THE EDICT by Max Ehrlich

Finished Tu 2/17/15

I picked  up this hard cover novel at the Salvation Army store on Mo 11/16/98 and finished it in two days. I dropped off a n old microwave, popcorn popper, and a blender. Don't remember any of that.

This was a surprisingly good novel about a dystopian future world that is plagued with overcrowding and pollution. At first the World Government tries euthanasia of anyone over the age of 70, but then settles on Zero Population Growth for thirty years.

All kinds of sexual relationships are encouraged and abortions are given upon conception. If a child is born or a woman is found to be pregnant they are all killed.

So that women can feel maternal urges, the state develops life-like baby dolls that look almost human. They are conditioned to believe that these dolls are real human infants. The men are also given therapeutic treatments to continue the illusion.

'Big Mouth' is a satellite that rotates the earth and beams propaganda and Happy Songs and Homilies to the people of earth.

Edna and George Borden
Carole and Russ Evans

These two couples live in a kind of nature preserve. Everyone else lives below in a teeming metropolis where people live literally on top of each other. Scenes in the novel of people marching shoulder to shoulder throughout the day. There is just no room for privacy.

Carole conceives a child with Russ and they decided to try to keep it. They fix up an ancient bomb shelter in their house for the child, John.

Although Edna has a doll, Peter, she wants a real child and when they discover what the Evans's are concealing, they demand that they have partial ownership. Soon Edna wants it all. They can do this because Edna's parents are rich and well connected, and George is Russ's boss in the preserve and he can have him fired and banished to the teeming slums if they don't go along.

In the end of the novel the Evans take a boat and sail to a forbidden island where ancient nuclear and chemical weapons have been stored. There are other people who have mad the voyage to freedom, and they are happy although they will only survive for a few years.  

This was an easy novel to read, and I really think that it is a kind of Lost Classic. It's a shame that more people are not aware of this author and this book. Max Ehrlich is known for his novel,

THE REINCARNATION OF PETER PROUD. A minor hit movie in the 70's that is unfortunately not available on Netflix.