The Night of the Long Knives

America has been devastated by a nuclear holocaust. Although there are still so-called civilized factions living (and warring) in some areas such as Atla-Hi and Alamos, much of the interior, now called the Deathlands, is blanketed by radioactive dust. Survivors or Deathlanders, who bear the scars both physically and psychologically of this holocaust, have developed a compulsion to kill. They may band together for immediate needs and for short periods but eventually they will be driven to murder each other.

Ray, the narrator, has just survived such a Murder Party when he meets Alice, another Deathlander, and they fall into an uneasy truce. When they stumble upon a plane that appears seemingly from nowhere and then a friendly old man they show more call Pop, their urge to murder is eased at least for the moment first by the murder of the craft’s pilot and then by curiousity. A decision to steal the plane has some surprising consequences as they learn more about the world outside the Deathlands, about each other, and most importantly about themselves and their motives.

The Night of the Long Knives was written by author Fritz Leiber in 1960 at the height of the Cold War and at the end of the Red Trials in America and the title is taken from the 1934 purge by the Nazi Party of Leftists within the party as well as outside opposition. With the end of the Trials that had destroyed the careers of so many people within the arts including writers, many in the US were trying not only to put this sad period of their history behind them but also trying to understand how it could have happened and how they could move forward. This was reflected in much of the writing of the period but none does it better than this novella by Leiber. Ray talks often about the Last War and the capitalizing these two words reflects both the hope that the world will finally learn from the devastation of war and the fear that, given its recent actions, it has learned very little and, therefore is doomed to repeat it:

Oh, I can understand cultural queers fighting city squares and even get a kick out of it and whoop ‘em on, but these Atla-Hi and Alamos folk seemed a different kind of cat altogether… - the kind of cat that ought to have outgrown war or thought its way around it. Maybe Savannah Fortress had simply forced the war on them and they had to defend themselves…Still, I don’t know that it’s always a good excuse that somebody else forced you into war. That sort of justification can keep on until the end of time.

With its very likeable trio of murderous Deathlanders and it’s sparse noir prose and active voice as well as it’s pacing reminiscent of the language and rhythm of the post-war beat poets, The Night of the Long Knives is still a very highly readable and engrossing novella despite its age. There is a great deal of violence both in the action and the language but this is a surprisingly hopeful story and it’s message is still as important and relevant today, one could almost argue prescient. show less

3.5

Originally posted at FanLit. Just "Night of the Long Knives" (not "Other Works")

"Murder, as you must know by now, I can understand and sympathize with deeply. But war? No."

After a nuclear holocaust, America is unrecognizable. There are a few cities left on the coasts, but most of America is now the Deathlands, where radioactive dust hazes the skies and radiation-scarred survivors try to stay alive another day. Besides devastating the land, the catastrophe has somehow warped the minds of the few remaining citizens of the Deathlands; they have all turned into murderers. They can�??t help it ƒ?? itƒ??s a drive that can only be released by killing someone. Even when they band together for companionship, it always ends up in a show more bloodbath.

Ray has been on his own for a long time when he meets Alice, a woman whoƒ??s just as tough as he is. When the two of them decide, just for a while, not to kill each other, they come upon an old man and a hovercraft that seems to offer a way out of the Deathlands. Instead, they get caught up in a war between the sophisticated city dwellers.

The Night of the Long Knives, a novella by Fritz Leiber (one of my favorite writers), is totally absorbing. It vividly describes a horrifying possible future America where nuclear war has ravaged the land and the human brain. Leiberƒ??s characters are pathetic guilt-ridden people whoƒ??ve learned that the only way to eke out a wretched existence is to kill anyone who gets close. There is no goal but survival, and those whoƒ??ve managed have their methods. Ray wears sharp metal dental implants, a lead-lined hat, and a knife he calls ƒ??Mother.ƒ? Alice, who is missing a hand, screws a knife into her stump and hides weapons in her hair. They circle each other warily, knowing that it canƒ??t be long before one of them canƒ??t deny the urge to kill the other.

Leiber uses his story to examine the mind of the murderer and to ask what it would take for a serial killer to change his ways. What are the influences of community, culture, and religion? How can a reformed killer get rid of guilt, make reparation, and help reform others? Another obvious theme, which was especially popular at the time Leiber wrote this novella, is the danger of nuclear war. The Night of the Long Knives is a grim story, but it doesnƒ??t leave us in despair. I liked the note of hope at the end.

The Night of the Long Knives, which was originally published in Amazing Science Fiction Stories in 1960, feels surprisingly current ƒ?? the character names are the most dated-feeling aspect of the story. The novella is now in the public domain, so you can get it free on Kindle, but I want to recommend the audio version which is 3 hours and 17 minutes long and is read by Matt Armstrong. show less

Classic Frietz Leiber. A very good read and early intro into the "end of things" genre. An interesting blend of "A Boy And His Dog" by Harlan Ellison and the Mad Max movies.

It is, I'd say, classic Lieber - more than a bit misogynistic and troubling - the narrator is for example a psychopath with delusions of clairvoyance, and he is unreliable, but with some genuine insights and good story telling. If you are willing to deal with the downsides, it’s a decent quick classic sci fi read.

Murder, as you must know by now, I can understand and sympathize with deeply. But war? No.

After a nuclear holocaust, America is unrecognizable. There are a few cities left on the coasts, but most of America is now the Deathlands, where radioactive dust hazes the skies and radiation-scarred survivors try to stay alive another day. Besides devastating the land, the catastrophe has somehow warped the minds of the few remaining citizens of the Deathlands; they have all turned into murderers. They can�??t help it ƒ?? itƒ??s a drive that can only be released by killing someone. Even when they band together for companionship, it always ends up in a bloodbath.

Ray has been on his own for a long time when he meets Alice, a woman whoƒ??s show more just as tough as he is. When the two of them decide, just for a while, not to kill each other, they come upon an old man and a hovercraft... Read More: http://www.fantasyliterature.com/reviews/the-night-of-the-long-knives/ show less

The Tale of the Night of the Long Knives by Fritz Leiber is a tale of men and women at the end of the world. (The book was written in 1960 and published in Amazing Science Fiction Stories.) The story takes place in a world remade by Nuclear Holocaust. The main character, Ray Baker, is a self justified murder and survivalist in the anarchic land. His weapon he relys on he has named "Mother."
He walks in a land where only the strong will survive. Baker's philosophy is that there is aesthetics in homicide."we talk, mostly to ourselves, about the aesthetics of homicide; we occasionally admit, but only each to himself alone, that we're just plain nuts." Leiber asks the reader to consider: "Is murder ever justified?" "Where is civility when show more the civilized institutions have been destroyed?" I agree with PINPRICK about making this into a movie. The story would lend very well to a visual medium. Leiber and Philip K. Dick share a number of similar traits. I have never seen a bad movie made from a Philip K. Dick story.
One can listen to this tale from Libri Vox and get a free version from Gutenberg. Enjoy! show less

An interesting little novella about culture, impulse control, and the end of the world. Not nearly as dated as you might imagine from a book about a Cold War nuclear winter.