The Nagasaki Vector

North American Confederacy #4

by L. Neil Smith

The God that failed
To his bosses at the Ochskahrt Memorial Academy he was Captain Bernard M. Gruenblum, Temporal Division - just another time traveler. But to the aliens from Yamaguchi he was, literally, God. So, if Bernie was going to medieval Japan, they were too. Well, three of them.
It was supposed to be a routine historical survey, but things livened up when a mutiny knocked Bernie off course. With disillusioned aliens for a crew and a brig full of murderers, Bernie knew getting home would be tough - and that was before the time machine disappeared!

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Alternate History

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published March 12, 1983

About the author

L. Neil Smith was a Libertarian science fiction author and gun rights activist.Smith was born in Denver, Colorado.

Smith began publishing science fiction with “Grimm’s Law” for Stellar 5 (1980). He wrote 31 books, including 29 novels, and a number of essays and short stories. In 2016, Smith received the Special Prometheus Award for Lifetime Achievement for his contributions to libertarian science fiction.

He was editor of LEVER ACTION BBS [now defunct], founder and International Coordinator of the Libertarian Second Amendment Caucus, Secretary and Legislative Director of the Weld County Fish & Wildlife Association and an NRA Life Member.

Smith passed away on August 27, 2021 in Fort Collins, Colorado at age 75 after a lengthy battle with heart and kidney disease. Smith is survived by daughter Rylla Smith and wife Cathy Smith.

Reviews

[Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like his related books about an alternative libretarian universe, I enjoyed The Nagasaki Vector. It is a bit cynical, yet simultaneously hopeful, sarcastic yet humorous. L. Neil Smith has created a bunch of generally likeable characters, within a novel that is an apologia for libertarian philosophy. As a philosopher, he is (IMHO) naive and simplistic, but for me there is an undeniably attractive element to the idea of libertarian society. Personally, I lean more toward the side of the Constitutionalists, but libertarianism has its attractions.

The protagonist, Bernie Gruenblum, is hilarious. Some might call him politically incorrect, but that is in the eye of the beholder...I prefer to think of him as generally political correct. Bernie is refreshingly honest, to himself and others, and enjoying life itself takes a greater prominence for him than is generally true in our workaholic society. I suspect some of my friends in Latin America might be more understanding, where work is seen as a means to life, and not life itself. At the same time, though, Bernie seems up to the task of confronting the challenges that come his way, as a good hero should do. This novel of the North American Confedearacy is a fun read. Except perhaps if you have liberal tendencies...

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sci-fi adventure tale featuring a libertarian utopia full of gun-toting monkeys, aliens that look like little bowls of Jell-O, and a time machine. A favorite of mine when I was a teen. I reread it a few years ago, and I realize why I liked it so much. As a teen.

[Aaron Axvig · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very irritating dialog for the main character. For example, "we had miles t'make, no surplus of daylight t'do it in." Apostrophes everywhere...it may be a small issue but this was my main issue with the book.

I did not find the plot that interesting, and also a little hard to follow. So I gave up about 2/3 of the way in. There are better books waiting for me.

[Lisa (Harmonybites) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in L. Neil Smith's "North American Confederacy" series of libertarian science fiction and alternate history that began with The Probability Broach. That book could only be described as libertarian porn--a book that's one enormous in-joke for those immersed in the movement, but would probably be a big huh??? or wtf?? (or both) to those on the outside. I think The Nagasaki Vector is less of an insider book, but also less fun than the outrageous--and outrageously imaginative--Probability Broach. Captain Bernie Gruenblum, skipper of a timeship, is a fairly likeable smart aleck, and I did enjoy his alien sidekicks. The book reads as very Heinleinesque at times, and I did enjoy that aspect.

But brother, at times... Look, I consider myself a libertarian, but not only do I find this book preachy at times, you have to understand Smith is the kind of guy capable of describing a character as a "MarxoFriedmanite Neo-Revisionist of the Old School." That's Milton Friedman, an economist most would describe as free-market, but to Smith's ilk, not pure enough and thus near kin to Karl Marx. So, an injoke few not libertarians would likely get, while at the same time a slap at those libertarians not of Smith's flavor. I also admit that I find Smith's adoration of guns outright creepy at times--hell, I think most lifetime NRA members would.

I rated this novel as high as I did because once I got somewhat into it, I did overall enjoy it, but I don't think it's a keeper. If you haven't already and you're inclined to try Smith, I'd recommend The Probability Broach, and only if you love that one to go on to read the other North American Confederacy novels. If you're not a libertarian and find that book decidedly not your cuppa, you might actually enjoy Smith's The Crystal Empire or Henry Martyn. The first is an imaginative alternate history dealing with a powerful Sino-Aztec empire and the other a swashbuckling space opera. Both books are less polemical than his wont.

[DaughterDaDa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mildly entertaining humorous story about time travel between alternative Earth realities. Lots of talk about guns, and gunshot wounds, a little too much for my taste.

[Randy Pursley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one one of my favorites of the series. It is a fun read.

[SciFiOne · Rating 3 out of 5]

1985 grade C

series book A3