n Fritz Leiber's novel The Big Time, Greta Forzane is an
entertainer working at a Recuperation Station for soldiers fighting in the
Change War. The Change War is a time-travel war between the Spiders,
associated with the West, and the Snakes, who represent the East. In the
war, the two sides attempt to change history in order to gain advantage. However, because of the Law of Conservation of Reality, it takes many
incremental changes to significantly alter the course of history. The
Spiders and Snakes recruit their soldiers from among those who are about to
die throughout history. The station where Forzane works belongs to the
Spiders. Five others work with her at the station, which exists outside
time and space in a Void, connected with the universe through Doors
manipulated by a device called the Major Maintainer.
Three soldiers arrive at the station for recuperation: Erich von
Hohenwald, a former SS officer and one of Greta's boyfriends, a Roman named
Mark, and a new recruit, a former World War I British soldier who turns out to be a poet, Bruce Marchant. The new girl at the station, Lili,
immediately recognizes Marchant for his poetry, and becomes infatuated with
him. There are, however, tensions between Marchant and von
Hohenwald. Von Hohenwald regards the new recruit as inexperienced and naive, while Marchant questions the entire purpose of the war, and even the true motives and identities of the Spiders and Snakes.
They are soon joined by a woman and two extraterrestrials, who barely
escaped with their lives from a lost battle near Crete in 1300 B.C. The
debate between Marchant and von Hohenwald continues, until Bruce proposes the
unthinkable: that they desert the Spiders together and take
a message of peace to the cosmos. But as each member is deciding which
side to join, someone steals the Major Maintainer, cutting them off from
the universe forever if it's not found.
An artful, theatrical construction
The Big Time is perhaps the most unconventional time travel novel
ever written. Rather than focusing on the larger consequences of altering
history, Leiber concentrates on the effects on the individuals caught up in
the Change War. He structures the novel according to the principles of
classical drama, setting it in a single place with continuous action from
beginning to end. Leiber's theatrical background pervades
the narrative (he spent some time as a drama teacher), and it's quite easy to imagine seeing this story presented on stage.
The story unfolds through Forzane's viewpoint, which is effective for
numerous reasons. Her observations are always interesting, and though
she's not sophisticated, she turns out to be the only member of the group
who does much practical thinking. Because she's completely apolitical, she
also lends some objectivity to Leiber's overt criticism of the Cold
War politics that form the cultural context of the novel (which was originally published in 1958). Her narration is also often
quite humorous, which fits well with Leiber's reputation as a fine
satirist.
All of the major characters in The Big Time are interesting, but
the two most compelling besides Forzane are Marchant and von Hohenwald. Leiber's literary range is readily apparent when he turns his attention to Marchant, who delivers some extended monologues. We are also given a few glimpses of his poetry. Leiber handles the transition from Forzane's sensible voice to Marchant's sophisticated, idealistic style with seamless grace. And Marchant is the main catalyst of the novel's philosophical inquiries. Von Hohenwald, on the other hand, is a strong contrast, both cynical and blindly loyal to the Spiders' cause.
Perhaps the most compelling aspect of The Big Time is Leiber's
subtlety in building a construction that works on so many different
levels. It's all the more impressive considering that Forzane's narration is generally not subtle. The Big Time is audacious and original, and probably one of the best science fiction novels ever written.
I've always thought Leiber was among the most versatile SF writers of his
time, and this book is a wonderful example of his talent.
-- Clint
itrini Candachi was born to one culture and raised in another, leaving
her alienated from both. With the blue skin and features that mark her as one of the most socially prominent citizens of the indigo race, she is expected to
marry a meek and well-connected young man and settle into domesticity and
the management of her family's extensive land holdings.
Unfortunately, Kit is in love with one of her people's greatest enemies,
a golden-skinned man named Jex Zanlan. Jex is a member of the gulden people,
a warrior culture where Kit spent her early life. Their love is
opposed by everyone: Kit's family will not condone intermarriage with a
species they consider inferior to the indigo. Jex's people, especially his
father, are equally convinced of their own superiority and just as hostile to the relationship.
Tensions between indigo and gulden only make matters worse. When Kit's
people try to annex some gulden land, Jex bombs a medical compound. He is
caught and jailed, leaving Kit alone to face the censure of her people.
Socially outcast and terribly conspicuous, she weaves her way through a maze
of uninteresting social obligations, all in a struggle to please her
increasingly frail grandmother. Meanwhile, she is forced to wonder: can she
really love a terrorist?
As further bombings, clearly organized by Jex, take their toll
on the city where she lives, Kit finds she must choose between her
conscience and her heart.
High on body count, low on logic
In Heart of Gold, Sharon Shinn creates a world where skin
color and cultural differences are used as excuses for terrorism and
genocide. As a story, it is at its best when this conflict is brought to the
personal level, forcing Kit to reconcile her love for Jex with his violent
behavior, or to wonder what to do if she can't. This soul-searching makes
for a novel that will appeal to readers who enjoy unconventional romances
and strong women protagonists.
However, despite the violence carried out by both gulden and indigo in
the name of genetic superiority, there is no significant exploration of the
questions about discrimination raised by the novel. The
clash of cultures in Heart of Gold merely serves as an expedient fuel
for the plot. Similarly, the two cultures, with their differing modes of
gender oppression, merely give Shinn the opportunity to develop a romantic
storyline that sidesteps many tired clichés.
The backbone of the plot features an oversimplified approach to germ warfare. Researchers come up with deadly plagues in a matter of hours, and find cures for the same plagues almost as quickly. There is little attention given to the obvious similarities between the two species of humans, or the dangerous
possibility that sameness entails--that the viruses will mutate and infect
the race that developed them. Instead, the microbiology genie is allowed out
of its bottle for a bare, deadly moment before it is easily and completely
corked up.
However, as the range of ideas in Heart of Gold is so broad, most
readers will probably find something in its pages that provokes thought or
provides entertainment.
This had a lot of elements that looked like they were going to be very
compelling; unfortunately, they failed to deliver on their initial
promise.
-- A.M.
n Fritz Leiber's novel The Big Time, Greta Forzane is an
entertainer working at a Recuperation Station for soldiers fighting in the
Change War. The Change War is a time-travel war between the Spiders,
associated with the West, and the Snakes, who represent the East. In the
war, the two sides attempt to change history in order to gain advantage. However, because of the Law of Conservation of Reality, it takes many
incremental changes to significantly alter the course of history. The
Spiders and Snakes recruit their soldiers from among those who are about to
die throughout history. The station where Forzane works belongs to the
Spiders. Five others work with her at the station, which exists outside
time and space in a Void, connected with the universe through Doors
manipulated by a device called the Major Maintainer.
itrini Candachi was born to one culture and raised in another, leaving
her alienated from both. With the blue skin and features that mark her as one of the most socially prominent citizens of the indigo race, she is expected to
marry a meek and well-connected young man and settle into domesticity and
the management of her family's extensive land holdings.
