I agree with the previous reviewer. This is great sci-fi writing. Epic storytelling that is full of action and adventure. There are also quite a few surprises along the way. The pulpy name of the novel might turn off some, but it's really not reflective of the how good the story really is. I know it was re-released a couple of years ago as "The Survivors" and that name is more accurate.
The story and plot are several notches above most writing of the period and this now one of my favorite books. They should try to make a movie out of this.... Space Prison, The Survivors (The science fiction thriller classic!)
Overall, this was a very entertaining book, and when I was finished with it, checked to see if there was a sequel (there isn't); so I would definitely recommend it. It's original title, "The Survivors", describes the book well. It follows a group of people who are stranded on an uninhabited but hostile planet. Over several generations, they have to adapt to their environment in order to survive.
The book does a great job of portraying the feelings of helplessness and despair the people feel in the beginning, and how that changes to acceptance and survival, and ultimately to confidence and mastery. The challenges are interesting and come from both the environment and from the people themselves. The challenges are varied enough that the book stays fresh throughout.
The beginning and especially the end almost feel like afterthoughts. This doesn't detract too much from the excellent middle part, but it's definitely jarring how quickly things get resolved in the end. You also definitely need to suspend your disbelief to an extent while you're reading, since some of the events are fairly incredible, e.g. the speed with which they adapt to the environment. In addition, because the story spans multiple generations, it makes it more difficult to identify with the characters.
Altogether though, none of these flaws ruins what was a very enjoyable read that left me wanting more.
Tom Godwin (1915-1980) has a strange career as a sci-fi writer. He has written only three novels and around thirty short stories. With such exiguous production he managed to deliver an outstanding tale: "The Cold Equations" (1954) and a very readable novel: "Space Prison" (1958) (aka "The Survivors").
His works are very representative of the sci-fi from the `50s: not so great character development, action centered storyline, young adult readers oriented.
Nevertheless the present book managed to have a Gnome Press edition and at least two Pyramid Books edition, a good performance for a little known author.
The story starts when war between Humans and Gerns erupted. In this context a human interstellar ship with eight thousand colonists is captured. Half of the group is stranded in a hellish planet very suitably named Ragnarok.
The four thousand Rejects has to face 1.5 gravity pull, prowlers (a deadly mixture of wolf & tiger), unicorns (massive murderous bulls), Hell Fever, rotten weather (in short term and long term) amongst other "hazards".
Their numbers soon dwindle to forty nine!
From that point on generation after generation the Rejected, steel themselves with only one aim: take revenge on the Gerns.
One special attribute of this novel is, not being centered on a character but on successive generations of them, encompassing a two hundred years span.
This is a good sample of 50's sci-fi lit.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.
I would have to rate this as "ok for kids and young teens but not really for adults." The concept is interesting and could have been developed into an interesting saga. However, I think the execution is flawed. What could have been a complex and interesting story is overly simplistic; the straightline plot proceeds from start to end with very few surprises and few branches or subplots. The ending is predictable from about page 5 on. Character development is essentially non-existent as the action proceeds through hundreds of years and multiple characters very quickly and superficially - essentially the only thing you know about the characters is their names. The story and setting are seriously cliched: good guys are completely and purely heroic and bad guys are completely and purely evil with no shades of gray on either side. As you might expect all obstacles are overcome by the heroic efforts of the good guys, some in pretty unbelievable ways (essential physical and mental traits evolve in only a few years.) To no one's suprise they triumph easily in the end. If you want a quick, simple, and easy read then this book fills the bill. If you want something a little more intresting and engaging then you should skip this one.
I read Space Prison when I was a bored 9 year old one summer. I could not put it down.This is the book that started my love of science fiction. From this book I went on to devour the EE Doc Smith Lensman series, and many more. Of course I am now 60, but I continue to love to read sci fi. In fact, I re read this book not too long ago and enjoyed it all over again. Would I call it literary ? No, but would I call it good, yes !
I barely managed to finish this book. The writing was just awful - very choppy, little characterization, chunky narrative. The plot had a lot of potential though, so I skimmed through to see where it went. This could be a really great story in the hands of a writer with skill.
This story keeps you enthralled until the very end. Each chapter moves you onward to the ending, which I cannot tell you, as you need to read this book. The author brings the characters together to a common goal as they share their terrible hardships to exist on a new/different planet. Very enjoyable
The story follows the human survivors of an alien attack over several generations, and the plot is basically man-is-strong-and-can-triumph-over-any-adversity. To that end, it portrays the surviving humans as incredibly adaptable, resourceful and determined, to an unrealistic degree. Its flag waiving for the strength of the human will and adaptability -- the reader is allowed to understand from the get go that its a foregone conclusion that these pitful survivors struggling for survival will eventually bring the aliens to their knees. The only question for the book is how we get their.
The book -- apparently written in the 1950's -- is deliberately streamlined to a degree that is not generally found in modern works. For example, we are never told what the aliens actually look like. We are never told what the "Hell Fever" that kills so many actually is, why it strikes whom it strikes, and no effort is made to explain how it could possible be so deadly. We are not told how one could have a world with only four indigenous animals. All of this is just presented simply and quickly, with only the bare minimum details important to the story. In an odd way, it is perhaps a bit easier to achieve suspension of disbelief when there is no effort to explain anything, and things are just presented as facts, forget the explanations.
If you have read other early sci-fi stories, this style will not seem unusual. If not, the lack of any detail in the science and the unrealistic portrayal of the determination, adaptability, togetherness, etc. of the survivors will strike you as a little unusual. I personally feel that the style still works, but you can judge for yourself.
Despite the deliberate limits of the book, it is tremendously well written within the narrow parameters of what it is trying to do, and trendous fun. One can't help but be carried along with the iron will and determination of the group to survive and achieve revenge. For example, after a five year old little boy's mother is killed, he is offered his teddy bear. He says something to the effect of, "I dont need it. I wont be playing anymore" which the boy says, not out of sadness or despair, but because he understands he will need to be strong to survive and make the aliens pay. Cheesy and unrealistic? Sure, but one cant help but be born along by the patriotic drumbeat marking the strength of the human resolve.
Despite its limits, I enjoyed the book greatly, and its a great buy for .99. - Kindle Dx - E-reader - Kindle Devices - I Own It'
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