living creatures as well. The affected area spreads rapidly, and much of the book concerns the exploits of a Dr. Sanders in the crystal forest. The varying reactions of Mr Ballard’s characters to the changes which are coming upon them —some are repelled, some are hypnotically attracted to the crystal forest—are treated sympathetically, and with power and intensity. No explanation is given of the change and none is needed, for the mystery which surrounds it adds a great deal to the awesome beauty of the book. "The Crystal World” is a memorable novel by one of science fiction’s most talented writers.

Psychogeist By L. P. Davies. Herbert Jenkins. 191 pp.

Imaginative treatment of thriller science fiction is apparently characteristic of Mr Davies, and “Psychogeist,” which is greatly superior to his last science fiction novel, “The Artificial Man,” is no exception. Once again the plot concerns man against the unknown, in the form of man himself. The theme is ingenious—a comic-strip character literally "comes to life” in a most credible way—but it is, unfortunately, treated too much in the manner of a detective novel, with two of the principal characters, a young doctor and a retired schoolmaster, adopting the roles of amateur detectives. The plot involves the strange relationship which exists between a youthful, long-haired wanderer, a neurotic who hides himself from the world, and a dying man on the planet Andrida, a million light years from Earth. It is unfortunate that the natural climax of this sttry, the explanation of the relationship existing between these three, is reached about two-thirds of the way through the book, with the result that the suspense, which is well manufactured and sustained, tails off badly. However, “Psychogeists” is still a good science fiction novel, although Mr Davies dearly has suffident talent to write a much better work.

Star Fourteen. Edited by Frederik Pohl. Whiting and Wheaton. 240 pp. The most significant feature of this science fiction anthology is that all but three of the 14 stories are set on the Earth, indicating a trend away from outer space settings that appears to be gathering force today. Mr Pohl, as a talented writer in the field himself (his introduction contains a number of original and pertinent comments on science fiction); is well-qualified to select the best 14 stories to have appeared in the now discontinued magazine “Star Science Fiction Stories.!’

The result is an anthology of high quality, with a number of excellent stories. As Mr Pohl says in the introduction, the collection does not contain all the best stories that appeared in “Star,” because some stories which would have qualified. for inclusion have appeared in other anthologies. One of the best stories is “The Advent on Channel Twelve,” •by the late C. M. Kornbluth. Written in an imitation of Old Testament style, the story is a hilarious and satirical account of the advent of a new diety, Poopy Panda. Another humorous story, but one tinged with horror, is Fritz Leiber’s “Space-Time For Springers,” the story of Gummitch, a kitten with an IQ of “about 160” and a knowledge of space-time. Robert Bloch’s "Daybroke” is a memorable story which powerfully communicates the horror of the aftermath of nuclear war. Stories in this theme are very common, but this does not dampen the force of Mr Bloch’s shock ending. Also memorable for its atmosphere of absolute helplessness is Jerome Bixby’s “It’s a Good Life.” This book is a welcome addition to the field of science fiction anthologies.

BUI, The Galactic Hero. By Harry Harrison. Gollancz. 160 pp.

Sdence fiction writers have frequently deplored the still widespread belief that science fiction concerns itself with the improbable adventures of Improbably heroic spacemen; but few writers have been more skilful in their condemnation of this view than Harry Harrison in his latest novel, “Bill, The Galactic Hero.” This is a brilliant and hilarious satire on space opera and on many stock science fiction situations and ideas. The hero, BUI, is tricked into joining the Space Troopers, and undergoes rigorous military training at Camp Leon Trotsky under the malevolent instructor, Petty Chief Officer Deathwish Drang. Before the completion of his training. Bill is sent into combat against the enemy, the Chingers, as a Fusetender. This “arduous” occupation requires him to tend to one fuse, and to re-

place it when it burns out. Accidentally saving the ship from destruction, Bill is acclaimed a hero, and-is sent to the central planet of the Empire, where he becomes involved in a variety of adventures. Few of science fiction’s cherished devices escape the attention of Mr Harrison in this novel faster-than-light travel, for example, is introduced in the form of the supremely ridiculous Bloater Drive. “Bill, The Galactic Hero” has a certain resemblance, which may not be entirely coincidental, to Robert Heinlein’s Hugo awardwinning novel, “Starship Troopers,” and it is undoubtedly one of the best satires on science fiction yet to have appeared.