Superman, man and the next step beyond

Author's Rating:

Pros: Chock-a-block with great ideas

Cons: None - a must read for SF fans

Author's Review
"The Stars My Destination" is a science fiction novel by Alfred Bester.

When I first read this book many years ago I could not believe that it was first published in 1956! This is one of the great groundbreaking novels in SF and a must read for all fans of the genre. Alfred Bester was able to pack more good ideas for stories, characters, themes and an entire universe into one book than most authors put out in a lifetime. And it still reads as fresh today for its commentary on the human condition, freedom and responsibility as it did when it was written. That last is pretty scary and shows how little we have advanced in ethics and morality over the past 50 years.

The storyline is relatively straightforward, but with a number of twists due to character interaction that are quite appropriate and somewhat unexpected to the reader. Gully Foyle is a common space-hand on an interplanetary freighter in the 25th century. He is left marooned on that freighter after it has been attacked by forces of the Outer Planets and he lives in one air-tight locker and scavenges supplies to stay alive. The loneliness of outer space weighs heavily on his simple soul with a daily battle for survival that slowly saps his will to live. Another freighter comes close to the wreckage of his ship, but leaves and Gully catches the name of the ship before it departs. That is enough to drive him on a quest of revenge and tax his limited mental powers on a desperate gamble to save his life.

On Earth mankind has found the ability to Jaunte (named after its discoverer) which is teleportation via mental power. Initially limited to life threatening situations, it is soon found that almost anyone can be taught to Jaunte based on how well they know where they want to go. A simple act of will moves a person from place to place. There are limits on Jaunting: a distance factor of between 5 to 3,000 miles based on individual ability, the individual must know exactly where they are and where they want to go, and the ability to Jaunte is limited to places with gravity (no Jauntes in space).

This was discovered in the late 24th century and it totally changed all aspects of life on all inhabited planets. Economies were turned upside-down and a full-scale change in where to live and 'how to get away from it all' ensued. The corporations of Earth became the main driving force of government and the elite rich were those who used ANY form of mechanical transportation. Criminal justice soon meant using dark labyrinths underground to keep criminals in place, and the concept of a 'standing army' literally disappeared over-night. This ultimate in personal freedom of movement demolished national borders and soon made Earth bound warfare obsolete. But war between planets was still possible and economic rivalries moved to space. All of this settled into a series of minor interplanetary conflicts that never really threatened anyone. Until Gully Foyle was rescued by a cult of primitive scientific descendents in the asteroid belt.

These cultists, separated from humanity for centuries, recognized a spark of the different in Gully and they adopted him. To do that they tattooed his face with the name of his ship (Nomad) and a horrific set of subsidiary tattoos. Gully broke a ship free from these cultists and left them to fend for themselves while he pursued the ship that left him behind. His desire for revenge was paramount and he would stop at nothing to get revenge on those who deserted him. Gully Foyle is a foil for mankind as he shows our base and savage nature during his quest: he rapes, bullies, injures, kills and destroys anything in his way. And he becomes hunted when the company that owned the ship he was on and the ship that left him discovers that he is alive. There was a valuable cargo on-board the Nomad which could change the balance of power between Earth and the Outer Planets and Gully must know where it is and the rich elite of the companies of Earth will stop at nothing to get him and their cargo.

Welcome to the 25th century!

With "The Stars My Destination" Alfred Bester left scads of ideas that other authors would amplify on in coming years. The teleportation concept would be expanded upon by Larry Niven in his KNOWN SPACE universe, with similar though different outcomes through the use of mechanical teleportation. Economic chaos from such inventions has been used by more authors than can be recounted, but is first fully explored in this novel which shows the mechanics of how new ideas change the way humanity views itself and the universe. While psi powers have always been a staple in SF, Mr. Bester does a great job of defining them here and shows how natural and unnatural limits can be placed on them. And the use of the automated self-destruct mental implant was invented elsewhere, Mr. Bester shows a brutal yet effective method of circumventing it in two different ways in this novel. The list of SF firsts is huge in this book and isn't to be missed!

Beyond the technology and its implications are the characters that live in this world. All of them are thoroughly believable from the driven Gully Foyle to Presteign of Presteign industries to the radioactive Dagenham who can only spend a half-hour a day with any one person... the list is long, including the women that Gully has wronged and how each of them is intent on using him for their own ends. Everyone wants something from Gully Foyle, but it is his drive which will lead to him learning enough to do what he wants to do and that will be his downfall. I'll say no more on that as it would spoil the fun!

This book is a fast read and DO read it fast the first time! The breakneck pace of the book, coupled with plot twists galore will leave you wondering how Mr. Bester will ever wind up the book in the last few pages. Consummate skill in plotting and characterization does lead to a solution, but one so unexpected as to be almost unpredictable. After a week or so of ruminating re-read the book slowly to see exactly how well it was crafted and how judicious Mr. Bester is in showing all and revealing little. This is still one of the best standalone SF novels of all time and I heartily recommend picking it up.

For some of what other authors did with ideas similar to some presented by Mr. Bester check out: "Tales from Known Space" by Larry Niven, "The Bicentennial Man" by Isaac Asimov, VISCOUS CIRCLE series by Piers Anthony, the ELRIC series by Michael Moorcock.