(Found) New challenge - a story and then novel involving modified apes on a strange world

[northernexposure]

I wish I could tell you when I read these, likely 25 years ago. The first was a story revolving around a world where ape-like creatures lived in nests in trees, a strange temple (?), and - I recall - the story ends with mysteriousness and wonder. A laster novel, which was not as nearly satisfying, involves bringing surgically-modified apes (I don't think they were humans) brought to the planet to be participant-observers. I recall that the mystery of the place is solved.
Your assistance is welcomed!

 

[Ravensquawk]

This is a long shot.
"The Golden Helix" by Theodore Sturgeon

The possible matches are:

"ape-like creatures"
Humans hijacked to be prisoners on a very green planet, Viridis, exposed to the planet's radiation field, regress with each generation to earlier forms of primate.

"a strange temple (?)"
Their captors fly in a double helix formation as a salute and tribute to the humans they force-captured.

"...surgically-modified apes (I don't think they were humans) brought to the planet to be participant-observers"
Not a match, except that humans, devolving with each generation to apes, monkeys, lemurs, are definitely not observers, but forced, imprisoned participants.

"ape-like creatures lived in nests in trees"
At the very end of the story, almost fully devolved monkeys descended from the humans are hanging around in the trees, watching, without comprehension, the next race of aliens captured and brought to this planet.

"the story ends with mysteriousness and wonder"
From Sturgeon's point of view, it does. He waxes grandiloquent about the precious DNA being sampled from each race forcibly brought to the planet.

It's Sturgeon science fiction, written before the DNA double helix was discovered, he later said in a foreword.
It is also Sturgeon sentimentality and sappiness.
I am much more repulsed than Sturgeon intended readers to be.

 

[northernexposure]

This is a long shot.
"The Golden Helix" by Theodore Sturgeon

The possible matches are:

"ape-like creatures"
Humans hijacked to be prisoners on a very green planet, Viridis, exposed to the planet's radiation field, regress with each generation to earlier forms of primate.

"a strange temple (?)"
Their captors fly in a double helix formation as a salute and tribute to the humans they force-captured.

"...surgically-modified apes (I don't think they were humans) brought to the planet to be participant-observers"
Not a match, except that humans, devolving with each generation to apes, monkeys, lemurs, are definitely not observers, but forced, imprisoned participants.

"ape-like creatures lived in nests in trees"
At the very end of the story, almost fully devolved monkeys descended from the humans are hanging around in the trees, watching, without comprehension, the next race of aliens captured and brought to this planet.

"the story ends with mysteriousness and wonder"
From Sturgeon's point of view, it does. He waxes grandiloquent about the precious DNA being sampled from each race forcibly brought to the planet.

It's Sturgeon science fiction, written before the DNA double helix was discovered, he later said in a foreword.
It is also Sturgeon sentimentality and sappiness.
I am much more repulsed than Sturgeon intended readers to be.

Thanks, but that is not the story. But I have dim recollection of the one you suggest.

 

[hitmouse]

Is the first one Hothouse by Brian Aldiss?

 

[northernexposure]

Sorry, no. "Hothouse" takes place on Earth, and I am pretty sure that this one takes place on an alien planet.

 

[Danny McG]

a Tom Purdom book?
"The ape lords of *something I can't remember*"

 

[northernexposure]

I doubt it. That was from the mid-sixties.

 

[Danny McG]

I doubt it. That was from the mid-sixties.

Ah right, you said in the question you'd read it mid nineties, I didn't realise it was new when you read it.

 

[northernexposure]

Well, it looks like the story/novel was from earlier than I thought. I apologize. I guess I am getting old. I started thinking that the author's name was Michael, so I went through the SF authors I knew and quickly searched Michael Bishop's works. He published an excerpt of a work in 1973, "Death and Designation among the Asadi," (nominated for both Hugo and Nebula awards), and then in 1979 published the novel, "Transfigurations." Although I figured this one out, I appreciate the assistance here.

 

[Danny McG]

Aha! Good detective work.
I've never read it, the blurb on Goodreads makes it sound a bit weird.
Is it worth getting?

Transfigurations

The Hugo- & Nebula-nominated novella “Death & Designation Among the Asadi” (Worlds of If, '73) forms the 1st part of Transfigurations, a ...

www.goodreads.com

 

[Ravensquawk]

Wow. Good find! Only the shorter form title sounds even slightly familiar.
I've only read (apparently) one of Michael Bishop's short stories, and it was enough to make me his fan for life.