What will humans and civilization be 100,000 years from now?
The planet is unrecognizable to someone from the 21st century. For the most part, the mountains have disappeared and the world is uniformly flat. The ground is covered by something that sounds like artificial turf, grey and flexible. It is also the main means of transportation. The people have a device that they can enter in the coordinates of any spot on the planet and they will be transported there. Actually, according to F. W., their destination is brought to them! Just how this was done and just what would happen if two people in opposite directions both wanted the same destination at the same time was never explained.
Most people now live underground. It's seems as though this happened centuries ago before the present time of peace and prosperity was established. Constant warfare made it necessary to build homes underground, rather than build above ground with some sort of underground shelter. It just seemed more practical to go underground at that time. Today there really is no need, but habits and traditions are hard to overcome, especially, it seems, when there's no real need for them.
The people are uniformly beautiful, if small statured and slight of build, reminiscent of the Eloi, one of the two human races found in H. G. Wells' The Time Traveler. Most seem to have little to do except enjoy themselves, as most of their needs are free. The human race at this time seems fragmented. and while F.W. spends time visiting the other groups, he spends most of his time with those whose life is spent in leisure.
Various groups have their own domiciles, separate from each other and the general population: the Roman Catholic hierarchy, Scientists and Scholars, Workers, Jews, all live in their own ghettos, separate from the population. There are rebels also. Parts of the transformed earth seem to be reverting back to its wild state, and there are those who have abandoned contemporary civilization and moved into these jungles, as they are called by the rest of the population.
Most animals and insects have disappeared, except for some that have been modified to form dwarf versions. The many varieties of dogs have disappeared, and those that are left are physically similar, as well as being able to use a limited form of speech. They seem to be obsessed with acting like humans. However, there is one species that hasn't changed. They are still the same size, still come in a variety of colors, and still act as they always have--the cat. For some inexplicable reason, humans have been unable to modify the cat. And, more and more cats are disappearing into the "jungles." As usual, the cat goes its own way.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, this is one of the most unique SF novels I have ever read. It is not an easy read, but it's well worth the effort. It is on my reread list.
Showing posts with label WERFEL Franz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WERFEL Franz. Show all posts
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Monday, March 31, 2014
Franz Werfel: Star of the Unborn, an SF novel
Franz Werfel
Star of the Unborn
Published posthumously in 1946
607 pages
Opening lines from Franz Werfel's Star of the Unborn
"This is a First Chapter simply because it seemed inappropriate to begin this opuscule with a Second Chapter. The only factors that stood in the way of placing the words 'Chapter Two' on the first page of this novel were the publisher's sense of propriety, the reading public's well-known propensity for the discovery of monstrous typographical errors, and finally, the author's mania for originality, since he feared that some colleague in the gaily flippant era of romanticism must certainly have begun one of his rank works with a Second Chapter. For these reasons we begin with chapter One, no matter how superfluous this chapter may be for the progress of the action, or, more accurately, of the exploration."
The novel is a first person narrative, of a little more than 600 pages. Therefore, the nature or the personality of the narrator, especially in a long work such as this, becomes vital to the work and highly significant to the reader. Consequently, it behooves me to tell you somewhat about the narrator, as a sort of preparation for what you will experience if you decide to take up this work. And, since the narrator introduces himself in the very next paragraph (sort of, anyway), I have decided to let the narrator do all the work and simply let my fingers do the walking.
"Since we are dealing with a kind of travelogue I feel the obligation to introduce the hero, or, more modestly, the central figure of the occurrences here set forth. This particular literary form has the unfortunate weakness that the eye that sees, the ear that hears, the spirit that comprehends, the voice that narrates, the 'I' that is involved in many adventures, constitutes the central point about which, in the most literal sense, everything revolves. This central point, candidly designated as F. W., is, unfortunately, I myself. Purely from an innate aversion to getting into difficulties, I should have preferred not to be I-myself in these pages. Still it was not only the most natural, but the only way, and I was regrettably unable to invent any 'he' that could adequately have borne the burden of the 'I' for me. And so the 'I' of this story is not a deceptive, novelistic, assumed, fictitious 'I' any more than the story itself is the mere offspring of speculative imagination. It happened to me, as I must confess, quite against my will. Without the slightest preparation or premonition, contrary to all my habits and instincts, I was sent out one night as an explorer. What I experienced, I really experienced. I am quite prepared to embark upon a frank discussion of this little word 'really' with any philosophically minded reader and I am confident that I will with the argument in every instance."
As you no doubt may have noticed F. W. rambles on and on, but he does eventually get there, in a very roundabout way. And, that for me, is one of the charms of this very unique work as he somehow manages to drag in most of the social, economic, psychological, environmental, and religious issues of the day, which we have not yet managed to solve some seventy years later. Since we began with a quotation from the beginning of Chapter One, it is only appropriate that we conclude these introductory words with the last paragraph of Chapter One.
"And under the words 'Chapter One' that are still waiting for the story of our monstrous reality, I decided to sketch the foregoing paragraphs. It is a superstitious trick. I have not forfeited anything. I have not given up my original task. The 'Chapter One' that was to have borne an incomparable load, with the full agreement of my readers, is not a First Chapter. Instead, Chapter Two assumes the function of Chapter One."
And, thus he begins his little adventure in "Chapter Two."
F. W. is a time traveler, in a way. He lived and apparently died sometime during the 20th century. He now finds himself approximately 100,000 years in the future. He has been resurrected as a wedding gift by B. H., who had been a friend of his some 100,000 years ago.
B. H. had gone to Tibet and studied and learned the basic tenets of reincarnation so thoroughly that he has been successfully reincarnated and retained memories of his reincarnations for 100, 000 years now. Admittedly his memories of the far past were getting a bit jumbled, but he still remembered F. W. and had used the highly developed science of the day to bring F. W. back to life for some undetermined time as a wedding gift. B. H. was not fully accepted as a true member of the present civilization at this time and had hoped to gain admittance by presenting this unusual wedding gift.
Fantasy?
SF?
Satire?
Surreal allegory?
Socio/political commentary?
All of the above?
None of the above?
Some of the above?
Something entirely different?
I'm not sure what to make of this work. I first read it decades ago and recently came across it gathering dust in a remote corner of my bookcase. Intrigued, I reread it and now it's scheduled for another reread in the near future. There's just too much going on here to take it all in within one reading or two, or three.
This book requires a real commitment to finish, primarily because it is so different from what is popular today. It can't be read in ten or fifteen minute segments. Most people will never read it because of this. Moreover, the narrator's rambling discursive style will also turn readers off. And, some of those who have decided to read the book will never get around to it because they will wait for the right moment when they have enough time to spend on this book. But, this decision is unfortunate because spending the time with this book is far more rewarding than spending the same amount of time on lesser works. The best way to handle this is to get the book and start reading, without waiting for the opportune moment, for it will never arrive.
I supposed I've scared off most of you who have taken the time to get this far in my ramblings. I hope not, but . . .
Highly recommended.
Star of the Unborn
Published posthumously in 1946
607 pages
Opening lines from Franz Werfel's Star of the Unborn
"This is a First Chapter simply because it seemed inappropriate to begin this opuscule with a Second Chapter. The only factors that stood in the way of placing the words 'Chapter Two' on the first page of this novel were the publisher's sense of propriety, the reading public's well-known propensity for the discovery of monstrous typographical errors, and finally, the author's mania for originality, since he feared that some colleague in the gaily flippant era of romanticism must certainly have begun one of his rank works with a Second Chapter. For these reasons we begin with chapter One, no matter how superfluous this chapter may be for the progress of the action, or, more accurately, of the exploration."
The novel is a first person narrative, of a little more than 600 pages. Therefore, the nature or the personality of the narrator, especially in a long work such as this, becomes vital to the work and highly significant to the reader. Consequently, it behooves me to tell you somewhat about the narrator, as a sort of preparation for what you will experience if you decide to take up this work. And, since the narrator introduces himself in the very next paragraph (sort of, anyway), I have decided to let the narrator do all the work and simply let my fingers do the walking.
"Since we are dealing with a kind of travelogue I feel the obligation to introduce the hero, or, more modestly, the central figure of the occurrences here set forth. This particular literary form has the unfortunate weakness that the eye that sees, the ear that hears, the spirit that comprehends, the voice that narrates, the 'I' that is involved in many adventures, constitutes the central point about which, in the most literal sense, everything revolves. This central point, candidly designated as F. W., is, unfortunately, I myself. Purely from an innate aversion to getting into difficulties, I should have preferred not to be I-myself in these pages. Still it was not only the most natural, but the only way, and I was regrettably unable to invent any 'he' that could adequately have borne the burden of the 'I' for me. And so the 'I' of this story is not a deceptive, novelistic, assumed, fictitious 'I' any more than the story itself is the mere offspring of speculative imagination. It happened to me, as I must confess, quite against my will. Without the slightest preparation or premonition, contrary to all my habits and instincts, I was sent out one night as an explorer. What I experienced, I really experienced. I am quite prepared to embark upon a frank discussion of this little word 'really' with any philosophically minded reader and I am confident that I will with the argument in every instance."
As you no doubt may have noticed F. W. rambles on and on, but he does eventually get there, in a very roundabout way. And, that for me, is one of the charms of this very unique work as he somehow manages to drag in most of the social, economic, psychological, environmental, and religious issues of the day, which we have not yet managed to solve some seventy years later. Since we began with a quotation from the beginning of Chapter One, it is only appropriate that we conclude these introductory words with the last paragraph of Chapter One.
"And under the words 'Chapter One' that are still waiting for the story of our monstrous reality, I decided to sketch the foregoing paragraphs. It is a superstitious trick. I have not forfeited anything. I have not given up my original task. The 'Chapter One' that was to have borne an incomparable load, with the full agreement of my readers, is not a First Chapter. Instead, Chapter Two assumes the function of Chapter One."
And, thus he begins his little adventure in "Chapter Two."
F. W. is a time traveler, in a way. He lived and apparently died sometime during the 20th century. He now finds himself approximately 100,000 years in the future. He has been resurrected as a wedding gift by B. H., who had been a friend of his some 100,000 years ago.
B. H. had gone to Tibet and studied and learned the basic tenets of reincarnation so thoroughly that he has been successfully reincarnated and retained memories of his reincarnations for 100, 000 years now. Admittedly his memories of the far past were getting a bit jumbled, but he still remembered F. W. and had used the highly developed science of the day to bring F. W. back to life for some undetermined time as a wedding gift. B. H. was not fully accepted as a true member of the present civilization at this time and had hoped to gain admittance by presenting this unusual wedding gift.
Fantasy?
SF?
Satire?
Surreal allegory?
Socio/political commentary?
All of the above?
None of the above?
Some of the above?
Something entirely different?
I'm not sure what to make of this work. I first read it decades ago and recently came across it gathering dust in a remote corner of my bookcase. Intrigued, I reread it and now it's scheduled for another reread in the near future. There's just too much going on here to take it all in within one reading or two, or three.
This book requires a real commitment to finish, primarily because it is so different from what is popular today. It can't be read in ten or fifteen minute segments. Most people will never read it because of this. Moreover, the narrator's rambling discursive style will also turn readers off. And, some of those who have decided to read the book will never get around to it because they will wait for the right moment when they have enough time to spend on this book. But, this decision is unfortunate because spending the time with this book is far more rewarding than spending the same amount of time on lesser works. The best way to handle this is to get the book and start reading, without waiting for the opportune moment, for it will never arrive.
I supposed I've scared off most of you who have taken the time to get this far in my ramblings. I hope not, but . . .
Highly recommended.
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