Customer Reviews

Five to Twelve (Berkley Medallion, No. X1768)

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Edmund Cooper dealt in weird satirical sci-fi, and his works are worth tracking down if you like cheap out-of-print paperbacks. This novel from 1968 explores a future society in which men are outnumbered by women five-to-twelve, thanks to advances in birth control, and where women now run the show. This is a simple satirical device used to shed light on the present, in which dominant men act like sexist pigs and women are held back. But Cooper's future is not incredibly creative, with the dominant women merely taking over in the sexism department, using the rare men as objects. It's also rather hard to believe that the novel's hero is the only man in this future world to lament the situation and to strive for a world of sexual equality. Cooper's ultra-hip writing is also an issue, with the people of 2071 using slang terms like "grotty" or "modcons" which were popular in London about a century previous. But while the plot is thin and the hipsterisms are dated, Cooper's satire is still pretty funny, with bodacious dialogue that is fun to read, and a hilariously inept manly revolution. There is also a surprisingly effective mood swing with the story's conclusion. Cooper's satire doesn't lead to much that's really unexpected, but it's still fun and it really adds some illumination to the current real world. [~doomsdayer520~]

Dion Quern is a male poet and social malcontent in a world that is completely dominated by women. While the advent of female rule has led to many positive things such as an end to war and tremendous medical advances, people can now live hundreds of years, it is a largely stagnant society. The rulers, called Doms, are bored with the task and are always looking for new thrills, which often involves the keeping of a man. Female prostitution is almost nonexistent, male prostitution is a booming trade as the Doms try to find that new thrill that will make their world interesting and exciting again.
Dion is also a rebel, yet unsure as to what he should do about it. When he contracts himself to Dom Juno, it becomes a love/hate relationship where neither emotion is very strong. Dion proves to be largely uncommitted to the cause of rebellion, although he does manage to execute two dramatic acts of political terror. The book ends with a bit of hope for a more balanced future as Juno takes the semen of the condemned Dion and uses it to sire a line of strong and healthy males.
This novel develops the standard themes of the dystopia very well; there are very strong and positive consequences of the societal changes yet there is also a significant loss of human drive and spirit. Rebels arise to try to recapture that loss and yet there is little that they can truly do. It is interesting reading that also depresses your spirit, as it is a description of a lackluster future where even the powerful have succumbed to an overpowering despondency.

"Five To Twelve" is a work of Science Fiction that deals with a future society that is ruled by women. By some biological mishap twelve females are born to every five males. The females of `Five To Twelve' have also reached physical equality with males. Women in this world now hold the reins of power and over time males have become third class citizens and lose the rights to vote, hold public office, or receive a higher education.

The story centers on a man that is a brilliant writer but is unable to achieve any of his goals because of the long standing and institutionalized prejudice against men in this matriarchal society.

The story also chronicles the stormy relationship this disgruntled man has with an Amazonian policewoman who just can't understand at first why he is so upset with his lot in life.

In 'Five To Twelve'The author to promotes the view that nothing good can come out of a situation where one sex dominates the other. The author's intent seems to be to draw attention to the lot of women in the male dominated society at the time the book was written. Even though the writers theme is a bit simplistic and the plot rather predictable the book presented the inverted world of "Five To Twelve" in a detailed and believable fashion. The book was interesting, fast paced, action oriented and generally a good read.

Steve

In a dystopian future where masculine-women called Doms control everything, Dion Quern, a young nihilistic poet, struggles against the oppression and his own self-destructive behavior and his love and hatred for the women who oppress him.

Written in the 60's Five to Twelve is a short 140 page book, set in a future England. It is a role reversal story where women are in charge, and men are in the minority. This radical change occurs as the result of the pill which liberates women from having to carry children, and causes mankind to mutate. Unfortunately, the world the author envisions is a world of excess and loving cruelty which is meant to parody a world with patriarchal social values. Bored rich women control everything and throw wild parties while men are treated like bond girls and play the part of dutiful squires. Everyone speaks with a sixties sort of jive, and while a little of the interesting dialect is entertaining, too much of it comes off as a bit self indulgent and at times annoying to read. Also, the world is portrayed through the lens of Dion, who is a very unhappy camper and a misogynist, so the good points of life in this future are seldom showcased.

The lead character Dion was a difficult character for me to like. He is a typical 60's wastrel, with no real purpose. He is a thief, and verbally abusive to Juno, the woman who loves him. He delights in playing head games, calls her horrible names, and hits her more than once. Although he saves her life, he resents her being a Dom, but sponges off her so that he can get timeshots and access to her bank account. He resents her not assuming her 'natural role' of child bearer and when the opportunity presents itself, deserts her for the woman-child Sylphide- who he sets about impregnating.

There is an underlying misogyny to this story which kept rearing its ugly head and lessened my enjoyment. The implication that birth control is wrong, women without children, are dry and lifeless, and women would act like sexist men if just given power and the opportunity was irksome. Dion seems to be championing man's rights, but I kept thinking if he was in charge, he'd be far worse than the Doms.

Also, the fact that the lead character is a 'rebel' and not a normal guy working within the bounds of the society is quite common in role reversal fiction and it would be nice to read about a male who was quite happy with the status quo but had issues with something else.

In general, I enjoy stories featuring role reversal situations, but this novel became a bit self indulgent with the jive, and Dion's spoiled nihilism. I did like Juno, and I appreciate the author's attempt to raise awareness on gender equality issues, but I didn't much care for how women were portrayed, the dialog or Dion himself.