The Gods Themselves (1972)

http://speculiction.blogspot.com/2013/02/review-of-gods-themselves-by-isaac.html ( )

Frederick Hallam, a radiochemist of average intellect and fresh out of university, suddenly finds himself in communication with beings from a parallel Universe who had contacted him by locating a nearly forgotten bottle of Tungsten metal on Hallam's desk. Through his communication with these "para-Men", Hallam learns how to build an Electron Pump that allows energy to be transferred between the two universes cleanly and with no pollution.

Hallam is hailed a hero and named Father of the Electron Pump, but his partner, Ben Denison knows otherwise. Denison is well aware that the design of the pump originated from the beings in the parallel Universe. However, when Denison tries to speak out, he is silenced and blackballed by the scientific community.

Years later, a physicist named Frank Lamont uncovers dangerous information about the Pump, that it's very existence could destroy our galaxy, and interviews Hallam about it. Hallam is naturally outraged and moves against Lamont, pulling strings that nearly crush Lamont's career. As a last resort, Lamont approaches Senator Burt, head of the Committee on Technology and Environment, to discuss his evidence. Burt explains that if Lamont can prove his theories with unimpeachable math, the senator will do his best to take Hallam down. Returning to his laboratory, Lamont finds another message from the para-Universe: PUMP BAD PUMP BAD STOP STOP STOP PUMP!!!!

Meanwhile, on a planet in the parallel universe, beings known as Soft Ones, mutable sentient creatures capable of shape shifting, work together with Hard Ones, solid bi-pedal beings that cannot touch the Soft Ones without enduring pain. Within the culture of the Soft Ones, there are three types, Emotional, Parental, and Rational. Together, they make a triad, what we might consider a family. Only the Rationals ever speak to the Hard Ones, as the Hard Ones are the most intelligent of all beings and only the Rationals can understand them.

In one unusual triad, Odeen the Rational works closely with the Hard Ones on the Electron Pump while explaining his work to Dua, his Emotional mate. Breaking tradition and stereotype, Dua takes a deep interest in science. Meanwhile, their Parental mate, Tritt, is only concerned with taking care of the triad's children and becomes jealous of Odeen's attention to Dua.

However, Dua defies all and makes her way into the caverns where the Pump is being constructed. Armed with scientific knowledge beyond that of any Emotional, she learns of the dangers of the Pump and sends a message of warning to our universe...

Back in our universe, Denison arrives on the Moon (now populated for generations) in an attempt to rehabilitate his scientific career. He works with a device called the Pionizer, partly designed by Lunar scientists, that he hopes will compensate for the dangerous levels of energy being pulled into our Universe by the Electron Pump. In doing so, he encounters friction from the existing lead physicist, Barron Neville who sends his girlfriend, Selene, to spy on Denison.

Can Denison finally disprove Hallam? What is Neville's true agenda on the Moon? With whom does Selene's loyalty actually lie?

Asimov breaks the story into three parts, each containing several chapters.

Part One: "against stupidity..."
Part Two: "...the gods themselves..."
Part Three: "...contend in vain?"

("Against stupidity the gods themselves contend in vain.")

While the entire book is a fine example of hard SF, it is truly the final section that is most laden with scientific discourse between the characters of Denison and Selene and finally, Lunar administrator Gottstein, Denison, and Neville. In that way, the story turns dry at times, but it was actually a pleasure to read an "old school hard SF novel" by one of the masters. The Gods Themselves is a well paced, intelligent story with imaginative development of the aliens in the para-Universe. It's no surprise that it took the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1972 and the Hugo Award the following year. ( )

Interesting ideas, but the dialogue was so wooden as usual. Without going into specifics and spoilers, the third part was terrible. Boring and unmotivated. At no point did I care what Baron Neville thought or planned, which made the denouement pretty dull. Also I can't fail to mention the lack of good female characters. Selene is portrayed as being not much more than her breasts, and yet OF COURSE she falls for the unattractive older genius, charmed by his propriety. As someone else here said, unfulfilled fantasy much?

It felt like three mediocre-to-good short stories patched together into a novel. The middle part was by far the best -- pretty stilted but really interesting ideas. I would have liked to know more about the para-world, instead of the pathetic Lunas. And for a much more challenging and interesting portrayal of public nudity, try the festival on one of the Galilean satellites in Kim Stanley Robinson's "Galileo's Dream". ( )

4.5 SF-stars ( )

a marvelous thought exercise in thinking of a different intelligent life form, NOT a little green man with some humanoid appearance. ( )