Customer Reviews

Triplicity

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

When something dominates the landscape long enough, it falls into the intricate patterns that ultimately lead to its downfall. Complacency, the feeling of superiority and supreme authority, overpopulation and spreading the herd paper thin; these are all symptoms of that coming demise. It can be seen in every creature colonizing on any continent, from the largest of animals to the smallest insects. And nothing reflects that teetering on the brink of perpetual extinction more than mankind.

In The Genocides, this point is painstakingly brought to the surface, showcasing exactly how mankind would react to sweeping changes and how easily the proverbial "fall from grace" could be fashioned. First come the seeds of destruction in the shape of mysterious plants, growing at levels that astound even the most studious minds while being followed by the atypical reactions hinged on dismissal that one would expect from "civilized thinkers." As the plants start claiming ground and choking out the human blight, the reaction remain as we would expect them to be, unwavering in their arrogance, and the people see themselves as dominate. They don't see this as an invasion because plants couldn't be invaders, after all, and they opt instead to fight it with poisons that seem to keep the problem in check and methods that keep it out of sight. Slowly, however, people come to realize that this is all a mirage and that extinction is looming just beyond that next horizon. And there, in a town painted to the backdrop of crumbling cities and mammoth greenery, Thomas Disch begins painting a vivid portrait of what humanity truly entails.

There were many elements of the story that sprang from those pages and that were captivating as I eagerly devoured page after page. I personally liked the way the characters sprang to life, their ideas and ideals mingling with their backgrounds, and I liked the way all sorts of normally-mundane items started marching back into lives that had forgotten them. Food, grueling efforts to keep portions of land, needs for medicine, the elements; these were all there and they were all there in kind. Little tastes that we'd become numb to began taking effect, with people dropping like so many flies as the going grew tougher and tougher, and Disch painted it well. And, out of that, he painted something that I liked even better.

One of the best things about Disch's work was that he wasn't trying to become a mouthpiece for the redeeming factors housed in mankind. He didn't gloss over the fact that brutality is a key component to survival when structure becomes disheveled, and he doesn't try to bore his readers with passion plays that encompass only a portion of that "light vs. dark" spectrum. Instead, he explores the way the individuals feel and how they manage to survive on both a mental and a physical plateau when the world falls apart. And sometimes this means doing little things to keep the past alive or finding someone to latch onto that you really don't care about. And sometimes it means doings deeds that are even worse, eternally answering not only the question of what people are willing to do to stay alive but also the question of where sausage will come from when pigs are gone but still savored in the deep spiciness of memory.

This is WELL worth working into your hectic reading lives.

In 'The Genocides', the remains of humanity struggle against the onward growth of an alien monoculture known simply as 'the Plants', which has destroyed civilisation and left only pockets of survivors.

The novel starts well, in an almost Faulknerian community of farmers, lead by the dominating and deluded fundamentalist patriarch, Anderson, who are trying to maintain their cornfields and animals against this relentless growth, along with alien attempts at 'pest control' (essentially the slaughter of all living beings remaining on Earth). The plot concentrates on what happens to the dynamics of this community when it is decimated by one of these genocidal attacks, and then forced to welcome a charismatic and educated urban survivor, Jeremiah Orville. His revenge on Anderson for killing his partner, is slow and cunning and pits the old patriarch's children against each other and against him, as the devastated group is forced to seek shelter underground in the roots of the Plants themselves.

'The Gencocides' was Disch's first novel and suffers from a common fault of first novels, and of 1960s sf, in having a great concept but being really rather aimless for long stretches (see also Brian Aldiss' 'Hothouse' as another example of this). The characters switch between being a more realistic band of survivors than, for example, those in Stewart's 'Earth Abides' - with some intriguing and challenging interpersonal conflict - to melodramatic and over-cooked. The long passages underground are claustrophobic and tense to begin with, full of dark and squelchy atmosphere, but soon become dull as Disch, rather like the characters themselves, loses the plot.

The novel is redeemed somewhat by a fine, cinematic and depressingly gloomy ending, but, like 'Hothouse', you can't help but think it would have been better as a novella. Sf in general improved as early 1960s superficiality gave way to anger and disappointment with Disch's own extremely grim and disturbing 'Camp Concentration', and the work of Spinrad ('Bug Jack Barron'), Moorcock ('The Cornelius Quartlet'), Ballard ('The Atrocity Exhibition', 'Hi-rise' etc.) and Brunner ('Stand on Zanzibar', 'The Sheep Look Up' etc.). 'The Genocides' is still worth reading as a book that stands on the cusp of this revolution, as the older more complacent sf was faced with this tide of energetic bitterness and loathing.

With all the aplocalyptic books out there to enjoy, this is the freshest approach yet, and probably one of the older books.
One day the world is covered in little green plants sprouting up everywhere. One month later the little plants are already over 100 feet tall.
Things fall apart too fast to stop them, and as they encroach on society, society collapses. Those who are left survive only by sheer determination and hard work, having not only to deal with the immense plants blocking out the sunlight, but with strange spheres that patrol amongst them and disintegrate anything that moves. Disch takes us into this little society, and we follow this group of well formed characters onward through further declines, delving into an underground world of strange fruits and un-ending roots systems; where human nature takes over and even the smallest of societies finally breaks down under the weight of desperation. The ending will may not shock you, but it will leave you thinking "what if?"
Very well written, outstanding characterization, this is one of Disch's better adventures.

Bleak is the first word that comes to mind-which is not a bad thing. Disch's debut novel was part of a movement in sci-fi at the time that rejected the prevailing paradigm of human ingenuity and/or nobility being able to save the Earth from alien attack (no matter how technological advanced those aliens were). In this slim novel he tells the story of a small band of Minnesotan farmers near Duluth who are struggling to survive the blanketing of Earth by a mysterious and apparently indestructible species of trees. In the seven years since the spores first appeared, the trees have spread across the globe, sucking all nutrition from earth, drying up rivers and lakes, and generally destroying the planet's ecological balance.

At the same time, some kind of automated drones have been leveling cities with fire and gradually seeking out remaining mammals to toast. The implication is clear: Earth has been designated as a planetary cropfield, and all pests need to be eliminated so the crop can thrive. That premise is neat, but the main theme is how the surviving humans interact with one another and newcomers. It's clear that Disch was determined to show how the uglier side of human nature would prevail in such a high-stress situation. Throughout the story, jealousies, rivalries, and petty disputes between characters threaten the safety of the group. Indeed, at times, the various conflicts concerning the women get a little too melodramatic for the situation, but on the whole, the atmosphere is great, especially when the survivors are forced underground into the trees' root system.

A great take on the alien invasion story, it could benefit from a little trimming in the second half. Still, if you like your sci-fi grim and unsparing, this is the book for you!

At first I thought the book was going to be a tale of mankind's fall - a Plant has come to Earth that sucks up the water, grows fast (becoming the size of a maple in a month) and destroys the land. Nothing can live near it and few things can live on it.

But small pockets of men live and fight back. They protect the land, grow food, keep animals and do what they can to survive. I figured we were no longer King of the Hill but mankind would still fight on.

Then the story seems to change. There are machines that hunt down anything that may hurt the Plants. Mankind is nothing but a type of aphid hunted by robotic ladybugs - with flamethrowers.

The aliens are never seen - only their machines. Maybe there are ONLY machines carrying out the operations in the first place - how many farmers are needed to run a farm in the 21th Century?

And that is what the Plants are - seeds placed on Earth to be grown and harvested. It seems any planet would have been OK as one as it had water and lots of sunlight.

The ending is sad but realistic - maybe this is how an alien invasion would happen. We would be so below their notice that not even their machines would tell us apart from the deer or cattle they also hunt down and kill.

The Genocides must have caused quite a shock when it was first published in the mid-Sixties. This novel is not for the faint of heart, as a drastically reduced population of humans try to hold their own against alien plants and mechanical invaders. I found the second half of the story to move too fast toward its inevitable ending, but Disch will always remain one of the most underrated (by some) science-fiction writers of the twentieth century. A potent story which shows us how animalistic we all can be if the situation is right.

Environmental degradation, global famine and mass extinction are some of the concerns held by those who think about the long-term future of our planet - a slow, lingering death for Mother Nature. In Thomas Disch's novel "The Genocides", a race of unseen, uncaring aliens have done the work for us.

In the space of seven years Earth has been overwhelmed by towering alien Plants, whose dominance has all but destroyed the ecological balance upon which all species survival depends. Billions have died, cities have been razed to the ground, and the Incinerators efficiently mop up any survivors.

"The Genocides" concentrates on one isolated group that is still holding out. With grim determination, they skulk and scavenge among the Plants, trying to stave off the inevitable. Unlike the big-budget science fiction blockbuster films of recent years, this is not a story of heroism and valour. In fact, there are those who enjoy what is happening to them. Jeremiah Orville takes a perverse delight in the whole situation, while he plots revenge on the leader of the group who captured him.

This is certainly a grim story, and possibly one of the best interpretations of the alien invader theme. Comfortless, hard-hitting and bleak. Goodbye Earth.

I enjoyed this bookl Disch's characterizations are excellent. It is a short book-an easy read, but holds your attention the entire way. A new take on an old premise of world takeover.

The collection 'Triplicity' brings together three of Thomas Disch's better short novels: Echo Round His Bones, The Genocides, and The Puppies Of Terra. This is a great way to start your Disch collection, who happens to be one of one my favorite authors. After 'Triplicity', I highly recommend 'The M.D.', my favorite Disch of all.

Echo Round His Bones:

Captain Nathan Hansard is an ordinary man and an ordinary officer of Camp Jackson, his only outstanding trait being his steadfastness. In the future (forgive the dates, this story was written in 1967 and considers 1990 to be "the distant future") the US has developed a matter-transmitter that changed global war relations forever. Hansard, though a lifer in the military, has never "jumped" before; until Colonel Ives orders him to Mars.

Hansard soon discovers that there is a well-kept secret to the "manmitter", as it is jokingly called. An Echo. A literal creation of a duplicate person. Together, with other "Echos", Hansard must think of a way to stop the world from blowing itself up.

The Genocides:

With all the apocalyptic books out there to enjoy, this is the freshest approach yet, and probably one of the older books. One day the world is covered in little green plants sprouting up everywhere. One month later the little plants are already over 100 feet tall. Things fall apart too fast to stop them, and as they encroach on society, society collapses. Those who are left survive only by sheer determination and hard work, having not only to deal with the immense plants blocking out the sunlight, but with strange spheres that patrol amongst them and disintegrate anything that moves.

Disch takes us into this little society, and we follow this group of well formed characters onward through further declines, delving into an underground world of strange fruits and un-ending roots systems; where human nature takes over and even the smallest of societies finally breaks down under the weight of desperation. The ending will may not shock you, but it will leave you thinking "what if?"

Very well written, outstanding characterization, this is one of Disch's better adventures.

The Puppies Of Terra:

Ever wonder what would happen if humans, without losing intellect, became pets to a higher race? Disch answers this question with a playful romp through the imagination. The Masters, an ethereal race of supreme, God-like Beings, enter the minds of men and take them as pets. Humans, ever seeking complete comfort of being, feel that under The Masters protection they have touched the Hand Of God. They are comforted, and willingly allow themselves to become pets.

The Masters create beautiful places for their human pets, called "Kennels", some on Earth and some on other planets. Only Earth contains humans who have refused The Masters, a renegade group determined to bring freedom back. The only problem is, the pets do not want to leave their Masters. They are well treated, well fed, and given complete freedom to move about the kennels and be creative.

'The Puppies Of Terra' is told by one named White Fang, a pet of impeccable breeding, and follows him from childhood to becoming an adult, and how he was taken away from not just his family, but his Master as well.

These three stories are excellent Disch's to serve up to yourself as a main course or a late night snack. Although Disch was one of the earlier Sci-Fi writers from the 60's and 70's, his works are timeless, and as good in today's market as when they were written. If he didn't actually use real dates in some of his stories, you would never know they were not written in today's SF styling. Enjoy!

Aliens have covered the Earth with the seeds of giant plants that come to dominate the planet, at the expense of nearly all native plants and animals (including humans). The story focuses mainly on the inhabitants of a small town and their struggle to survive. And it's fair to say they'll do just about anything to survive. It's a dark, intense, chilling and even claustrophobic story. So, set aside a few hours on a rainy weekend afternoon for this one. Highly recommendend!