Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #391859 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

Customer Reviews

Grim and Unsparing
Bleak is the first word that comes to mind-which is not a bad thing. Disch's debut novel was part of a movement in sci-fi at the time that rejected the prevailing paradigm of human ingenuity and/or nobility being able to save the Earth from alien attack (no matter how technological advanced those aliens were). In this slim novel he tells the story of a small band of Minnesotan farmers near Duluth who are struggling to survive the blanketing of Earth by a mysterious and apparently indestructible species of trees. In the seven years since the spores first appeared, the trees have spread across the globe, sucking all nutrition from earth, drying up rivers and lakes, and generally destroying the planet's ecological balance.

At the same time, some kind of automated drones have been leveling cities with fire and gradually seeking out remaining mammals to toast. The implication is clear: Earth has been designated as a planetary cropfield, and all pests need to be eliminated so the crop can thrive. That premise is neat, but the main theme is how the surviving humans interact with one another and newcomers. It's clear that Disch was determined to show how the uglier side of human nature would prevail in such a high-stress situation. Throughout the story, jealousies, rivalries, and petty disputes between characters threaten the safety of the group. Indeed, at times, the various conflicts concerning the women get a little too melodramatic for the situation, but on the whole, the atmosphere is great, especially when the survivors are forced underground into the trees' root system.

A great take on the alien invasion story, it could benefit from a little trimming in the second half. Still, if you like your sci-fi grim and unsparing, this is the book for you!

We're doomed!
The aliens have come, invaded earth and won. They weren't interested in us. All they wanted was our land to grow crops. Their relationship to us is as the farmer to the bug. They conquered us without even realising there was a battle for survival. Now the few remaining humans live in the roots and branches of the alien's crops. Survival is the best they can hope for; rebellion is beyond their hopes.

This is depressing or realistic, depending on your outlook on life. This novel is a perfect antidote to the traditional invasion story in which alien beings of roughly similar technology and outlook battle for territory. Here Mankind's place in the universe is at the bottom of the pile.

Most sf novels presents Mankind as ornery critters tenaciously carving a niche for ourselves in the universe; the rest go for the pessimistic view that we are violent and oppressive colonisers. But this novel goes for something unique: we are insignificant, doomed and irrelevant... Don't expect a happy ending!

Very dark and still relevant
My only wish for this book was that it should be longer and go into some of the charactors and events in more detail.

Written in the early 70s this is a very dark SF tale. You can see the way that it's heading from the start...and the conclusion leaves a lasting impression. Well worth a read.