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Битка за вечността
Земята в далечно бъдеще… Човечеството, наброяващо хиляда души, се е изолирало от света зад защитна бариера. Планетата населяват милиарди хора-животни, създадени по изкуствен път от някогашните животински видове. Управляваща каста са хиените, но и те са марионетки, подвластни на извънземна раса, завладяла почти цялата галактика.
Срещу тях се изправя Модиун — човекът, който дръзва да се върне към истинския живот и да започне „битката за вечността“…
Срещу тях се изправя Модиун — човекът, който дръзва да се върне към истинския живот и да започне „битката за вечността“…
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
3 people are currently reading
233 people want to read
About the author
A.E. van Vogt
648 books457 followersAlfred Elton van Vogt was a Canadian-born science fiction author regarded by some as one of the most popular and complex science fiction writers of the mid-twentieth century—the "Golden Age" of the genre.
van Vogt was born to Russian Mennonite family. Until he was four years old, van Vogt and his family spoke only a dialect of Low German in the home.
He began his writing career with 'true story' romances, but then moved to writing science fiction, a field he identified with. His first story was Black Destroyer, that appeared as the front cover story for the July 1939 edtion of the popular "Astounding Science Fiction" magazine.
van Vogt was born to Russian Mennonite family. Until he was four years old, van Vogt and his family spoke only a dialect of Low German in the home.
He began his writing career with 'true story' romances, but then moved to writing science fiction, a field he identified with. His first story was Black Destroyer, that appeared as the front cover story for the July 1939 edtion of the popular "Astounding Science Fiction" magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
April 17, 2012
Van Vogt is a pretty exciting writer, even if the wrong kind of scrutiny makes his books at times feel a bit sloppy. I've read a good many of his short stories, but this is the first of his novels that I've decided to uncover.
The time is thousands of years from now, and humanity has apparently achieved total superiority, accomplished all that it desires to in the physical world so has retreated behind an artificial barrier to live out comfortable lives of contemplation and intellectual undertaking. As the book opens some startling discoveries have been made about human history: namely, that humans once walked on their own two legs, ate their own food, copulated and gestated their young, and deficated too! Hardly anyone believes the scientist who's uncovered this revelation, but he has also fabricated an experiment to grow a human being to the former, comparative giant size and release him into the world outside the barrier, to see what's been going on in the thousands of years since mankind has left the Earth to its own devices. For this, Modyun, our protagonist, more or less volunteers, helped along by the fact that an attractive female has also volunteered, and the book dispenses with the years that pass by as he grows to "full" size, taking us right to the moment where he steps out onto the highway, leaving the little enclave of humans and their insect servants behind.
Now, at this point, you probably think you've got this book more or less figured out. I certainly did, even though the fact that all the events summarised in my opening paragraph occur in the first chapter of the book should have warned me that it wouldn't be so easily done. Van Vogt really epitomises what I would call "breathless" writing. So much happens in such short order, and occasionally he will throw completely unexpected curve-balls at the reader that cause a pause, a baffled look, and a rereading of the previous passage to make sure it's been fully absorbed and coped with before moving on to the next upending revelation. With Van Vogt, nothing is ever quite as it seems, and preconceptions or predictions must be tossed aside as you simply let yourself be taken wherever he wants you to go, which in this case, is an Earth populated by animals who've been modified by man centuries ago, walk on two legs and attend committee meetings and get to ride on massive spaceships that may or may not be exploring uncharted star systems. That's not quite right either, though, for as it transpires, while humanity has remained more or less isolated from everything around it, complacent in its philosophy of existentialism taken to a rather horrific extreme, the Earth has been conquered by aliens ... who are also not really what they appear to be. Modyun has a lot of decisions to make, and centuries worth of conditioning to overcome, when he's lucid enough to want to overcome it.
The eponimous battle here is not a wopping great space chase, but rather an internal struggle of every intelligent being in the universe to overcome its natural state. Humans have achieved near-godlike powers and have the ability to perceive the thoughts of others, overcome barriers and destroy, all with the "indication system", which they cannot properly use because this would violate their philosophy: that any action, event or outcome is as good as any other, and that nothing is inherently more valuable or desireable than anything else. Modyun's internal struggles are fascinating, as he attempts to juggle his ingrained philosophical "programming", concern for his new animal friends and the woman Soodleel who accompanied him beyond the barrier, and the realisation that the two of them may in fact be the last humans left alive as a direct result of this intellectual apathy. It's really intriguing to see Van Vogt getting inside Modyun's head as it works, and there are times when you feel like screaming "no, no, you're going down the wrong path entirely!!"
There are a lot of absurdities in this book, and the ending is pretty abrupt. We get the "battle of forever", and a feeling that perhaps Modyun has won it, but don't actually get to see the physical battle that might result. We never learn whether there are any adverse consequences to Modyun's being expanded in size, or much of anything about Sooddleel. I've a feeling that the novel might exhaust and frustrate a good many people with its dodgy science, sketchy characters and unanswered questions, but I certainly enjoyed it a great deal. Van Vogt is fun to read, because he's so damn good at keeping you guessing and in the dark, yet still delighted, until the end, and the philosophical commentary delivered here in varying degrees of clarity is really interesting. I really like the way he ends his chapters, too: whereas most writers would end off with some momentous event having just occurred, Van Vogt gives you a hint that a momentous event is about to happen (or is in the midst of happening) but doesn't actually reveal what it is until you start the next one. The effect is really electrifying and keeps you reading chapter after chapter, because it's difficult to put the book down and withstand that level of suspense for long. I definitely recommend this to fans of quirky science fiction, and those who love the tropes of the genre but also enjoy seeing them summarily tossed on their heads.
The time is thousands of years from now, and humanity has apparently achieved total superiority, accomplished all that it desires to in the physical world so has retreated behind an artificial barrier to live out comfortable lives of contemplation and intellectual undertaking. As the book opens some startling discoveries have been made about human history: namely, that humans once walked on their own two legs, ate their own food, copulated and gestated their young, and deficated too! Hardly anyone believes the scientist who's uncovered this revelation, but he has also fabricated an experiment to grow a human being to the former, comparative giant size and release him into the world outside the barrier, to see what's been going on in the thousands of years since mankind has left the Earth to its own devices. For this, Modyun, our protagonist, more or less volunteers, helped along by the fact that an attractive female has also volunteered, and the book dispenses with the years that pass by as he grows to "full" size, taking us right to the moment where he steps out onto the highway, leaving the little enclave of humans and their insect servants behind.
Now, at this point, you probably think you've got this book more or less figured out. I certainly did, even though the fact that all the events summarised in my opening paragraph occur in the first chapter of the book should have warned me that it wouldn't be so easily done. Van Vogt really epitomises what I would call "breathless" writing. So much happens in such short order, and occasionally he will throw completely unexpected curve-balls at the reader that cause a pause, a baffled look, and a rereading of the previous passage to make sure it's been fully absorbed and coped with before moving on to the next upending revelation. With Van Vogt, nothing is ever quite as it seems, and preconceptions or predictions must be tossed aside as you simply let yourself be taken wherever he wants you to go, which in this case, is an Earth populated by animals who've been modified by man centuries ago, walk on two legs and attend committee meetings and get to ride on massive spaceships that may or may not be exploring uncharted star systems. That's not quite right either, though, for as it transpires, while humanity has remained more or less isolated from everything around it, complacent in its philosophy of existentialism taken to a rather horrific extreme, the Earth has been conquered by aliens ... who are also not really what they appear to be. Modyun has a lot of decisions to make, and centuries worth of conditioning to overcome, when he's lucid enough to want to overcome it.
The eponimous battle here is not a wopping great space chase, but rather an internal struggle of every intelligent being in the universe to overcome its natural state. Humans have achieved near-godlike powers and have the ability to perceive the thoughts of others, overcome barriers and destroy, all with the "indication system", which they cannot properly use because this would violate their philosophy: that any action, event or outcome is as good as any other, and that nothing is inherently more valuable or desireable than anything else. Modyun's internal struggles are fascinating, as he attempts to juggle his ingrained philosophical "programming", concern for his new animal friends and the woman Soodleel who accompanied him beyond the barrier, and the realisation that the two of them may in fact be the last humans left alive as a direct result of this intellectual apathy. It's really intriguing to see Van Vogt getting inside Modyun's head as it works, and there are times when you feel like screaming "no, no, you're going down the wrong path entirely!!"
There are a lot of absurdities in this book, and the ending is pretty abrupt. We get the "battle of forever", and a feeling that perhaps Modyun has won it, but don't actually get to see the physical battle that might result. We never learn whether there are any adverse consequences to Modyun's being expanded in size, or much of anything about Sooddleel. I've a feeling that the novel might exhaust and frustrate a good many people with its dodgy science, sketchy characters and unanswered questions, but I certainly enjoyed it a great deal. Van Vogt is fun to read, because he's so damn good at keeping you guessing and in the dark, yet still delighted, until the end, and the philosophical commentary delivered here in varying degrees of clarity is really interesting. I really like the way he ends his chapters, too: whereas most writers would end off with some momentous event having just occurred, Van Vogt gives you a hint that a momentous event is about to happen (or is in the midst of happening) but doesn't actually reveal what it is until you start the next one. The effect is really electrifying and keeps you reading chapter after chapter, because it's difficult to put the book down and withstand that level of suspense for long. I definitely recommend this to fans of quirky science fiction, and those who love the tropes of the genre but also enjoy seeing them summarily tossed on their heads.
April 3, 2017
Осем години сбира прах на рафтовете ми, бях се заблудил, че съм я чел и ми докара доста приятна изненада. Не очаквах политическа сатира от автора. Въпреки това ми дойде малко много имперска, сякаш усетих вредно хайнлайново влияние. Част от красотата на сарказма се губи при превода на диалозите, но добри хора ме насочиха към правилните моменти в оригинала.
След около 1000 години, човечеството е постигнало върховенство, благодарение на извънземна намеса и се е оттеглило в изолация, за да развива умствения си капацитет. Един негов представител, от хилядата оцелели, решава, не особено доброволно, да напусне ембрионалното си тяло и да се впусне в света навън в зрял образ. Откритията, които прави на управляваната от интелигентни животни земя го смайват. Извънземната раса е нарушила внимателно наложения баланс на силите между човешките слуги и буквално превзела земята, използва по детски наивните ѝ жители за собствени цели. Възмутен единственият човек се опитва с чиста логика да се пребори с неправдата и да спаси расата си.
Впечатляващото тук беше внимателно разгледаният контраст между чисти физическото и чисто ментално съществуване и етичните разлики, които поражда. Другото е критика на пътя по който е поела Америка след втората световна война и отново порицаване на либерализма.
След около 1000 години, човечеството е постигнало върховенство, благодарение на извънземна намеса и се е оттеглило в изолация, за да развива умствения си капацитет. Един негов представител, от хилядата оцелели, решава, не особено доброволно, да напусне ембрионалното си тяло и да се впусне в света навън в зрял образ. Откритията, които прави на управляваната от интелигентни животни земя го смайват. Извънземната раса е нарушила внимателно наложения баланс на силите между човешките слуги и буквално превзела земята, използва по детски наивните ѝ жители за собствени цели. Възмутен единственият човек се опитва с чиста логика да се пребори с неправдата и да спаси расата си.
Впечатляващото тук беше внимателно разгледаният контраст между чисти физическото и чисто ментално съществуване и етичните разлики, които поражда. Другото е критика на пътя по който е поела Америка след втората световна война и отново порицаване на либерализма.
January 13, 2013
One of A.E.van Vogt's best later books. Absolutely loved it. An epic story an immortal race determined to eradicate any sentient beings that evolved too far. Human beings had given the world to the animals and kept themselves behind a barrier for millennium. While in seclusion, the Earth had been conquered by this immortal alien race and have gone ahead and eradicated all humans still living upon it, by destroying their sanctuary.
Fortunately, there happened to be two humans who had been out at the time. It is then left to them to save the race.
No one on this world could have told this story the way van Vogt did.
Fortunately, there happened to be two humans who had been out at the time. It is then left to them to save the race.
No one on this world could have told this story the way van Vogt did.
May 30, 2014
‘”What a noble and handsome head, and delightful tapering body. The tiny arms and legs...” This was Man, retreating from the world behind the barrier for several thousand years. The chosen few lived a life of peace, of philosophical contemplation. Outside were the animal-men, biologically created from the beasts that used to roam the earth. Their lives were perfectly regulated by computers, crime-free and idyllic.
But when Modyun agreed to grow his body large to experience once again those degrading bodily functions, and to go beyond the barrier ... the battle for existence had already begun. If only he could discover the cause and the purpose. But his questioning mind only led him deeper into darkness, deeper into uncertainty.’
Blurb from the 1971 NEL paperback edition
Modyun is an evolved human of the far future, living a life of philosophical contemplation behind ‘the barrier’ with the remnants of the human race, reduced to existing as a great head with a tiny body.
Modyun (and one of the evolved females) is persuaded (for reasons which are not important) to reassume a full human body, complete with archaic bodily functions and go outside the barrier to discover what is happening with Earth.
One can only conclude that the blurb for this novel was necessarily vague because the storyline is convoluted to the point of non-comprehensibility.
He discovers that the animals of Earth have been turned into animal men and are being drafted into an army to fight a war by aliens who have, at the same time, ensured that Mankind has been weakened by sealing themselves off behind the barrier.
Modyun passes himself off as an ape and joins his new animal friends as they board the alien transport ship to fight in the alien war. Modyun – a later incarnation of van Vogt’s ‘logical hero’ eventually confronts his enemy and saves the day.
This is late, and weak, work by van Vogt with little to recommend it as even ‘experimental’ fiction.
But when Modyun agreed to grow his body large to experience once again those degrading bodily functions, and to go beyond the barrier ... the battle for existence had already begun. If only he could discover the cause and the purpose. But his questioning mind only led him deeper into darkness, deeper into uncertainty.’
Blurb from the 1971 NEL paperback edition
Modyun is an evolved human of the far future, living a life of philosophical contemplation behind ‘the barrier’ with the remnants of the human race, reduced to existing as a great head with a tiny body.
Modyun (and one of the evolved females) is persuaded (for reasons which are not important) to reassume a full human body, complete with archaic bodily functions and go outside the barrier to discover what is happening with Earth.
One can only conclude that the blurb for this novel was necessarily vague because the storyline is convoluted to the point of non-comprehensibility.
He discovers that the animals of Earth have been turned into animal men and are being drafted into an army to fight a war by aliens who have, at the same time, ensured that Mankind has been weakened by sealing themselves off behind the barrier.
Modyun passes himself off as an ape and joins his new animal friends as they board the alien transport ship to fight in the alien war. Modyun – a later incarnation of van Vogt’s ‘logical hero’ eventually confronts his enemy and saves the day.
This is late, and weak, work by van Vogt with little to recommend it as even ‘experimental’ fiction.
April 14, 2015
I really enjoyed this one. It was bit of a comedy in that you have a main character who is very clueless about the world he ventures to explore. The other characters in the story, eventually, start yelling at the main character the same way the reader has likely been doing for a while. The author is quite aware of the ineptitude of his protagonist, and that is a lot of the point... eventually, he does start realizing what's happening and begins to take things more under his control.
A large portion of the cast are artificially evolved animals (rats, hippos, tigers, etc) that all walk upright, use tools, and talk like 1950's blue collar guys. You'll either love that or really hate it.
A large portion of the cast are artificially evolved animals (rats, hippos, tigers, etc) that all walk upright, use tools, and talk like 1950's blue collar guys. You'll either love that or really hate it.
September 19, 2017
A comic book style science-fiction that is frankly strange and as bewildering as it is hallucinogenic. If you're at home with dream-logic and if you have an athletic ability to suspend disbelief, then Van Vogt's work is for you. However, for Vogt's best and most accessible I recommend World of Null-A and the short story, Silkies in Space (or the novel, The Silkies) and Far Centaurus. Certainly Vogt is one of the most 'marmite' authors on my list . . .
February 13, 2016
Pretty good, close to 3,5 stars. This is pretty typical golden age SF, so the characterisation isn't very strong, and descriptions pretty sparse. It's a novel of ideas mainly, and the hero is not really fleshed out. I liked the grand scale of the conflict and the difference between a purely mental existence and bodily existence. But there were hints of an interesting twist (why is the controlling group the same size as the remaining human population?) that eventually did not come. I think the twist would have improved this story but maybe it would be too cynical for a story from this era.
April 26, 2014
I'm torn about this book. It's good old sci-fi, fascinating and all, but it blindsided me with (totally-should-have-been-expected) male chauvinism. Which I don't like.
November 4, 2025
What the actual…
Definitely one of the weirdest books I’ve ever read but anyone could expect that by looking at the cover. This was not the good kind of weird though, it was the bad kind. I am so morbidly curious the type of person that authors a book like this, spends all this time, thought, and energy on this work, and then legit sells copies. I think I stepped a bit too far into dork territory with this one.
But I still like the cheesy cover.
Definitely one of the weirdest books I’ve ever read but anyone could expect that by looking at the cover. This was not the good kind of weird though, it was the bad kind. I am so morbidly curious the type of person that authors a book like this, spends all this time, thought, and energy on this work, and then legit sells copies. I think I stepped a bit too far into dork territory with this one.
But I still like the cheesy cover.
August 27, 2008
I wish GoodReads was hip to letting folks upload cover images of earlier (or different) editions. The only reason I picked this up was because there was a hippo holding a gun on it and a floating egg headed guy.
I wanted to strangle this book. It was like reading Slapstick again. I understand that Vogt was trying, in his style of writing and narrative, to truly show an advanced, cultured human and that my violent reaction towards that character's hella stupid decisions was a by-product of dealing with something like that.
Nonetheless, such an annoying book, holy shit.
I wanted to strangle this book. It was like reading Slapstick again. I understand that Vogt was trying, in his style of writing and narrative, to truly show an advanced, cultured human and that my violent reaction towards that character's hella stupid decisions was a by-product of dealing with something like that.
Nonetheless, such an annoying book, holy shit.
December 1, 2011
It didn't have anywhere near the scope (in settings or situations) that you expect from A E, and so it basically didn't seem to amount to much of anything by the end. In fact, the cover was probably the coolest thing about this one (I noticed I got a lot of looks while I was reading it on the subway!). :) There's no denying the influence Van Vogt had on PKD though (you can clearly see the similarity in style and approach here).
October 11, 2012
A.E. Van Vogt may not have the fingers of Tom Robbins or Magic Johnson, but he knows how to think up a good story.
January 15, 2021
The consensus is that Van Vogt's best work was written in the 40s and that his later work is markedly inferior. I was very pleasantly surprised to find The Battle of Forever, published in 1971, on par with Vogt's better work.
This one is a little bit Philip K. Dick and a bit Helena Blavatsky, with perhaps a hint of Jack Vance. The scope of the novel is galactic, transpires thousands of years in the future, reaches far into the depths (and heights) of consciousness and explores concepts of literally superhuman development. The story-line may be not as stirring as some of his work from the 40s but the plotting is nevertheless more carefully crafted and reflects a more considered editorial style than his earlier work.
Vogt displays his decades-long study of human psychology and consciousness and even his in-depth study of hypnosis in the development of the story. And unlike other SF writers of 1971, he sees the possibility of using black holes as portals for faster-than-light travel and even their use as weapons (very commonplace notions today).
Like most other readers - judging by the reviews, I found the protagonist excruciatingly irksome - but that was the whole point. The protagonist was the product of an alien race's interference ("enhancement") in the evolution of the human race. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.
The novel explores certain philosophical (religious) and psychological beliefs in a science-fiction setting. Quite often, good science fiction explores enduring philosophical and political issues and can even make us question our beliefs.
This one is a little bit Philip K. Dick and a bit Helena Blavatsky, with perhaps a hint of Jack Vance. The scope of the novel is galactic, transpires thousands of years in the future, reaches far into the depths (and heights) of consciousness and explores concepts of literally superhuman development. The story-line may be not as stirring as some of his work from the 40s but the plotting is nevertheless more carefully crafted and reflects a more considered editorial style than his earlier work.
Vogt displays his decades-long study of human psychology and consciousness and even his in-depth study of hypnosis in the development of the story. And unlike other SF writers of 1971, he sees the possibility of using black holes as portals for faster-than-light travel and even their use as weapons (very commonplace notions today).
Like most other readers - judging by the reviews, I found the protagonist excruciatingly irksome - but that was the whole point. The protagonist was the product of an alien race's interference ("enhancement") in the evolution of the human race. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.
The novel explores certain philosophical (religious) and psychological beliefs in a science-fiction setting. Quite often, good science fiction explores enduring philosophical and political issues and can even make us question our beliefs.
August 28, 2025
(27 August, 2025)
What does it mean to be human? Van Vogt has an idea (fantastical and unattainable really) of what we could be. Logical, reasonable, philosophical, thinking things through - sounds familiar? It shouldn't, we are not even close to any of those things (well, not enough of us, in any case).
The story takes a while to get going but once it does, wow! Plans and agendas are fine but beware of unintended results.
From evolutionary superbeings , humans are closed off from the planet they 'engineered', but for which purpose... no idea! What the author is possibly telling us is that we must accept things as they are and deal with it, adapt to the way the world is, which is what Modyun does. Reaching the top has predictable outcomes, power obfuscates the way and everyone feels its pull, derailing purposes and designs.
'The Battle Of Forever' is nothing of the sort, the battle is a misnomer and nothing is truly forever (another message perhaps?). Modyun, once outside the human settlement, makes friends... and surprising discoveries! Mostly though, he disrupts everything, and everyone's lives, along the way. Entangled in a plot, he shrugs and reacts to events, just as he must. Unexpected twists and turns in a needlessly convoluted tale make for an uneven read. Eventually, van Vogt gets back on track but the ambiguous end sucks.
A parable of what power can do.
What does it mean to be human? Van Vogt has an idea (fantastical and unattainable really) of what we could be. Logical, reasonable, philosophical, thinking things through - sounds familiar? It shouldn't, we are not even close to any of those things (well, not enough of us, in any case).
The story takes a while to get going but once it does, wow! Plans and agendas are fine but beware of unintended results.
From evolutionary superbeings , humans are closed off from the planet they 'engineered', but for which purpose... no idea! What the author is possibly telling us is that we must accept things as they are and deal with it, adapt to the way the world is, which is what Modyun does. Reaching the top has predictable outcomes, power obfuscates the way and everyone feels its pull, derailing purposes and designs.
'The Battle Of Forever' is nothing of the sort, the battle is a misnomer and nothing is truly forever (another message perhaps?). Modyun, once outside the human settlement, makes friends... and surprising discoveries! Mostly though, he disrupts everything, and everyone's lives, along the way. Entangled in a plot, he shrugs and reacts to events, just as he must. Unexpected twists and turns in a needlessly convoluted tale make for an uneven read. Eventually, van Vogt gets back on track but the ambiguous end sucks.
A parable of what power can do.
January 11, 2024
Two chapters in I’m not enamored of the premise, which seems to be that humans have evolved into mental beings not much more than a brain. Modyun and other humans are living in a compound separated from the world. A world inhabited by human like animals. A scholar finds evidence of ancient humans that moved by themselves, ate and defecated. He proposes to grow a body that can explore the world. It’s Modyun that is picked for the experiment. OK, a couple more chapters in: a Nunuli tells him they have conquered Earth and are now its masters. Modyun has great powers (indicating, some sort of mental superpower) but an extreme pacifism. It’s only having been put in this unaccustomed body which wants to defend itself that allows him to use his indicating against others and it is really distasteful to him.
There’s a bunch of conflicting ideas going through Modyun, his naivety from being in a body with all its bodily functions, being innately trusting and peaceful, and the external forces that are trying to kill him. It’s kind of humorous when he tries to use logic to get his way rather than being invasive with his powers. He goes from being purely intellectually above everything to having feelings. 3.7 stars
There’s a bunch of conflicting ideas going through Modyun, his naivety from being in a body with all its bodily functions, being innately trusting and peaceful, and the external forces that are trying to kill him. It’s kind of humorous when he tries to use logic to get his way rather than being invasive with his powers. He goes from being purely intellectually above everything to having feelings. 3.7 stars
March 21, 2018
A strange future where humanity has lived in a miniaturized state for thousands of years while aliens run the rest of the planet along with genetically modified Earth animals. One man becomes normal sized again, and difficulties ensue. Better than others of Van Vogt's late group of works I've read.
April 29, 2021
If you find him too difficult to read, or feel like Damon Knight did about his work, then I can only pity your lack of vision. Or more charitably, he's a Marmite author. Love him or hate him, there's no denying the impact of his work on the SF genre.
P. K. Dick and Harlan Ellison both thought so too.
P. K. Dick and Harlan Ellison both thought so too.
April 30, 2012
The plot summary on the back cover gives only the barest hint of what happens in this short novel. At times I wished the plot would slow down so as to explore some of the developments in more detail, but on the other hand the breathless pace which forces you to absorb mind-bending plot twists at lightning speed because another one is coming in a few pages' time is quite stimulating.
The prose is pretty creaky (and occasionally quite sexist in relation to the book's sole, passive female character) but it's also mordantly funny about the overly-intellectual protagonist's struggles to deal with a world and people who don't operate according to his own rigid principles.
It all builds to a satisfyingly complex climax, although the last chapter left me a little nonplussed.
The prose is pretty creaky (and occasionally quite sexist in relation to the book's sole, passive female character) but it's also mordantly funny about the overly-intellectual protagonist's struggles to deal with a world and people who don't operate according to his own rigid principles.
It all builds to a satisfyingly complex climax, although the last chapter left me a little nonplussed.
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May 5, 2009The Battle of Forever by A. E. Van Vogt
June 1, 2015
1982 grade C-
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November 9, 2018I havethe german translation: Kampf um die Ewigkeit
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