Customer Reviews

The Santaroga Barrier

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

_The Santaroga Barrier_ by Frank Herbert features an odd choice for a hero; Dr. Gilbert Dasein, a psychologist from the University of California at Berkeley, employed to do of all things a market study. Meyer Davidson, agent of a powerful investment corporation, one that owns a chain of retail stores, was upset about what was termed in the marketing world as the "Santaroga Barrier," Santaroga being a small farming community and town located in an idyllic mountain valley in California. Davidson was upset that his corporation - as well as others before him - had failed utterly in selling a variety of products to the people of Santaroga. No on in Santaroga bought cigarettes- those very few that were sold were bought by transients, people stopping in the community's one service station to buy gas - nor did they buy any wine, beer, produce, or cheese brought from outside the valley. The people of Santaroga would only eat vegetables, fruits, cheese, beer, and wine raised or made within the valley. A great many Santarogans worked to produce these items only for local consumption, as they "didn't travel well." The largest of these institutions was the Jaspers Cheese Cooperative, a large factory-like complex that employed many in the little town.

Dasein, with the help of the head of the university's psychology department, Dr. Chami Selador (working outside Santaroga), uncovered a few more interesting facts, notably that outsiders never found a house to rent or buy in the valley, no one moved out, and Santaroga never reported any mental illness, juvenile delinquency, or crime to state officials. All businesses, including the bank and the gas station, were locally owned. A few Santarogans left to go to college outside the valley - that was where Dasein met his girlfriend, Jenny Sorge, a native of Santaroga - and a few others served in the draft in Vietnam (the book was published and presumably set in 1968; various minor details such automobile technology, clothing styles, and the like point to this time period but are not essential to the story), though many come back due to unexplained allergic reactions to Army food.

Mindful of the lack of success of previous attempts to understand this mysterious "Barrier" and particularly of the fact that the last two people to investigate Santaroga met accidental deaths, Dasein journeyed to the town. Dasein finds at first a seemingly normal town of diners, farms, nice homes, a post office, and the like, a typical agricultural community. Several things though begin to get his attention; he isn't there long before he notices that the townspeople have a certain way about them, that they all seem very alert, to have excellent memories, a bit abrupt, sometimes rude, but at other times extremely caring and solicitous. Also, they are unfailingly and unswervingly honest, again almost to the point of rudeness. In addition, it seems everyone he meets knows who he is and his relationship to Jenny Sorge, as well as often knowing in general what he had done earlier that day.

Of greater interest though is the nearly fatal accident that befalls Dasein upon his arrival. His first night in the town's one inn nearly was his last as he almost succumbed to an old-fashioned gas jet for a lamp that was left on high. When he awakens after that ordeal, he finds that his briefcase - with his notes for the study - is missing and is in the possession of the town's lone law enforcement official. Invited to dine with him the next day, the man, Captain Al Marden of the Highway Patrol, questions his intentions in the town, making it obvious that he had gone through Dasien's belongings. While not threatening Dasein, Marden made it clear that the people of Santaroga were well aware of his reasons for being in the town, and while they supported " our Jenny" and therefore tolerated Dasein (to an extent), they did not care a lot for his marketing study. Dasein started to notice patterns in the speech and thoughts of Santarogans, of them often speaking of a "they" and a "we" and viewing the outside world in hostile terms, of being greatly suspicious of those from outside the valley, dealing with them only as much as they had to.

So, are the people of Santaroga just mildly eccentric, perhaps survivalists of a sort, wishing to have as little to do as possible with life outside of Santaroga? Or is there something else at work, something perhaps sinister, otherworldly, and alien? This being a science fiction novel, I am sure you can guess the answer, at least in general terms. The process where Dasein uncovers just what makes Santaroga the way it is was interesting and well written. Herbert did an excellent job building up a sense of mystery, and I enjoyed Dasein's interactions with a cast of very well drawn characters, notably Marden, Winston Burdeaux (a waiter at the Inn, one of the few "Negroes" in the town and not originally native to the valley), and Dr. Piaget, uncle to Jenny Sorge and the town doctor. If there was a weak point, it was Jenny Sorge; I never could determine why Dasien loved her so much, I found her character a bit vacuous, not as well drawn as many of the others, though it is possible Herbert meant it to be this way.

As Dasein got further and further into the mystery (and further and further under the influence of Santaroga's spell), there were many philosophical discussions, several I am sure reflecting points Herbert wanted to make about life and society as a whole. Many of these were made during some rather lengthy exchanges between Piaget and Dasien. It seemed that in addition to the "Jaspers effect" that was at work Piaget was trying to appeal to Dasien as a psychologist, to become one of them, a native of Santaroga.

An interesting and short early novel of Herbert, I read it in a little over a day.

I loved "Dune" of course, but Herbert's other novels are often less know, but really are interesting, too. In particular, I admire "The Santaroga Barrier" because it is set, not in the future, but in a town that could be anywhere today.

"The Santaroga Barrier" is set in a valley town in California. It looks completely normal--life is typically small-town, with small businesses and farms run by the locals. But for some reason, big merchandisers outside the valley cannot sell there. In an age where marketing demographics can tell precisely what brand of car, cigarette, cola or watch you are likely to buy by where you live and your age cohort, this is astounding.

What's also astounding is how Herbert forsees the age of online data-gathering (think, cookies on your browser) and huge mega-merchandisers like W*-mart who control huge blocks of buying power and who drain small towns of dollars that used to circulate and support local businesses.

But that's not the only threatening situation in Santaroga. What is with the "Jaspers" Cheese Co-op (is it a cult?) and why did the previous marketing investigators sent by big business meet with unfortunate accidents? The story that unfolds is fascinating--are the Santarogans just minding their own business, or are they evil in some way, and whose side will you end up on at the end of the book? I really recommend this novel even if you don't like science fiction. It's one of my favorites.

The fame of Herbert's Dune series has sadly obscured some of his other science fiction - Santaroga is a prime example. A valley town in California appears to be not just different from the rest of the world around it, but practically on a different planet. It's residents have no interest in the external world or the products it offers - almost an autarky. Driven by a corporate marketing assignment combined with the lure of an old (but strongly flickering) flame, Gilbert Dasein visits the town and finds a bizarre degree of contentment and unity. On the face of it, it is the mysterious Jaspers (akin to the mélange of Dune) that is responsible but Herbert is driving at a larger picture here. Santaroga is almost a collective mind, or a community with a group consciousness. One that thrives in its little pond and fears the vast ocean outside which it strives to hold at arm's length - the barrier of the title. A fascinating read.

Let's face it, "Dune" is fascinating, but there's not a whole lot of fun to be found in its pages. And the follow-ups to "Dune" weren't anywhere near as good as the first book.

But "The Santaroga Barrier" - yes, it's pretty cheesy, as at least one reviewer has noted - but it's a terrific, fun read. Much closer to something Stephen King might have written than the pompous interplanetary muck of "Dune" et al. The small town, the paranoia, the engagingly thick-headed, stubborn, but fundamentally decent hero; the blindsight on the part of the townspeople about themselves; the savage accuracy of Herbert's description of "normal" consumer culture; it's all a great mix. The only Herbert book I've read that approaches it as a quick, clever read is "Whipping Star." (I didn't like "The Dosadi Experiment" nearly as well, though it was OK.)

For years my only copy of this book has been a paperback with the glue completely gone and all the pages separated. I'm so glad I looked to find out if it had been reissued. This book is a treasure, and one of those few - like "Emma" by Jane Austen, "Daniel Martin" by John Fowles, or "The Honorary Consul" by Graham Greene - that I'll delight in rereading periodically for the rest of my life.

Frank Herbert weaves a wonderful tapestry of psychological misdirection and science fiction uneasiness in this short book about life in a rather isolated valley in California.

Published in 1967, this book plays on the theme of rampant fear associated with the development and use of psychodelic drugs, especially LSD.

In the book, the community of people living in Santaroga, CA, effectively isolate themselves socially and economically from the outside world. An outsider, a psychologist from UC Berkeley, is offered the chance to go there and learn about Santarogians and how they manage to keep themselves separate from everything else in the world. With some reluctance and a great deal of hesitancy, our hero(?) enters the town and is greeted by some, including an old flame, with great enthusiasm. Others are not so welcoming..in fact, did they try to kill him just then, or was that an accident?

In this chilling tale of consciousness-expanding food additives and crossed messages you will find yourself wondering about what IS going on in the book.

This is a grand tale. Too bad it's not in print, but sci-fi fans out there will benefit from the effort of rounding up a copy of their own to read.

Though not in the same class as sci-fi classics such as "Dune" or "Foundation" this is a worthy tale...and if you don't watch out it may just give you nightmares...it did me once! But I survived and finished the book...

Have fun and be careful out there...was that JUST an accident?

Alan Holyoak

P.S. Another great out-of-pring Frank Herbert classic -- even better than this one -- is "White Plague" give it a look! It's worth 5 stars!

Having read some Herbert before, I expected the barrier to be a physical barrier on the face of a planet. Wrong. The barrier references the unwillingness of the members of Santaroga, CA, to interact with the outside. See, this is a community that is self-sufficient and "takes care of its own." Its also a community that is consuming large quantities of 'shrooms, in the form of mycelium/fungus named jaspers. Jaspers is basically in all perishables in the community, but it isn't known about outside the community.

Gilbert Dasein, UC Berkeley psychologist, has been hired to perform a study of Santaroga on behalf of a business group that ostensibly wants to understand the barrier between Santaroga and the outside world. Forebodingly, the previous two analysts in this position died from 'natural accidents' while in Santaroga.

As Dasein spends time in Santaroga, he too becomes the victim of several of these 'accidents', in which community members unconsciously try to kill him. This impulse seems to be driven by a collective consciousness to remove outsiders, induced by the jaspers. There are several mentions of the nature of this consciousness, but they aren't detailed enough to get a good grasp of it.

Dasein becomes addicted to jaspers, with its consciousness enhancing and physically restorative properties. While trying to analyze exactly what the substance is, he takes a mega dose and falls into a coma (if I remember correctly).

There is a pretty clear parallel between jaspers and melange, another geriatric substance that is found in the Dune series.

There are several other interesting episodes in the book. There is also a love relationship with Jenny, a former student of Dasein's, though it is rather one-dimensional. Jenny's best line in the book is "I love you! Stay away from me!". Read the book and it will make sense.

I really do recommend this book. It is interesting and doesn't get bogged down as Herbert tended to do occasionally. This is more along the lines of just a fun read, rather than a "great" book that tackles some of the larger issues Herbert was wont to do.

Santa Roga barrier is a great piece of writing. Although it wasn't the apparent intention of the writer, it is a particularly good expose of the thinking and inside language of a cult, and the reactions of outsiders to it.

Its also is refreshing in the subtle way it shows us how benign corporatism has invaded every niche of our lives. The corporate market investigations of the Santa Roga valley reminded me of the way Coca Cola pays airlines not to sell competing soft drinks from smaller companies. Why would corporations care they can't penetrate the Santa Roga Valley? The same reasons companies aren't satisfied with 95% of a market.

The Santa Roga barrier is not a mind virus like a cult, but something far more organic and primitive in nature. A great read!

This short early (1968) novel of Herbert's looks upon a man's investigation into a strange world. Unlike most of his other novels, this one is set quite concretely on earth, within driving distance to Berkeley, CA. The first half is quite freaky and exciting; the second half (typical of Herbert) turns into drudgery with a lack of action and too much emphasis of philosophy; characters talking to themselves, characters giving long-winded speeches, characters dreaming, and characters in drug-induced states. Along the way he raises charges against our modern world, which seem trumped-up even in the fictional version. At the end, the main character seems to lose his willpower, and makes a mind-change which seems unjustified. The love story is not developed at all -- yet it seems strangely realistic. In fact this reader found a strange parallel in this story to his own life, given a choice to enter a world alluring yet terrible. The climax and ending to this novel are, IMHO, rather ambiguous.

A few of those bad Dune prequels finally made me realize that the setting alone does not a good book make - it's the writer(s) dummy! So I've decided to give up on those cash-ins and try Frank Herbert's other non-Dune material, and was not disappointed with The Santaroga Barrier.

I enjoyed that he touched on many spiritual and philosophical themes. The focus was mainly on higher levels of consciousness through drug use, cult-like hive-mind mentality, the power of the group subconscious, commercialism and marketing. That alone packs more food for thought than all the Dune spin-offs combined! And of course lots of conspiracy/plans-within-plans Herbertian goodness. This book is definitely a product of it's times (late 60s?) in the themes it handles, but I don't think that detracts from it at all.

The book has this wavering Philip K. Dick like way of keeping the reader on their toes by never clearly delineating who's in the right. Reading through the book I was never quite sure if the Santarogans were an insidious cult or if the outsiders looking to expose them were only driven by corporate greed. The book constantly throws doubt on both sides, making one reevaluate throughout the book.

On the downside - it's not Dune (but what is?). The richness of the world, characters, factions, the epic scale etc. is just not there to the extent of Dune, but one must bear in mind that this is a 250 page stand alone novel. The love interest in the story was poorly written in my opinion. Frankly, having seen how well Herbert has portrayed woman in the Dune series, having a cliched, one-dimensional fiancee was a detraction. You kept wondering why they were in love, what bond they had, because one of the main catalysts for the story is their reunion. It's one of those instances where I felt that saying they were in love over and over wasn't necessary, if the character had been fleshed out better we'd know they were in love.

All in all I enjoyed it, but granted I'm prejudiced as a Dune fan.

If you're sick of the shallow Dune spin-offs like me, try this or the Dosadi Experiment instead. It's more in keeping with the literary legacy Frank Herbert has left us.

After reading Dune, I discovered Santaroga Barrier. Dune and Stranger in a Strange Land were my favorite reads in the 60's. That being the case, I grabbed this book and finished it in one night. It was a far easier read than Dune and perhaps had deeper meaning. It's been over 40 years since reading this novel but it's not been forgotten. As the Dune series holds everyone's attention, this book has been lost in the shuffle, I thought it out of print. Finding it available, I will re-purchase it and share with my family. It is a novel that can be read and enjoyed by those that do not consider science fiction or fantasy their forte. And, has I hope to find out, can be reread to deliver as much pleasure the second time around. If you are looking for an intelligent novel, one to hold your interest from the very first page, yet one that is extremely easy to read, this story should be at the top of your list.