In the April issue of Analog 1969, Miller in the Reference Library reviewed Rite of Passage by Alexei Panshin (which won a Nebula award). I had always thought that this story was a novelette (published as Down to the Worlds of Men (1963; and which has featured over the years in various 'Best Of' collections) and did not realize that it was part of a larger novel (there are minor differences between the two stories about Mia's time on the planet).
In the June 1969 issue, Miller also discussed Panshin's Star Well, and recommended it.
Based on Miller's comments, I decided to read Rite of Passage, the three books of Anthony Villier's adventures, and Panshin's collection of short stories. These appear to be his main works of fiction.
In the collection of short stories, there are three that deal with the same setting as Rite of Passage:
The Sons of Prometheus (1966), A Sense of Direction (1969), and Arpad (1971). Frankly, as the other short stories were not to my taste, I'm going to concentrate my remarks on these three, the Rite of Passage, and Villier's stories.
Rite of Passage provides more background to the setting, covers the previous couple of years of Mia's life, and reveals more about the former colony ships. There is a ongoing debate about how the ships should interact with the colonies (which are all at a much reduced level of technology ... in some cases only at a subsistence level). Prejudice, distrust and hate between the ships and the colonies is the order of the day. Mia initially is prejudiced against the 'Mudeaters', and the novel deals with her evolving attitudes along with her preparations for her 'rite of passage'.
(the rite of passage refers to the 30 day period that all 14 year olds must spend on a colony world ... and live to talk about it; the rate of success appears to be about 75%. After the trial, the survivors are considered adults and may vote in the Ship assembly.
A Sense of Direction features Arpad, a 13 year old boy taken years earlier from a colony world, and now on a 3-day survival course on a primitive colony world (the colony has regressed to almost the stone age). This story reveals the level of prejudice that many on the ships have against the colonists.
In The Sons of Prometheus, some 'shipeens' are trying to help the colonies improve by providing clandestine technical advice. On most worlds exposure means death at the hands of the colonists
Arpad takes place roughly 30 years after the events of Rite of Passage, and both Mia and Jimmy have a cameo appearance. They are now both involved in the Sons of Prometheus movement. Arpad, though, has other ideas and is now out to drastically change Ship culture. The only question he has is whether it will be as Shakespeare or as Napoleon.
On to Anthony Villier's adventures: Star Well, The Thurb Revolution, and Masque World.
I agree with Miller: I quite liked Star Well, and in the descriptions of this far-future society I thought I detected a faint echo of Jane Austin and Pride and Prejudice. There is a slightly different method of writing as occasionally the author directly addresses the reader. And the beginning of each chapter explains some facet of the plot, setting or characters. But interesting nevertheless. And I found that both the character of Villiers and that of Louisa Parini were well drawn.
However I'm afraid that neither of the sequels live up to Star Well. Both, to me, are a little surreal and lack a solid plot. The stories had a whiff of Alice in Wonderland rather than a (relatively) more serious SF story. Disappointing.
And now we get into a bit of a real-life mystery. The ending of Masque World refers to a fourth volume of the adventures of Villiers, The Universal Pantograph, where he travels to the Empire's home world and meets up again with Louisa. That book was never written. And in a case of Internet serendipity, a search revealed the possible reasons. Here is the link for the curious:
Bleg: The Universal Pantograph – The Reality-Based Community
(What I found interesting is that the author of this article is Mark Kleiman, an esteemed criminologist who wrote the well-regarded book When Brute Force Fails of which a copy is in my bookcase. Unfortunately he passed away in 2019. Mr Kleiman quite liked all three of the Villier novels so perhaps je suis dans les patates...).
(If you check out Alexei Panshin's website, you can read more about his controversial dealings with Robert Heinlein.)
Now, circling back to Rite of Passage, it seems odd that Panshin didn't write more in this setting as well. We're left hanging with a lot of unresolved issues that would have provided a lot of fodder for further stories. But, as with the Villier stories, perhaps the muse had fled and he just couldn't do any more with it.
In any case, I do recommend both Rite of Passage, and Star Well (for something a little different).
In the June 1969 issue, Miller also discussed Panshin's Star Well, and recommended it.
Based on Miller's comments, I decided to read Rite of Passage, the three books of Anthony Villier's adventures, and Panshin's collection of short stories. These appear to be his main works of fiction.
In the collection of short stories, there are three that deal with the same setting as Rite of Passage:
The Sons of Prometheus (1966), A Sense of Direction (1969), and Arpad (1971). Frankly, as the other short stories were not to my taste, I'm going to concentrate my remarks on these three, the Rite of Passage, and Villier's stories.
Rite of Passage provides more background to the setting, covers the previous couple of years of Mia's life, and reveals more about the former colony ships. There is a ongoing debate about how the ships should interact with the colonies (which are all at a much reduced level of technology ... in some cases only at a subsistence level). Prejudice, distrust and hate between the ships and the colonies is the order of the day. Mia initially is prejudiced against the 'Mudeaters', and the novel deals with her evolving attitudes along with her preparations for her 'rite of passage'.
(the rite of passage refers to the 30 day period that all 14 year olds must spend on a colony world ... and live to talk about it; the rate of success appears to be about 75%. After the trial, the survivors are considered adults and may vote in the Ship assembly.
A Sense of Direction features Arpad, a 13 year old boy taken years earlier from a colony world, and now on a 3-day survival course on a primitive colony world (the colony has regressed to almost the stone age). This story reveals the level of prejudice that many on the ships have against the colonists.
In The Sons of Prometheus, some 'shipeens' are trying to help the colonies improve by providing clandestine technical advice. On most worlds exposure means death at the hands of the colonists
Arpad takes place roughly 30 years after the events of Rite of Passage, and both Mia and Jimmy have a cameo appearance. They are now both involved in the Sons of Prometheus movement. Arpad, though, has other ideas and is now out to drastically change Ship culture. The only question he has is whether it will be as Shakespeare or as Napoleon.
I must say that, although it makes a good story, the purpose of the rite of passage doesn't make a lot of sense to me. It appears that most of the danger to the kids comes from the colonists and not from the local wildlife. Bad circumstances and poor timing could mean that you're dead ... or in jail and left behind ... but your buddy makes it out.
Although the debate about how much to interact with the colonies is an ongoing thread throughout the novel, I was quite surprised by the ending: the Ship apparently preemptively destroys the colony as it is considered to be a possible threat years in the future. Gosh. Guess they didn't learn anything from the great destruction of 2041.
Perhaps that explains the poem at the beginning of the novel, which ends thus:
The summer’s flower is to the summer sweet, Though to itself it only live and die, But if that flower with base infection meet, The basest weed outbraves his dignity: For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds; Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, Sonnet XCIV
Although the debate about how much to interact with the colonies is an ongoing thread throughout the novel, I was quite surprised by the ending: the Ship apparently preemptively destroys the colony as it is considered to be a possible threat years in the future. Gosh. Guess they didn't learn anything from the great destruction of 2041.
Perhaps that explains the poem at the beginning of the novel, which ends thus:
The summer’s flower is to the summer sweet, Though to itself it only live and die, But if that flower with base infection meet, The basest weed outbraves his dignity: For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds; Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, Sonnet XCIV
On to Anthony Villier's adventures: Star Well, The Thurb Revolution, and Masque World.
I agree with Miller: I quite liked Star Well, and in the descriptions of this far-future society I thought I detected a faint echo of Jane Austin and Pride and Prejudice. There is a slightly different method of writing as occasionally the author directly addresses the reader. And the beginning of each chapter explains some facet of the plot, setting or characters. But interesting nevertheless. And I found that both the character of Villiers and that of Louisa Parini were well drawn.
However I'm afraid that neither of the sequels live up to Star Well. Both, to me, are a little surreal and lack a solid plot. The stories had a whiff of Alice in Wonderland rather than a (relatively) more serious SF story. Disappointing.
And now we get into a bit of a real-life mystery. The ending of Masque World refers to a fourth volume of the adventures of Villiers, The Universal Pantograph, where he travels to the Empire's home world and meets up again with Louisa. That book was never written. And in a case of Internet serendipity, a search revealed the possible reasons. Here is the link for the curious:
Bleg: The Universal Pantograph – The Reality-Based Community
(What I found interesting is that the author of this article is Mark Kleiman, an esteemed criminologist who wrote the well-regarded book When Brute Force Fails of which a copy is in my bookcase. Unfortunately he passed away in 2019. Mr Kleiman quite liked all three of the Villier novels so perhaps je suis dans les patates...).
(If you check out Alexei Panshin's website, you can read more about his controversial dealings with Robert Heinlein.)
Now, circling back to Rite of Passage, it seems odd that Panshin didn't write more in this setting as well. We're left hanging with a lot of unresolved issues that would have provided a lot of fodder for further stories. But, as with the Villier stories, perhaps the muse had fled and he just couldn't do any more with it.
In any case, I do recommend both Rite of Passage, and Star Well (for something a little different).
