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WHITE MARS is Brian Aldiss' Utopian vision of Mankind's future in space, written in collaboration with distinguished physicist Roger Penreose. Halfway through the next century, an organisation called EUPACUS, consisting of all the leading industrialised nations, has found a way to colonise Mars. They have, however, decided to protect the planet for scientific research. Human beings will live in great, self-perpetuating domes, producing their own food and oxygen, while drawing water from the planet's core. The option of terraforming the planet, bombarding it with CFCs in order to give it an atmosphere, has been discontinued. Owing to economic collapse on earth the martian colony is cut off from the mother planet ('Downstairs' as they call it). The head of the colony, Tim Jefferies, sets out to create a perfect society. Some, however, only want to get home, and think that the Utopian ideals (which are all broadcast back to Earth) will only hamper their rescue. An arresting novel of ideals and conflicts WHITE MARS contrasts the warmth of community in the domes with the icy wastes of Mars.… (más)
This is more a philosophical treatise than a novel, and viewed from that perspective, it's not bad. It's utopian fiction, along the lines of H.G. Wells, and the prose style is reminiscent of early twentieth century utopian writings. The plot, such as it is, exists only to provide a platform for a discussion of political theories, metaphysics, thoughts on eduction, ethics, and other such things. It is presented as a sequence of first person narrated journal entries by people stranded on Mars after an economic collapse on Earth, but the characters sound like Victorians with Bohemian inclinations. They don't seem modern, and certainly not futuristic. The book does bring up interesting points and pokes at pet peeves, some of which I share. ( )
...Adiss and Penrose have delivered a fairly impenetrable counter argument to Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy. Maybe he is right in saying that Robinson dismissed the 'Red' (or I guess Adiss would call in White) argument for humanity's treatment of the planet but he doesn't present it in a particularly engaging way. Without the connection to Robinson's work, I don't think I would have thought it worth my time to be honest. While the novel is certainly intellectually challenging I found the prose rather stiff and incapable of conveying the passion Jefferies must have felt about creating a new society. The characterization is pretty uniform, each of the character delivering their part of the tale in a detached and almost academic style. White Mars is clearly the work of a great intellect (or maybe I should say two great intellects), but, without having read any of his other books, I do get the impression we are not seeing Aldiss at the top of his abilities here.
I would not ordinarily read an Aldiss SF novel, but the presence of mathematician/physicist Penrose changes things. He is notorious for advancing the notion that a hoped-for theory of quantum gravity will someday provide an explanation for consciousness. In this respect, his influence on the story is evident.
Información procedente del conocimiento común inglés.Edita para encontrar en tu idioma.
This people is 500 miles from Utopia eastward Sir Thomas More, Utopia
We are getting to the end of visioning The impossible within this universe, Such as that better whiles may follow worse, And that our race may mend by reasoning Thomas Hardy, We Are Getting To The End
Dedicatoria
Información procedente del conocimiento común inglés.Edita para encontrar en tu idioma.
"Dedicated to the Warden and Fellows of Green College, Oxford"
Primeras palabras
Información procedente del conocimiento común inglés.Edita para encontrar en tu idioma.
On this day, Leo Anstruther decided he would walk to the jetport because he believed in being unpredictable.
Citas
Últimas palabras
Información procedente del conocimiento común inglés.Edita para encontrar en tu idioma.
At least it is a consolation to know she will enjoy the promises of what to me is the inaccessible future.
WHITE MARS is Brian Aldiss' Utopian vision of Mankind's future in space, written in collaboration with distinguished physicist Roger Penreose. Halfway through the next century, an organisation called EUPACUS, consisting of all the leading industrialised nations, has found a way to colonise Mars. They have, however, decided to protect the planet for scientific research. Human beings will live in great, self-perpetuating domes, producing their own food and oxygen, while drawing water from the planet's core. The option of terraforming the planet, bombarding it with CFCs in order to give it an atmosphere, has been discontinued. Owing to economic collapse on earth the martian colony is cut off from the mother planet ('Downstairs' as they call it). The head of the colony, Tim Jefferies, sets out to create a perfect society. Some, however, only want to get home, and think that the Utopian ideals (which are all broadcast back to Earth) will only hamper their rescue. An arresting novel of ideals and conflicts WHITE MARS contrasts the warmth of community in the domes with the icy wastes of Mars.
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