Starchild Trilogy

_The Starchild Trilogy_ (1977) by Frederik Pohl and Jack Williamson is an omnibus of three novels dramatizing the future evolution of man. They are _The Reefs of Space_ (1964), _Starchild_ (1965), and _Rogue Star_ (1969). The copyright credits incorrectly state that _Starchild_ was a _Galaxy_ serial. In fact, all three novels were serialized in _If_ in 1963, 1965, and 1968 respectively. The basic method of collaboration was that Williamson wrote the first draft and Pohl wrote the revision. In general, this method seems to have worked fairly well. _The Reefs of Space_ was originally begun by Williamson back in the fifties. It was worked over quite a bit before reaching its final form. The later novels were written more hastily, presumably to meet deadlines. Partly for this reason, the first novel remains the most imaginative and solid. _Starchild_ and _Rogue Star_, while passable space operas, are relatively thin. The first two novels set up a contrast between the Plan of Man and the Reefs of Space. The first is the futuristic government of the solar system. It is tyrranical, static, conformist, militaristic, and brutal. It is run by a super computer (called the Machine) and a dictator (called the Planner). The Reefs are a series of islands of "space coral" formed by a stream of steady-state hydrogen atoms that is located well outside the solar system. They are non-mechanized, filled with some bizarre life forms (both carbon and non-carbon based). A handful of exiles and escapees have managed to form a free society there. _Rogue Star_ is set in a much later period. Mankind has spread far beyond the Reefs, and the Plan of Man has collapsed. But there are still characters known as Reefers, and Planner artifacts may still be uncovered and used. There is a difference between the heroes of the three novels. Steve Ryeland, of _The Reefs of Space_, is an intelligent man who has seen the dark side of the Plan of Man at the outset of the novel. We can readily identify with him. Boysie Gann, of _Starchild_, is a blockhead who remains blindly loyal to the Plan for most of the novel. Even when he changes, he can't think of anything much to do except to pretend to be loyal. One of the heroes of _Rogue Star_ is a brilliant, manly, romantic fellow named Cliff Hawk. He is also insufferably arrogant, selfish, reckless, and obnoxious. Of course, he gets the girl. A similar pattern can be found with the heroines. Donna Creery of _The Reefs of Space_ is much more interesting and rounded than the heroines of the later novels. I will conclude with some individual ratings. _The Reefs of Space_: Four stars. _Starchild_ and Rogue Star_: Three stars apiece. Perhaps not a perfect book. But certainly not a time-waster, either. Recommended.

I just finished the last book of the STARCHILD TRILOGY by Pohl and Williamson last week. I thought the first book REEFS OF SPACE was the best. Some of the things I liked about REEFS OF SPACE: The Plan Of Man - A super-computer which runs all human affairs. Citizens must constantly check-in at computer terminals for orders ie. before beginning work, after completing each task, before leaving a room, after entering a room etc. Risks - People who have performed badly, underachieved, or been caught performing unplanned actions or having unplanned thoughts. The Collar - An explosive collar worn by the Risks which can be detonated at anytime The Plan Of Man sees fit. It also explodes automatically if tampered with. The Body Bank - If a Risk continues to screw up or underachieve there is still one way he can contribute to society by providing body parts for transplanting onto or into those citizens who need them in order to remain useful to society. The JunkMan - A man built by using body parts and made to look exactly like one of the donors at The Body Bank in order to take his place so that this donor could escape, the only person ever to do so. There was some cool scientific stuff too; jetless drive, Hoyle theory, simbiotic relationships. But all that mumbo-jumbo means little to me. Just call me Olaf Simpleton because it was the simpler concepts which I found entertaining and interesting. One thing left me cold....At one point in the story someone says that they've known several people who were sent to The Body Bank, but they've never known anyone to recieve a body part from there. Nothing else was ever mentioned about that. =============================Book II============================= The first book of THE STARCHILD TRILOGY (The Reefs Of Space) I gave four stars. This book (STARCHILD) is not quite as good as the first one. I can't give it 3-1/2 stars so I'll round up and settle with giving it four stars also. In THE REEFS OF SPACE you're shown how The Plan Of Man super-computer affects and controls every aspect of daily life for the citizens of Earth and it's colonies. You also get to experience what it's like to wear The Collar and a really good tour of The Body Bank. In STARCHILD The Collar is still a big part of the story, but only brief mention is made of The Body Bank. This second book of the trilogy also gives an up close and personal view of The Plan Of Man super-computer. You get to see how it needs human extensions of itself, humans who can be completely trusted. You're shown what it takes to become a companion of the computer; the education and training involved, the surgical modifications needed, and the sacrafice of "self" and the leaving behind of all that had been a part of your previous life, including loved ones. You also get to see what it's like to live out on the reefs as free men, out of the reach of The Plan Of Man. The climactic ending is great. If you intend reading the entire trilogy I suggest you

I just finished the last book of the STARCHILD TRILOGY by Pohl and Williamson last week. I thought the first book REEFS OF SPACE was the best. Some of the things I liked about REEFS OF SPACE: The Plan Of Man - A super-computer which runs all human affairs. Citizens must constantly check-in at computer terminals for orders ie. before beginning work, after completing each task, before leaving a room, after entering a room etc. Risks - People who have performed badly, underachieved, or been caught performing unplanned actions or having unplanned thoughts. The Collar - An explosive collar worn by the Risks which can be detonated at anytime The Plan Of Man sees fit. It also explodes automatically if tampered with. The Body Bank - If a Risk continues to screw up or underachieve there is still one way he can contribute to society by providing body parts for transplanting onto or into those citizens who need them in order to remain useful to society. The JunkMan - A man built by using body parts and made to look exactly like one of the donors at The Body Bank in order to take his place so that this donor could escape, the only person ever to do so. There was some cool scientific stuff too; jetless drive, Hoyle theory, simbiotic relationships. But all that mumbo-jumbo means little to me. Just call me Olaf Simpleton because it was the simpler concepts which I found entertaining and interesting. One thing left me cold....At one point in the story someone says that they've known several people who were sent to The Body Bank, but they've never known anyone to recieve a body part from there. Nothing else was ever mentioned about that. =============================Book II============================= The first book of THE STARCHILD TRILOGY (The Reefs Of Space) I gave four stars. This book (STARCHILD) is not quite as good as the first one. I can't give it 3-1/2 stars so I'll round up and settle with giving it four stars also. In THE REEFS OF SPACE you're shown how The Plan Of Man super-computer affects and controls every aspect of daily life for the citizens of Earth and it's colonies. You also get to experience what it's like to wear The Collar and a really good tour of The Body Bank. In STARCHILD The Collar is still a big part of the story, but only brief mention is made of The Body Bank. This second book of the trilogy also gives an up close and personal view of The Plan Of Man super-computer. You get to see how it needs human extensions of itself, humans who can be completely trusted. You're shown what it takes to become a companion of the computer; the education and training involved, the surgical modifications needed, and the sacrafice of "self" and the leaving behind of all that had been a part of your previous life, including loved ones. You also get to see what it's like to live out on the reefs as free men, out of the reach of The Plan Of Man. The climactic ending is great. If you intend reading the entire trilogy I suggest you st

Of the Pohl books I've read, this took the longest to get to being something I could warm up to. The first two books seem to more or less build up to the last (and without the background the last book would be nearly impossible to read), with the last story drawing out the imagination of the reader. Definately a journey for the destination, not the journey itself.

If Heinlein had mixed "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" with the semantic subtheme of his short story "Gulf," and seasoned it with Clarke's "2001" and Disney's "The Black Hole," he could have cooked up this story. I would say the quality of the writing qua writing is competent but merely average, whereas the theories, especially regarding the nature of stars, are stellar. If you have read Harry Turtledove's historically-flavored science fiction, you have experienced this combination. An important thing the book did for me was to reduce the incomprehensible magnitude of space to a mentally graspable size. And--it was a real page-turner