Th 12/30/10
This is a very fine novel which features a dystopian ecological view of the world in the near future. Brunner's projection is of an earth where the seas are so filled with trash and pollution that they are covered with a thin sheet of dirty plastic substance, the air quality is so bad that filter masks are required, and everyone suffers from various ailments and allergic reactions tied to the ecological nightmare. The structure of the book is a bit unwieldy, however this allows one to skim through large sections without loosing the gist of the tale. The story concerns about a dozen different characters and story lines which are cross-cut with advertisements, songs, and newspaper articles of that time period. The primary focus is the plight of Austin Train who is a world renown 'eco-terrorist' who is underground, and at odds with the establishment. The Powers That Be are trying to promote the fiction that 'enemies of the state' are the cause of the world's dire straits, and 'The Trainites' are trying to get out the word that all of the ecological problems are the fault of the state. Somewhere in my collection I have Brunner's, STAND ON ZANZIBAR, and this novel deals with the consequences of over population. And, if I can find it, I will certainly give this a second read.
No comments:
Post a Comment