The peaceful inhabitants of the jungle planet Midworld must fight for their survival in this classic adventure novel from Alan Dean Foster
From the rich imagination of science fiction great Alan Dean Foster comes the story of Midworld, a Humanx Commonwealth planet that's equally fragile and hostile. Covered by a lush rainforest, Midworld is home to a primitive society that lives in harmony with the natural world. But the arrival of an exploitative human company, whose workers know nothing of Midworld's delicate ecosystem, sparks a conflict. Should Midworld's villagers aid the humans or stand against them? The hero of Foster's addictive page-turner, Born, decides to lead two humans across the perilous jungle. His choice propels Midworld toward annihilationâ??and leads him headlong into a battle for survival.… (más)
Rumor has it that this book inspired some of the movie Avatar. I have to agree. It's not the same story, but it does share a lot of the same elements. I really enjoyed it, though I'd like to have had more of it to read. Born is a headstrong, proud throwback to his colonist ancestors, but that doesn't prevent him from respecting his local way of life. I like his relationship to his furcot, though his human relationships could have used some work on his part. The jungle world itself is so miraculous that it shows the hand of the author a bit, but I see that he had a reason for it to be that way and I like the reason. ( )
a Commonwealth novel, about aplanet becoming sentient and the humans who are involved. Very earthy and treehuggy, but still entertaining. Not preachy, just sappy. ( )
Ten generations earlier a ship of colonists crashed on this planet which is composed of vegetation hundreds of meters high. A few survive, but only by learning to live in harmony in a harsh and inimical environment. There are "levels" seven of them, with Upper Hell (the canopy top) and Lower Hell (the ground - murky mess) and the people live in the 3-5th levels. These people bond with a native intelligent creature and together they form amazingly powerful teams, for hunting and defensive purposes, beneficial to both. What is brilliant and imaginative is the worldbuilding and the ideas about how people and plants could live together - for all its dangers it is a sort of Eden - this jungle is, while not verbal, intelligent and welcomes the humans as one more useful part of itself. The 'bad' guys are pathetic and the dialogue is pretty bad too - to the point of being boring and obvious what will happen to them. Just ignore that part and enjoy the place itself! ***1/2 ( )
The furcot cub Muf tripped over its own stubby legs every third step. The third time he tripped, he lay down in the middle of the village and went to sleep, this being an appropriate solution to the problem.
Still, it was to be considered that there had been only brave men in the little group, and that the wise Reader was not an idiot. There still existed the chance he was wrong and everyone else was right. He put aside this unpleasant possibility and whistled once, softly.
However, the orders came down from an enraged person at a large desk many parsecs away. They were not to be disputed.
He had proved himself thrice now in a span of time no longer than a child's dream. This did not alter the belief among his fellows of his madness. They thought, as Losting did, that there is a peculiar bravery that is part of insanity. Therefore they exhibited respect toward Born now - but not admiration. There is no recompense in admiring madness.
As Born had predicted, the specially designed jungle-resistant fabric of the giant's clothing began to rot away under the steady assault of a forest which had failed to read the manufacturer's label.
"Then why wouldn't it affect a silverslith?" Cohoma asked. "It's got to have some vulnerable points." "When it comes you show me," Born muttered. "Anyway, silverslith has no nervous system, the tale says." Logan's willingness to credit the creature with the ability to go long periods without rest or sleep did not extend this far. "Oh, come on, Born," she said with the confidence of superior knowledge, "every animal has a nervous system." "Has it?" "An animal couldn't live without a nervous system, Born." "Couldn't it?" "At the very least," she added, "it must have some kind of rudimentary brain and central locomotor system." "Must it?" She gave up. Cohoma hadn't paid much attention.
"All men can fly," Born mused, "but sadly only in one direction - down."
So the eight marskmen remained at easy readiness and enjoyed the somnolent casualness of night duty, secure in the knowledge that angels with guts of silver and copper watched over them. From within, mechanistic atheists plotted to deny these gunners' gods the ohmage due them.
Colors flashed from turning, spinning organic prisms, giving the whole creature the appearance of a balloon trying to hatch a rainbow.
For the forest dominated the-world-with-no-name. It evolved and changed and grew. It added to itslef. When the first humans had reached it, the world-nexus saw their threat and their promise. The forest had the streangth and resilience and fecundity and variety. It was adding to its intelligence now, slowly, patiently, in the way of the plant.
The peaceful inhabitants of the jungle planet Midworld must fight for their survival in this classic adventure novel from Alan Dean Foster
From the rich imagination of science fiction great Alan Dean Foster comes the story of Midworld, a Humanx Commonwealth planet that's equally fragile and hostile. Covered by a lush rainforest, Midworld is home to a primitive society that lives in harmony with the natural world. But the arrival of an exploitative human company, whose workers know nothing of Midworld's delicate ecosystem, sparks a conflict. Should Midworld's villagers aid the humans or stand against them? The hero of Foster's addictive page-turner, Born, decides to lead two humans across the perilous jungle. His choice propels Midworld toward annihilationâ??and leads him headlong into a battle for survival.
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