Edgar Pangborn (1909–1976)

This is another tale set in the same post apocalypse future as the author's 'Davy' except that this is 47 years after the Twenty Minute War and there are still people alive who remember the technological past that younger folk believe is just a fairy tale. As in Pangborn's other novel, the pacing is a bit odd, with the beginning worked out in detail, and the ending a rushed almost-summary which becomes distant from the original focus character of Demetrios.

As with 'Davy', we have a repressive society, though here is the beginning of its development, and also the start of a religion that seems a distortion of Christianity. We also have the intrusion of an authorial voice which is a little disconcerting, though it turns out to be the voice of one of the characters,w which is not clear until late on. Again, Pangborn discusses philosophical aspects of human nature and society through his characters and although there are events that potentially form the basis of some tension, conflict and suspense, in practice those are not really developed, and the story is principally one of ideas.… (more)

Liked the style and world building and the characters, but the plot structure is rather irritating where Davy is looking back on his life, narrates a section then goes forward, hinting at other things, then goes back again - but then runs out of steam. So only about half of his life is narrated and the catastrophic breakdown of society, the revolution, the reason he and his friends have to flee in a ship is all just referenced in passing. It also seems at the end that the author just lost interest with the whole thing, given how it ends.… (more)

An interesting book. Fast moving for the most part yet with a bunch of ideology. On one hand, I'm surprised this book isn't more widely known, but on the other hand I can see why it isn't. Especially that ending.

Parts of this are 5-star writing. In many ways it surpasses your run-of-the-mill scifi tropes, especially for a 50s scifi book. But--vague spoiler--the plot kind of just flat lines in the last third, with the book literally ending on a lecture from the author in the form of a transcript of a discussion amongst the characters.

The cover of my copy makes the one race out to look like big apes, but when reading the book, I got much more the vibe of big yeti-like creatures. They're a pretty cool part of the book.… (more)