Firebird

by Charles L. Harness

From the distant dipoles of the universe, two telepathic computers, Largo and Czandra, known as control, rule over life on all civilized planets. And now, with Project Cancelar, Control has formulated a plan for achieving immortality...a plan which requires as fodder the collapsing of the universe and the destruction of all life. And there is nothing the humans can do. But there is another force in the universe...hidden i the abyss of the Silent Quarter...plotting destruction of Control. A force that is about to be demolished! But before it expires, it launches from its depths a magic ring, an elixir, and a man and a woman in love - riding within the living spirit of a remarkable spaceship to do battle against the cumulative technology of the entire universe.

Genres: Science Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy, Fiction, Space Opera

Mass Market Paperback

First published December 1, 1980

About the author

Also credited as Charles Harness.
Charles Leonard Harness was born December 29, 1915 in Colorado City TX. After an abortive stint at Texas Christian University, studying to be a preacher, he moved on to George Washington University in Washington DC, where he received a B.S. degree in 1942, and a law degree in 1946. He married in 1938, and he and wife Nell have a daughter and a son. He worked as a mineral economist for the US Bureau of Mines, 1941-47, then became a patent attorney, first with American Cyanamid (1947-1953), then with W.R. Grace & Co. (1953-1981). His first story, ‘‘Time Trap’’, appeared in Astounding (8/48), and he went on to write a number of well-regarded SF stories, many involving future trials and patent attorneys. A series of patent office spoofs/stories (some co-written with Theodore L. Thomas) appeared under the pseudonym Leonard Lockhard, beginning with ‘‘Improbable Profession’’ (Astounding 9/52). His first published novel, Flight Into Yesterday (aka The Paradox Men), first appeared as a 1949 novella, and was expanded in 1953. The Rose, his most famous novella, appeared as a book in 1966. It was followed by Wagnerian space opera The Ring of Ritornel (1968), Wolfhead (1978), The Catalyst (1980), Firebird (1981), The Venetian Court (1982), Redworld (1986), Krono (1988), Lurid Dreams (1990), and Lunar Justice (1991). His short fiction has been collected in An Ornament to His Profession (1998), which includes not only ‘‘The Rose’’ but a new novella as well.

Reviews

[Bron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tristan and Isolda in space. This story brings a whole new meaning to the phrase 'love you to the end of time'. It's a book that hovers between science fiction and legend. There is science but it feels a bit off kilter. There's a reason for that which is revealed in a little twist near the end.

This is the second novel I've read by this author, the other was The Ring of Ritornel'. There's an important ring in this book too (don't worry, it's not evil like the One Ring although it does seem to have a power that can't be explained by science). Both books tackle the big question - is everything that happens in a universe inevitable, must it roll out exactly this from the moment of the Big Bang? Or do sentient creatures have free will? Can it be changed?

The sentients in this story aren't us, they evolved from a feline ancestor. But I was intrigued to see that there are no aliens in their multi world empire, they seem to be alone in the universe, as maybe we are. However they do have a god, one that puts its own needs before theirs with chilling consequences.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book as a pre-teen and I still remember the story to this day. I had forgotten the author and was beginning to lose the name of the book until after several years of on again off again searching I finally found it today. Amazon will get it to me in a week or so and I can find out if it is as good as I remember. Of course the original cover is killer!

[Joses Galdamez · Rating 1 out of 5]

boring idk why i ever picked it up

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of this book was interesting, an evolved race fighting the non-human intelligence of two computers through the entire universe. I enjoyed the time travel ideas, but the main point of the mission the main characters are sent on - a long journey through space, seems to have been passed over really quickly. I think that maybe I'm used to longer novels now, with more development of character and plot...
Really interesting ending though...

[Storm Bookwyrm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book up many many years ago from a book fair just because it had a cat-lady in front of a spaceship on the cover. At last, finally, I read it, and an interesting little tale it was. Not GREAT. Not EPIC, though some of the FEEL of it is epic. But not bad either. Pretty good.

I'm reminded of a couple things with this novel. First, in that it deals with cat-people in space, I think of the 'Chanur' books by C.J. Cherryh. Here in Firebird the cat people just call themselves 'humans', and aside from what feels like the bare minimum of descriptions of things, there isn't too much that really distinguishes them. The Hani of chanur are well-developed, well-detailed, and uniquely alien, and I think I was hungering for a little bit of that here.
My second bit of cross-connection is to Jack L Chalker's 'Rings of the Master' books, insofar as there are computers that unequestionably rule over the universe, with only one potential way to defeat them. Here in Firebird the two 'master computers', the Control, have voices, with chapters devoted to their very humanoid dialogue. Again I might have liked something a little more... ...computer-ish? Ah well, at the very least I can say that, while this reminded me of Rings of the Masters, Firebird is a million leagues better.

My third quibble is somewhat with the very core DNA of this book, in that it is, in some regards, about 'love saving the universe'... ...yet, it was love born entirely out of a magical/chemical 'love potion' that made the two leads fall in love with one another. But of an odd way to get two characters together when their love is supposed to be so epic, yeah?

All in all there's little things here and there that I could debate or bring up or nit-pick, but I don't really care to or want to. It was a quick read (185-ish pages that I 'burned carbon' through in only one day), and it told a neat sci-fi story with interesting things that kept me interested. So, 3.5 stars, for leaving me feeling pretty up-beat at the conclusion of it!

[Kenneth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great scifi novel. A basic premise of the story is that at the beginning of time, the Big Bang happens and the resultant universe keeps expanding for some billions of years. But at some point the forces of gravity slow down the and eventually reverse the expansion, so that eventually the universe collapses and the result is the Big Crunch. Thereafter at some point another Big Bang occurs and another universe forms. It's a cycle that goes on forever. In this novel there are two supercomputers ("Largo" and Czandra", collectively called "Control") that dominate and are trying to break the eternal cycle with a Project Cancelar, so that they will be immortal. Opposing them is something called Diavola. And caught in between are our heroes Dermaq and Gerain, on the starship "Firebird". A novel with time travel and interesting twists and turns.

[James]

From the distant dipoles of the universe, two telepathic computers, Largo and Czandra, known as control, rule over life on all civilized planets. And now, with Project Cancelar, Control has formulated a plan for achieving immortality...a plan which requires as fodder the collapsing of the universe and the destruction of all life. And there is nothing the humans can do. But there is another force in the universe...hidden i the abyss of the Silent Quarter...plotting destruction of Control. A force that is about to be demolished! But before it expires, it launches from its depths a magic ring, an elixir, and a man and a woman in love - riding within the living spirit of a remarkable spaceship to do battle against the cumulative technology of the entire universe.

[Baldurian · Rating 4 out of 5]

La più classica delle storie d'amore: lei vuole suicidarsi mentre lui la porta a sposarsi su un altro pianeta, si innamorano, scappano a una velocità prossima a quella della luce inseguiti da un'implacabile intelligenza artificiale nel futuro, impediscono il collasso dell'universo e si tuffano in un buco nero per tornare nel passato.
Scherzi a parte, Astronave senza tempo è un grande romanzo di fantascienza dura, ben scritto e perfettamente concepito. Raccontare una storia di paradossi temporali che risulti accattivante non è facile ma Harness, nonostante l'ampio spazio dato alla parte romantica, è riuscito a convincermi e ad appassionarmi al suo strano universo.

[Nyarlathotep · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like the story. I remembered reading this year's ago. I'm glad I found it again.

The plot is intriguing and well done. There are several unique plot twists. Unlike some other novels, this one does resolve everything by the end.

[Jake Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn, this book was actually pretty badass.

[Sci-fi Chungus · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a really nice afternoon read.

it was completely predictable, but in a way that still was satisfying.

[Harald · Rating 5 out of 5]

First read end of the 80's, since then read 4 of 5 times again over the years. One of my favorite ever.
Read the Dutch version

[Ralf Berkvens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still as great of a story as when I first read it some 35 years ago. Mystery, happiness, sadness, intrigue. This book has it all.

[Ralph McEwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The universe before earth. Would you believe that a cat like species was the intellegent life form?

[redacted · Rating 3 out of 5]

doesn't live up to the incredible catgirl frisbee cover. disappointing