THE GODS THEMSELVES

Mankind has been given a great gift. Beings from a parallel universe are replacing the relatively abundant tungsten with a form of plutonium not naturally ocurring in our own universe. Soon the two universes set up pumping stations to shuttle the materials back and forth. The end result is practically free and polutionless energy that frees the Earth from reliance upon fossil fuels.

There is one side effect of the newfound energy source. Seems that the material from the so called para-universe emits positrons, which produces energy but also acts to turn protons into neutrons with the resultant reaction further destroying a number of electrons. What this means in the end is that for every nucleus our universe loses 20 electrons. This of course means that the para-universe gains 20 electrons for every nucleus passed through one of the "Electron Pumps". Eventually this loss of electrons will make our sun burn hotter and will eventually cause it to explode, which of course would kill every living thing on the planet. Fortunately, it's estimated that it will take a trillion years or so for it to happen.

As it happens, a young scientest comes to believe that certain assumptions of the physics of the para-universe have been miscalculated. By his figuring, the sun is in imminent danger of explosion and he desperately begins to try and convince those in authority to halt the pumping. Unfortunately, nobody wants to listen. The Electron Pump has been a great boon to mankind, creating a near paradise with its free energy. The creator of the pump (read: the man lucky enough to be the first to realize tungsen was being converted to the impossible plutonium and further received the basic plans to build the pumping stations) makes him a virtual outcast in the scientific community and the very few who believe him are helpless to do anything about it.

In desperation, he recruits the help of an expert of ancient languages and attempts to communicate with the creatures of the para-universe. They finally manage to get basic meanings across but it becomes apparent that whoever they are communicating with realizes the danger as well as they do but is as powerless to stop the pumping as the two humans are.

My favorite section of the novel now begins as we see events from the para-universe side of things. Though this part is my favorite as I said, it is also the most frustrating since it ends rather abruptly and without a clear resolution.

Here we meet Dua, a Soft One, who inhabits a small planet revolving around a sun much smaller than ours. Though her universe contains many more stars than ours, only seven are visible from the surface since they are all so small. Her kind uses solar energy as food and we learn that her kind are diminishing in number since the sun is slowly growing colder. If a new source of energy is not found soon, her kind will eventually die out. Fortunately, one of the Hard Ones discovers the other universe and the swapping of materials begins, though the new food tastes funny at first.

The fascinating part of the Soft Ones is that though they have seperate identities, it takes three to make a triad, the only time they are truly whole. One Emotional (Dua), one Parental (Tritt) and one Rational (Odeen). But this triad is a bit different. Dua is rather unique among her kind and although she fulfills the roll of Emotional, she also displays characteristics of a Rational. This becomes significant as time passes. Very quickly, Rational are thinkers, Parentals raise the children (always one of each) and the Emotional provides the impetus for what is called Melting, when the three Soft Ones intertwine, losing time while sometimes conceiving.

Dua comes to learn that the transference of materials between universes will quickly cause the sun of the other to explode and that the Hard Ones desire this since such an explosion will create so much energy that it can be siphoned without the aid of pumps. Enough energy to be practically eternal. Dua cannot stomache this and begins trying to sabotage the pumps. She eventually communicates with beings from the other side and comes to realize that they are as powerless as she is to stop the pumping.

As this section comes to a close, a rather neat event occurs but we leave so abruptly that I felt a bit cheated. I wanted to spend just a little more time there.

The final section takes place on the moon. A middle-aged scientest who was present in the early days of the pump and fell out of favor with the revered creator comes to the moon as a last chance to make a difference in the field of science. He has self-studies para-physics and believes the theory of the other scientest that we are in grave danger due to the pumping stations.

Just as on Earth, there are different agendas being persued here. The native lunarites have a secret desire to operate their own pump even though solar power supplies them with all the energy they need. Of course, there is a deeper reason for this desire that is not revealed until the final pages.

There is also the Earth administrator who desires to know what the lunarites are up to. Both sides use the newly arrived Denison against the other. The administrator hopes to use him to learn the secret he knows exist while the lunarites set the man up with a lab in order to distract the administrator. The lunarites also assign an Intuisionist to stay close by Denison. They didn't count on her coming not only to believe in his work but to also develope feelings for a mere "earthy".

Although much of this section is critical to the outcome, this is where the book loses some of its momentum. Not to question one of the masters, but it just seems to me this part could have been done a little differently without losing the substance. Regardless, the end presents us with a fantastic solution to the exploding sun problem and also reveals the lunarites drastic plans to escape the tyranny of the Earth.

The solution mentioned above will not be discussed on this page, but the lunarites plan is to use their new found energy source to move the moon out of Earth orbit and to simply fly away. The architect of the plan is one of those lunarites who hates the lunar surface and the planet hanging in the sky. Denison and the Intuitionist Selene know that many lunar denizens do not wish to leave and suggest the building of great ships using the power source so those that want to leave may.

Science-fiction fans of all ages and preferences should enjoy this book. Though its momentum staggers near the end, it is overall a fine work from one of sci-fi's greatest writers.

Books at Jay's Lair

Contact Jay