Customer Reviews

Brother to Demons Brother to Gods

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I first read this book back in 1981 when I was in high school. A group of us were into the SCIFI/ Fantasy thing. Since then I have read hundreds of book in these genre, but I always considered Brother to Demaons Brother to God to be one of the best ever. I am lucky to have found a copy of it via Amazon.com after having searched for over eight years.

This love story centers on human beings struggle against numan and and muman mutuations after man has minipulated his DNA. These mutants have a lot psychic powers that enable them to live like gods. In their lore there was a prophecy of a new breed of mankind that was destined to put an end to their tyranny. After trying to elimate the parents of the new man, the "god" found that they were helpless, even after the death of the expectant mother of the new human.

It is definitely a book to be read.

This is one of the first sf books I read (after happily stumbling across one fourth of it in an Analog magazine). It's the story of the struggle of humans to survive a world that is inhabited by better creatures--creatures that humans had shortsightedly made. It is also a love story. It is also a story of self-discovery. Williamson's philosophy of self-empowerment and humanism comes through in what can sometimes be a dehumanizing genre. I recommend this book to everyone!

I have read this book many times, and have come away amazed each time. One of the things I enjoy most about science fiction is the quality of the ideas it explores, and Williamson's are not only outstanding but bountiful. A lot of casual asides and brief exchanges between characters are rich with ideas that could easily require the length of a book to explore. As one would expect from an author who has been writing and winning awards for as long as he has, the plot, characterizations, style, etc. are all first-rate. Find this book and you will be delighted.

One of the best things science fiction can offer is a fresh analysis of what it means to be human. This books delivers on that analysis -- in spades. Ordinarily, a review shouldn't provide a synopsis, but since one is not provided by Amazon.com, I'll provide a brief one.

The setting is Earth, one thousand years in the future. The world is populated by humans ("premen"), genetically perfected humans ("trumen"), genetically modified soldiers ("mumen") and gods, who are part human, part celestial matter. Many centuries prior, premen had created these other beings, who have now nearly displaced the premen. By order of Earth's god, they are to be relocated to a distant and inhospitable world. Two premen children, a boy and a girl, struggle against their deportation and discover that they may have the key to fighting against the gods, if only they have enough time.

This book is more than just action and kaleidoscopic settings. It's about what it means to be human, what rewards and suffering struggle brings, and about friendship, loyalty and hope. Think of it as s.f.'s equivalent to "The Shawshank Redemption."

2008 CAVEAT TO MY 2000 REVIEW. Over the years as I've reflected on this book I've come to realize its moral failure, which is a big one. SPOILER ALERT. The evil gods are overcome at the end by the Ultiman, the ultimate man, a God-like figure that supposedly combines the best of humanity with God-like powers. However, the Ultiman was created by flawed humans, the same people who created the evil gods in the first place. How long before the Ultiman stops defending humanity and begins to tyrannize the multiverse, just like his predecessor gods? (Varley's "Titan" series brings this problem out in bold relief.) We've heard of the banality of evil, but it seems there's a corollary of the banality of evil of absolute power.

One of the best things science fiction can offer is a fresh analysis of what it means to be human. This books delivers on that analysis -- in spades. Ordinarily, a review shouldn't provide a synopsis, but since one is not provided by Amazon.com, I'll provide a brief one.

The setting is Earth, one thousand years in the future. The world is populated by humans ("premen"), genetically perfected humans ("trumen"), genetically modified soldiers ("mumen") and gods, who are part human, part celestial matter. Many centuries prior, premen had created these other beings, who have now nearly displaced the premen. By order of Earth's god, they are to be relocated to a distant and inhospitable world. Two premen children, a boy and a girl, struggle against their deportation and discover that they may have the key to fighting against the gods, if only they have enough time.

This book is more than just action and kaleidoscopic settings. It's about what it means to be human, what rewards and suffering struggle brings, and about friendship, loyalty and hope. Think of it as s.f.'s equivalent to "The Shawshank Redemption."

2007 CAVEAT TO MY 2000 REVIEW. Over the years as I've reflected on this book I've come to realize its moral failure, which is a big one. SPOILER ALERT. The gods are overcome by the Ultiman, the ultimate man, a God-like figure that supposedly combines the best of humanity with God-like powers. However, the Ultiman was created by flawed humans, the same people who created the gods. How long before the Ultiman stops defending humanity and begins to tyrannize the multiverse, just like his predecessor gods?

Brother to Demons Brother to Gods is a sci-fi/fantasy about a frightening future where human cloning and genetic modification have resulted in a reality populated by four phases of creation: Premen, Trumen, Mumen, and Gods. And maybe some things called Demons. Plus a legend about a creation called the Multiman, or possibly Ultiman. Confusing? You bet, not to mention stiff and unpleasant. The so-called Gods have little use for humanity as we understand it, and are wholly self-centered and contemptible, cartoon-ish, really. If Williamson's point is that genetic manipulation is just a bad idea, he's made it, but he's written a very distasteful book in the process. The choice of suffering children as protagonists is just one of Williamson's bad artistic decisions. Not recommended.

I first read this book about thirty years ago when I bought the "special" Doubleday Book Club edition. Over the years, I lost it. My brother and I were discussing books we'd read as kids that we enjoyed, and I remembered this one. I had to order it ;)

It's probably not a book that today's science fiction readers would enjoy. It's more of a space opera, with completely fantastic worlds and situations that will never come to be. It is not supposed to be reality; therein lies the meaning of "fiction". It's a means of escape, and I enjoyed it as much as a mature adult as I did as a young man.