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Phillip Mann was born in 1942 and studied English and Drama at Manchester University and later in California. He worked in the New China News Agency in Beijing for two years but has lived in New Zealand since 1969, working as a theatre critic, drama teacher and university Reader in Drama. As well as writing novels, he has written a number of plays and stories for Radio New Zealand.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Product Details
Series: Panther Books
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Grafton; New edition edition (March 8, 1984)
Set in the not-so-distant future, the earth has explored most of its neighboring star systems. A surprise comes when the earth is suddenly visited by the first extra terrestrial species that posesses superior technology. Marius Thorndyke and Tomas Mnaba, contact linguists from earth, travel to the planet of the super race and encounter answers to the ultimate questions of mankind. Very engaging, stunning visuals, imaginative dialogue and characters. Very well worth reading, if you can get a copy.
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I had never heard of Phillip Man before reading Wulfsyarn but while reading it I was unexpectedly impressed with the level of humanistic writing Mann was capable of. His usage of the journal-like device was fascinating and I searched for his most acclaimed novel Eye of the Queen soon after.
Using a more pronounced device of the journal-like narrative, the style is captivating in its detail and chronological unfolding. The journal of Thorndyke chronicles his contact from beginning to end with the alien species Pe-Ellia, through the initial contact, the first awkward days on the new planet and the dismissal of his subordinate Tomas. The thirty-eight journal entries are often accompanied by Tomas's commentary on the specifics of each matter or historical background. This duo-layered journal device imbues the novel with rich detail spread out for the reader to mull over and consume.
The Pe-Ellia species are difficult to wrap your head around, seeming to be as alien as the title implies. Yet their commonality in their spiritual devotion and altruistic aura unveils a human-like base to touch. The Contact Linguists they both are, the road to understanding their alien counterparts must be lightly tread for risk of giving offense. The penultimate guide for this contact was established by Thorndyke but we witness him withdrawing from the very procedures he established. This alarms Tomas but, being the subordinate, he continues to chronicle the visit.
Mann seems to be able to create a humanistic character (like Wilberfoss in Wulfsyarn and here with Thorndyke) and allow the reader to sympathize with the self-styled human he has created in the pages.Read more ›
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I picked up this book second hand without any particular expectation ands was really surprised how good it was. The picture that Phillip Mann portrayed had excellent depth and forethought. The story progressively revealed a coherent view into an alien way of existence that I have rarely encountered (and kept wanting to read more). It made me immediately want to look for other titles by this author. Well done Mr Mann.
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I read a fair amount of science fiction and know how much trash is out there. This book really stands out for its good writing, interesting plotting, and imaginative speculation. This is one of the better realized alien cultures in this genre. I Enjoyed this book a lot and recommend it, also, if you can find it.
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