Customer Reviews

THE INCREDIBLE TIDE

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I *finally* got the chance to read this rare book! Here's a brief synopsis: Sometime in the future, mankind has managed to practically destroy the world via magnetic weapons, which have caused most of the land on earth to sink into the sea. Five years after "the Change," the survivors are trying to rebuild. One such survivor is Conan, a 17 year old youth who managed to live on a barren rock island all alone. One day, he is "rescued" and taken to Industria, a communist-type state desparately searching for a Dr. Briac Roa, a scientist with knowledge that will give them power to make their city-state run, and to also defeat any other remaining country.

Half a world away, in the remnants of Western society called High Harbor, Conan's friend (and Roa's granddaughter) Lanna, must help the settlement leaders defend the Harbor from Industria, as well as from taitorous, wild youths. Conan must find Dr. Roa and escape Industira in time to help defend High Harbor!

This is such a Cold War era novel (written in 1970, I think)! As a Political science major, I found the detailed account of Industria's political/social/economic structure pretty interesting... very much a communist society. Those from High Harbor are called Westerners, and acknowledge the presence of God, which the Industrian Dr. Manski can't understand.

I thought the book was pretty good, but this is one of the rare instances where I think that the TV version is better. I'm referring, of course, to the 1978 Japanese TV series Conan: the Boy in the Future. There are *tons* of differences, the main ones being that in the book Conan and Lana are older (about 17 vs about 10), and they don't meet until the end (in the book, they did know each other before the war). Also, the novel takes place 5 years after the war, in the TV series its 20 years; actually a pretty significant change. Overall, the characters are more likeable in the anime, in my humble opinion. Jimsy and Captain Dyce are barely in the book, and Miss Monsley's character (Dr. Manski), is pretty different. To give the novel credit, its a LOT shorter than the show, so it couldn't go into the depth that the series did. Its a pretty decent, quick read, and a neat story that provided a great springboard for an awesome animated series. If you weren't sure that Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki (Princess Mononoke, etc) was a genius, read the book, and watch the series! I'd recommend them both!

A shame so much of Key's books are out-of-print--he wrote some of the best environmental science fiction ever. A direct influence on Hayao Miyazaki.

If you can't hunt down a physical copy of this one down, and don't want to spend a hundred bucks online, you can read it's entirety here:
http://web.archive.org/web/20050218020028/http://www.powernet.net/~mbaring/earthlibrary.htm

The Incredible Tide is a departure for Key, set in a traditional science fictional future, where technology (and smog) are worshipped. It's also an adventure story, and a coming of age tale, aimed a somewhat older readers than most of his books. A different sort of read, and quite absorbing.

I searched for this book for 4 years. I've always been a great fan of the japanese cartoon named "Conan, futureboy" which was inspired by this book in 1978. In my opinion, this is one of the best sci-fi stories ever told, by far the best ever told by a cartoon. I'd really love to read the book, I expecxt it to be even greater.

Alexander Key has much in common with Hiyao Miyazaki in that both like to produce stories involving young boys and girls with special powers and a rather environmental theme. Many may also recognize Escape to Witch Mountain and its sequel, which were made into movies by Disney and are a good example of Key's work. In both cases the movies ended up being a bit better than the books by today's standards. Reading Key's stories today, we may find them rather dated; they are very reminiscent of the 1950's. However the stories hold true and if you are fond of the movie versions than it can be quite enjoyable to read the original that started it all. One of Key's best works, which stands the test of time well is The Case of the Vanishing Boy, which I highly recommend. As for Future Boy Conan or Conan: Boy of the Future, it may well be one of the most cheerful post-apocalyptic stories every produced. It is one of Miyazaki's early works and the style of animation is dated, not to mention finding decent subtitles can be quite the chore, however the story speaks for itself well enough for subtitles to almost be a technicality. It's a terrific action/adventure story with Conan being completely invincible yet always displaying the characteristics one would value most in a true friend. Jimsy is great as his troublesome sidekick and their first meeting is a perfect example of primal boyness uninhibited by any social veneer. Lana is also very sweet and caring. Her spirit is indomitable and her faith in Conan touching. As with other Miyazaki works, even the minor characters are well developed and enjoyable. It lacks the subtlety and finesse of later works such as Spirited Away, but as others have said before, the story is memorable in many ways and the genius of both author and film director still shine through.

This haunting story happens just a little ahead of us -- after warring nations has caused a cataclysm and most of civilization has been swept away by the rising waters of a great flood...

Time began for Conan when he was twelve years old. Then, when the incredible tide swept over the earth, he was cast away on a small, remote island. Seabirds have been his only friends. Alone in the wilderness of water and mists, somehow wrestling life from sea and rock, he has existed for five long years. But there was a voice once...

When a rescue boat, gray and ominous, appears on Conan's small shore, he learns that few human beings are alive -- but that his own people are still at High Harbor. And in Industria, a crumbling cliff city of frightened slaves, the facists are trying to organize all survivors under the flag of the New Order.

Whether the gentle people or the fascists will prevail -- whether Conan will find the source of the mysterious voice that guides him -- whether the brave escape across unchartered oceans can succeed... these are questions that will keep you reading, fast, to find out how the story ends.

But, after you finish reading, you may find the story doesn't end. It echoes remains. Alexander Key writes about the future as though he had been there -- and and come back to warn us about the present.

This book has also inspired a japanees cartoon of the 80s, named "Conan" or something like that; it represents apocalittic scenary of a devastated World after the third World War. I would really like to buy the book, so why don't you print it again?