Judgment on Janus

Janus #1

by Andre Norton, Ken Barr (cover illustration)

Naill Renfro and his mother were just two members of the flotsam that had washed up in the Dipple, the vast refugee camp on Korwar that had taken in the dispossessed of the destroyed worlds, then forgotten about them.

In order to buy his mother the drugs she required end her days in oblivion, if not peace, Naill sold the last thing of worth he had left; himself. He knew the planet Janus would not be a pleasant world, else there would have been no need for indentured labour. But both the service and the planet are living hells, right up to the time Naill found a pretty tangled in the roots of a felled forest giant.

Then he found the true meaning of hell as a disease overwhelmed him, leaving the Garthmen to abandon him to a strange fate as he is transformed into a new green skinned Ayyar of Iftcan, a civilization that had died more years ago than either Naill or Ayyar cared to think of...

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Adventure, Science Fiction Fantasy, Speculative Fiction, Aliens

255 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published December 1, 1979

About the author

Andre Norton, born Alice Mary Norton, was a pioneering American author of science fiction and fantasy, widely regarded as the Grande Dame of those genres. She also wrote historical and contemporary fiction, publishing under the pen names Andre Alice Norton, Andrew North, and Allen Weston. She launched her career in 1934 with The Prince Commands, adopting the name “Andre” to appeal to a male readership. After working for the Cleveland Library System and the Library of Congress, she began publishing science fiction under “Andrew North” and fantasy under her own name. She became a full-time writer in 1958 and was known for her prolific output, including Star Man’s Son, 2250 A.D. and Witch World, the latter spawning a long-running series and shared universe. Norton was a founding member of the Swordsmen and Sorcerers' Guild of America and authored Quag Keep, the first novel based on the Dungeons & Dragons game. She influenced generations of writers, including Lois McMaster Bujold and Mercedes Lackey. Among her many honors were being the first woman named Gandalf Grand Master of Fantasy and SFWA Grand Master. In her later years, she established the High Hallack Library to support research in genre fiction. Her legacy continues with the Andre Norton Award for young adult science fiction and fantasy.

Reviews

[Tomislav · Rating 3 out of 5]

second read - 2 November 1982 - *** I waited until I had both novels on hand before starting my re-read of a childhood favorite. It is the story of young Naill Renfro who, changed by an alien artifact, is transformed into a native of his colony world, and sets out to protect the planet of Janus from external threats.

first read - 1968 - ***** I read this book from the library when I was about 13 and loved it.

[Dreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this in my teens and just loved it. A story that stays with you..

[Stuart Endick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Judgement on Janus, written in 1963, harkens back to W.H. Hudson’s classic fantasy nature novel Green Mansions and certainly seems to anticipate the story of the much latter movie Avatar. The protagonist is a human (terran in sci fi speak) who is enslaved by a narrow minded primitive religious cult that has acquired the rights to eradicate the natural forest environment of the planet Janus and replace it with a monoculture crop for off planet export. (Although the author’s empathy with the oppressed underdog, the environment, and animals is inspiring, there are undoubtedly those in today’s PC sensitive world who will find the unflattering depiction of the Amish like religious sect discomfiting.) A vanished race of forest dwellers who lived in harmony with nature, but who were eradicated by a mysterious evil power, however, has left the means for its regeneration by changing the protagonist and a few other open minded humans into hybridized changelings. Like all vintage Andre Norton this is comfort food to be savored a few times a year but not as a steady diet. The insightful escapism is weighted down at times by long formulaic passages and endless wanderings in ancient ruins and deus ex machina escapes aided by the author’s inclination for fantasy. Still I enjoyed the book too much to give it less than four stars.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, 1st in a 2 book series.

[Jason Bleckly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I know where James Cameron got the story for Avatar from. So, so many similarities. There’s also a strong vibe of Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card. And big trees.

From Wikipedia ‘Janus is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings.’ This pretty much sums up these books, and is obviously why Andre chose it for the name of the planet.

The story begins on a different planet in the aftermath of a galactic war with Naill Renfro struggling to survive in a refugee camp called The Dipple (I presume this is a tie-in to another duology, Catseye and Night of Masks, with the over aching title of The Dipple series. I haven’t read these, so can’t confirm.). Naill sells himself into labour slavery to a) get out of the camp and off the planet, and b) buy drugs to euthanise his dying mother with happy dreams. I was surprised by the euthanasia of a terminally ill person openly supported in a book written in 1963. I thought it was a much later concept. He is then cryonically suspended for the journey to Janus. I was surprised to see acknowledgement of the vastness of space and shortness of human life in a book of this period. They normally just go FTL and job done. And all this happens in chapter 1.

The rest of the book is set on Janus which is being colonised and reshaped (the native ecology is being systematically replaced by an introduced human ecology) by a strict religious sect. In theory Naill can work off his debt and gain his freedom, in practice the system is designed as permanent slavery. However things on Janus are not entirely what they seem. There is a sickness some people get. This is the transition and leads to the duality that Janus is the Roman god of.

Can’t say anything more about the story without spoilers. I did find Naill’s transition a little overlong, but it’s very well written so not too tedious to get through.

Judgement does have an ending of sorts, but not really. It is really the first half of a story, the conclusion of which is Victory. I really recommend reading them both together

[Ronald Spitzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic Andre Norton. I read this book first when I was in Junior High School in the 1960s. This book holds up very well with interesting characters, an alien world, a world level menace, dangers both natural and un-natural. It is disappointing that Norton's books are not currently being published and read by the younger generation as they can still capture the interest of the youth today as they did over 50 years ago. There are several Norton books on the used bookstore shelf I work at parttime, and they are not being bought. :( My theory as to why this is, is as follows: There is a prejudice against the "old" considering old to be out of date and therefore boring. Only the latest greatest is worth considering. My response to that attitude is only fools, ignorant, and refuse to be readers would think this. There is much of value in the past. I Highly Recommend this Book.

[Zach Gibeau · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light 4. I really enjoyed this book and its sense of adventure. The story is a lot like Avatar and is quite engaging, I'll definitely be reading the sequel.

I only wish more effort was spent on descriptions of the world and its creatures. I felt a bit lost at times because I couldn't picture the creatures on Janus too easily and it made some combat scenes a bit less effective. The writing can get a bit confusing at times between dialogue as well.

It is a great book otherwise, with valuable ethical codes held by the main character. I appreciate how the author described the formation of the main characters.

Good classic adventure sci-fi with a ecological twist!

[Carolyn F. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. I tried to like it. A coworker read this as a young woman and really enjoyed the series. I just could not get into the story at all and most of that is because I didn't really like anybody in the story. The ending was kind of sad and didn't really resolve anything. Sorry Melissa :(

[Ray]

Very interesting. But there is a reason that she is considered one of the Grand Masters of Science Fiction, and that is simply she is a great write. Hard to put her books down and this one is no exception.

[Nicole Perkins · Rating 2 out of 5]

This started out as an entertaining SciFi/Fantasy hybrid but quickly turned into a jigsaw puzzle of a plot. I didn’t realize that it is the first part of a duology, but I don’t think I’ll try the second book; this one is too unfocused.

[Andy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Deus en machina(c) me just now. Dude gets transformed into a forest creature (basically if not actually an elf) and *knows* stuff and goes places. Boring AF and the audiobook narrator sounds like an AI

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hope James Cameron sent a hefty check to the Andre Norton trust when he wrote Avatar. Similar transformations from human to alien, although here it's more organic. An impressive cautionary tale for its time, probably my favorite Norton book.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Andre Norton. Read it long ago.

[Courtland Bethune · Rating 2 out of 5]

Never judge a book by its cover.

The cigarette ads were a nice touch.

[Kat Hooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Will review at Fantasy Literature.

[Bob Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid story, 2nd in the 3 book story.

[Jack T · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5

[Scott Holstad · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I read this book, I kept waiting for it to get better. It never did. Now, it was intriguing enough for me to read and finish it, but I felt the ending was incomplete and anticlimactic and I was disappointed.

Naill Renfro's mother is dying, so he sells himself into indentured servitude to buy her drugs to ease her suffering. Next thing you know, he's on a world called Janus, owned and working for a "Garthman" who is like a cross between an Amish person and an expert from the Inquisition. I mean, these people are all about sinners and they're pretty mean. Rumors abound of people finding "treasures" in the forests and fields where they work, and as it turns out, they're often cast out because they develop a "Green" sickness. Naill wonders what this is about. And then he finds some treasure. He's taken by its beauty and hides some of it while the rest is destroyed by the Garthmen. One night, he steals out to go see his bounty. Next thing you know, he's been caught and has contracted this Green sickness. Hot and fevered, he runs into the forest where, kneeling before a pool of water, he catches a reflection of himself and is shocked to see a bald, large pointy eared green man staring back at him. Yes, he has turned into "Ayyar of Iftcan." And he remembers things from the Iftcan past. In spots. The Iftcan were an ancient race that lived in the forest and is seemingly long gone. He finds a huge tree with clothing and a sword and sets out to see if he can find others like him. He soon encounters a young woman who undergoes what he did, becomes green, and accompanies him on his adventures. Blinded by light, they move under the cover of darkness, but soon get captured by a being in an old space suit (Naill recognizes it because even though he's now an alien being, he still thinks human thoughts and has his own memories. Quite convenient.) They're herded into a white forest where everything's light and there they find three others like them, all of whom underwent the same thing. They escape their white prison, find a space ship, find goggles in it that will protect them from the sunlight -- but just one pair -- and they continue to try to escape some unknown, unseen evil entity out to get them. They escape to a pool of water called The Mirror, where a huge storm blows up and apparently beats the evil entity and that's the end of the book. I know I just gave away the plot and I'm sorry, but I had to relate just how insipid it is.

This book read more like a fantasy book than sci fi, and apparently Norton wrote fantasy, so you can see how she merged the two. It's okay. I think it would be best for teens. It's not "serious" sci fi. I reminded me of the Narnia series, for some reason. I've read two of Norton's books now and I'll probably read more, but with caution. I'm not convinced she's a sci fi writer who will be high on my list. I'll stick with Philip K Dick, thank you very much. Recommended for adolescents.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

A classic Norton featuring a displaced person as protagonist, Nial Renfro, who sells himself into slavery so his mother can die peacefully via a drug. He is shipped off to the world Janus, where the real action starts.

His purchaser is a member of a very strict, no fun allowed, religion that needs field hands to destroy the forest. One day he finds a treasure that infects him with the 'green fever' that turns him into an Ift. He escapes into the forest, has a few encounters and finds a young women who was also infected. They wander around for a bit and find several more changelings that are held captive by the big bad Larsh.

There's another escape and they make it to a magical pool that destroys much of their opponents minions. Themes used in this and other Norton works, anti-technology, anti-fundamentalist, animal friends, outsider protagonist with serious problems.

There's not much depth to this book, still, it's a decent adventure for teens and preteens.

[Valerie]

This book and its sequel (Victory on Janus) are somewhat unusual among Norton's works.

Norton seems generally to've suffered a panic (in the oldest sense) fear of forests, and was one of the most aggressively diurnal people you'd ever be likely to meet. The Iftin in these books are obligatory nocturnal beings, and very much at home in forests.

The changelings in these books retain their human memories, and so are capable of ironic counterpoint and analysis of the xenophobic Iftin.

At first I couldn't remember what or who was doing the 'judging', but I remember now. I won't say...why spoil the surprise, for those who haven't read it yet.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed it very much as a young person. Now as a middle person, it's more fantasy and less applicable to my life. Andre Norton writes extremely well, and I read every Witch World book I could get my hands on once upon a time. I also loved the Beastmaster books. But not so thrilling now. Alas. Fantasy has palled for me, or else I have higher standards for plot; there need to be worthwhile and somewhat logical progressions nowadays. Pure escapism doesn't do it for me anymore.

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read, Judgment On Janus, as a teenager in the 1960's. It was a great read. Naill Renfro becomes an endentured (slave) farm labourer on a distant planet in order to save his mother. He discovers an ancient forbidden relic. Naill receives an infection from it. The disease completely changes his life in a very unusual way, as he strives to survive in the planet's towering forests. Nail finds himself transforming into something ???

[Gordon MacLellan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a young teen, I loved this book and its sequel Victory on Janus. For me, Andre Norton captured that adolescent sense of isolation and alienation and turned it into these captivating people, the if tin. It didn't matter that the plot was a bit clunky - I just enjoyed the sense of the forested world with its huge almost sensate trees and the people who sang to them

Now, much older but no wiser, I still enjoy the world of the Ifts and wish she had written more about them....

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book from a book sale in high school and got the sequel to it. This book introduced me to Andre Norton and I have reread the two books numerous times. I consider these two books to be the best Andre Norton wrote. I have read others and like them but these two the best.

[Ian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember reading this in High School, one of my first book purchases, in hardback. A dark green cover.

[SciFiOne · Rating 4 out of 5]

1980 grade B

Series book J1

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh... I loved this book as a young person but it didn´t grip me so much now. Her writing style reminds me a lot of the sci-fi that a young Dean Koontz used to churn out.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great sci fi book for vegetarians.