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The Light That Never Was
Book by Biggle Jr., Lloyd
216 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1972
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94 people want to read
About the author
Lloyd Biggle Jr.
131 books27 followersBiggle was born in 1923 in Waterloo, Iowa. He served in World War II as a communications sergeant in a rifle company of the 102nd Infantry Division; during the war, he was wounded twice. His second wound, a shrapnel wound in his leg received near the Elbe River at the end of the war, left him disabled for life.
After the war, Biggle resumed his education. He received an A.B. Degree with High Distinction from Wayne State University and M.M. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Michigan. Biggle taught at the University of Michigan and at Eastern Michigan University in the 1950s. He began writing professionally in 1955 and became a full-time writer with the publication of his novel, All the Colors of Darkness in 1963; he continued in the writing profession until his death.
After the war, Biggle resumed his education. He received an A.B. Degree with High Distinction from Wayne State University and M.M. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Michigan. Biggle taught at the University of Michigan and at Eastern Michigan University in the 1950s. He began writing professionally in 1955 and became a full-time writer with the publication of his novel, All the Colors of Darkness in 1963; he continued in the writing profession until his death.
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June 8, 2020DAW Collectors #52
Cover Artist: Kelly Freas
Biggle, Lloyd, Jr., Birthplace: Waterloo, Iowa, USA, (17 April 1923 - 12 September 2002
Humanity has stretched out over thousands and thousands of worlds. Each planet is virtually independent from one another. Various intelligent species have been discovered but humans start putting them in camps, killing them, refusing to grant them any rights, and branding them with derogatory names, for example, animaloids. This massive anti-animaloid furor spreading across the populated worlds threatens to envelope the tourist-trap planet Donev. However, Donev does not appear to have any indigenous animaloids of their own.
A famous art gallery owner hears rumors of a new style of paintings drastically different than the normal tourist influenced fare. He investigates and discovers Arnen Brand living in a swamp with a swamp slog who “paints” at night. He decides to open an anonymous gallery.
At the same time, Jaward Jorno — a millionaire philanthropist — manages to save 3,000 intelligent Mesz animaloids from a massacre on their planet and sneak them onto Donev by supplying them with art permits. But is he really the philanthropist he claims to be? With 3,000 animaloids and weird animaloid art Donev becomes a tinderbox for anti-animaloid sentiment and potentially a massacre.
The main character of the novel is the rather banal First Secretary to the World Manager Neal Wargen who tries to prevent the disaster. He’s in love with Eritha, the daughter of World Manager Ian Korak. Eritha is the most interesting character, she desires to learn about the artists and plays a key role despite being an atrocious artist.
the focus on art and the making of art — especially during a period of definitive malaise — is well done.
Worth reading.
Cover Artist: Kelly Freas
Biggle, Lloyd, Jr., Birthplace: Waterloo, Iowa, USA, (17 April 1923 - 12 September 2002
Humanity has stretched out over thousands and thousands of worlds. Each planet is virtually independent from one another. Various intelligent species have been discovered but humans start putting them in camps, killing them, refusing to grant them any rights, and branding them with derogatory names, for example, animaloids. This massive anti-animaloid furor spreading across the populated worlds threatens to envelope the tourist-trap planet Donev. However, Donev does not appear to have any indigenous animaloids of their own.
A famous art gallery owner hears rumors of a new style of paintings drastically different than the normal tourist influenced fare. He investigates and discovers Arnen Brand living in a swamp with a swamp slog who “paints” at night. He decides to open an anonymous gallery.
At the same time, Jaward Jorno — a millionaire philanthropist — manages to save 3,000 intelligent Mesz animaloids from a massacre on their planet and sneak them onto Donev by supplying them with art permits. But is he really the philanthropist he claims to be? With 3,000 animaloids and weird animaloid art Donev becomes a tinderbox for anti-animaloid sentiment and potentially a massacre.
The main character of the novel is the rather banal First Secretary to the World Manager Neal Wargen who tries to prevent the disaster. He’s in love with Eritha, the daughter of World Manager Ian Korak. Eritha is the most interesting character, she desires to learn about the artists and plays a key role despite being an atrocious artist.
the focus on art and the making of art — especially during a period of definitive malaise — is well done.
Worth reading.
July 19, 2023
Very interesting. Tries so many things at once and does them all well enough to stoke interesting ideas. Has an early sci fi musk that is charming as it is a bit tiresome. Part detective, part political thriller, part essay on art. The last few chapters seem much more interested in the prior genres, which is a shame. More interested in the concepts at play than the characters, which can weight a bit at times. Still a four star though (I think)
March 25, 2019
I haven't read this for 30+ years, and upon a revisit I want to put it on my personal five SF, so that's stood up well.
The last couple of years I've discovered most Biggle books are reissued in ebook (by his kids), and I've been slowly going through them -- not wanting to run out, but deciding I am a Fan. This one is his 'classic' to me, being the only title we had when I was a kid. It still seems his most ambitious (although I've seen Monument reviewed as his major work, and I haven't got to that one yet). Disabled in WWII, he did a PhD on 'The Masses of Antoine Brumel', 15th century French composer, and took to SF as a profession. Light he dedicates to someone to whom he'd rashly promised a violin concerto, as a substitute. I adore The Still, Small Voice of Trumpets, where the sounding out of trumpets is the crux of the plot. In this one, it's painters. In fact a third of the book you can just describe as a 'novel about painters'.
Human painters and animaloid. Can 'animaloid' species -- that is, aliens who happen to more resemble animals than humanoids in human eyes -- do art? Can they gain 'human' rights on their colonised planets -- if artists (who are a fairly wonderful subset of our species in this novel) help them? What has set off pogroms of animaloids on a series of worlds? What causes hatred? Who, human or animal, painted the light that is a vision of innocence, in the art-world ('art world' being here an actual art planet) Donov's only great contemporary paintings?
Who has room for refugees? How does evil happen? There's even terrorist attacks.
The last couple of years I've discovered most Biggle books are reissued in ebook (by his kids), and I've been slowly going through them -- not wanting to run out, but deciding I am a Fan. This one is his 'classic' to me, being the only title we had when I was a kid. It still seems his most ambitious (although I've seen Monument reviewed as his major work, and I haven't got to that one yet). Disabled in WWII, he did a PhD on 'The Masses of Antoine Brumel', 15th century French composer, and took to SF as a profession. Light he dedicates to someone to whom he'd rashly promised a violin concerto, as a substitute. I adore The Still, Small Voice of Trumpets, where the sounding out of trumpets is the crux of the plot. In this one, it's painters. In fact a third of the book you can just describe as a 'novel about painters'.
Human painters and animaloid. Can 'animaloid' species -- that is, aliens who happen to more resemble animals than humanoids in human eyes -- do art? Can they gain 'human' rights on their colonised planets -- if artists (who are a fairly wonderful subset of our species in this novel) help them? What has set off pogroms of animaloids on a series of worlds? What causes hatred? Who, human or animal, painted the light that is a vision of innocence, in the art-world ('art world' being here an actual art planet) Donov's only great contemporary paintings?
Who has room for refugees? How does evil happen? There's even terrorist attacks.
July 12, 2019
Lloyd Biggle was a lesser known American 1960s-and-onward science fiction writer who passed away in 2002. I read his 1972 SF novel “The Light That Never Was” in a vintage DAW original paperback (No. 52). I long ago read another Biggle novel “Silence is Deadly,” but found it unmemorable.
“The Light That Never Was” is set on Donov, a planet of artists, painters specifically, most of whom subsist on the tourist trade and the on the laurels of past artists. On this world, benevolent Chief of Secret Police Neal Wargen works for benevolent World Manager Ian Korak, investigating the mundane crimes of Donov. Wargen has fallen for Korak’s plucky granddaughter Eritha Korak, who is not interested in marriage. Anti-animaloid riots have successively moved from one settled planet to another, worrying all. A philanthropist brings 3,000 refugee Mesz from the most recent riot world to Donov under an immigration loophole that welcomes more artists. I found the consequences and plot to be utterly predictable.
Biggle had a tongue-in-cheek writing style, which I think accounted for his medium level of popularity. I mean, an artist planet? Many of the peripheral characters are amusing caricatures. Personally, I can get tired of that. He does pull an uplifting ending out of his hat in the very last pages, and I rate “The Light That Never Was” as entertaining, but not great.
“The Light That Never Was” is set on Donov, a planet of artists, painters specifically, most of whom subsist on the tourist trade and the on the laurels of past artists. On this world, benevolent Chief of Secret Police Neal Wargen works for benevolent World Manager Ian Korak, investigating the mundane crimes of Donov. Wargen has fallen for Korak’s plucky granddaughter Eritha Korak, who is not interested in marriage. Anti-animaloid riots have successively moved from one settled planet to another, worrying all. A philanthropist brings 3,000 refugee Mesz from the most recent riot world to Donov under an immigration loophole that welcomes more artists. I found the consequences and plot to be utterly predictable.
Biggle had a tongue-in-cheek writing style, which I think accounted for his medium level of popularity. I mean, an artist planet? Many of the peripheral characters are amusing caricatures. Personally, I can get tired of that. He does pull an uplifting ending out of his hat in the very last pages, and I rate “The Light That Never Was” as entertaining, but not great.
December 31, 2023
Contemplative and slow-moving, The Light That Never Was delves into themes of artistry and xenophobia.
This book bites off more than it can chew, unfortunately, trying to balance its discussions about art (it has a real issue with mass-produced replicas made for tourists) and political arguments surrounding refugees, human rights, and extradition.
While the art stuff is focused on quite a bit, unfortunately, the atrocities perpetuated against the Mesz and other aliens are only mentioned in passing, making their terrible situation seem almost second fiddle. We’re told of riots and murders, but there are no scenes from the Mesz perspective and we barely see the Mesz at all. In fact, there are far too many characters in this book, with the first three-quarters having several nondescript men competing for attention (aside from Brance who was easy to tell apart). But, the story really takes off in the last quarter, mainly because the story shifts to a character that has actual personality and motives.
Yet, the book is interesting. In terms of the art argument, it’s very quaint, as the characters are trying to determine whether something created by an “animaloid” is actually art. An animaloid is, as I understood it, basically an alien that has what we’d consider animal traits. I mean, in the 70s, sure, this argument is interesting, but today I’m just like … yes? Of course, they can? In fact, with our current rise in AI art and the arguments surrounding that, this idea that a sentient being’s work can’t be considered art is kind of ridiculous. As such, there was too much focus on this and not enough on the plight of these poor alien refugees kicked off their planets by scapegoats and xenophobes.
The story is quite bloated. I’m not entirely sure why there was so much focus on the slug, as that didn’t seem to amount to anything in the end, and what could be seen as one character’s artistic journey is broken up by segments with other characters. In truth, I think the book would have worked better if Eritha and Wargen were the only povs, approaching the problem from different angles. Instead, we have a bunch of dudes walking around, looking at things, talking about them, and intrigue in the background. Until the last quarter, which was far more exciting.
Overall, honestly, it was a good read, but it does seem the themes the book was trying to raise are off-balance, especially reading it today.
Also, Franff and Anna are totally a couple right?
This book bites off more than it can chew, unfortunately, trying to balance its discussions about art (it has a real issue with mass-produced replicas made for tourists) and political arguments surrounding refugees, human rights, and extradition.
While the art stuff is focused on quite a bit, unfortunately, the atrocities perpetuated against the Mesz and other aliens are only mentioned in passing, making their terrible situation seem almost second fiddle. We’re told of riots and murders, but there are no scenes from the Mesz perspective and we barely see the Mesz at all. In fact, there are far too many characters in this book, with the first three-quarters having several nondescript men competing for attention (aside from Brance who was easy to tell apart). But, the story really takes off in the last quarter, mainly because the story shifts to a character that has actual personality and motives.
Yet, the book is interesting. In terms of the art argument, it’s very quaint, as the characters are trying to determine whether something created by an “animaloid” is actually art. An animaloid is, as I understood it, basically an alien that has what we’d consider animal traits. I mean, in the 70s, sure, this argument is interesting, but today I’m just like … yes? Of course, they can? In fact, with our current rise in AI art and the arguments surrounding that, this idea that a sentient being’s work can’t be considered art is kind of ridiculous. As such, there was too much focus on this and not enough on the plight of these poor alien refugees kicked off their planets by scapegoats and xenophobes.
The story is quite bloated. I’m not entirely sure why there was so much focus on the slug, as that didn’t seem to amount to anything in the end, and what could be seen as one character’s artistic journey is broken up by segments with other characters. In truth, I think the book would have worked better if Eritha and Wargen were the only povs, approaching the problem from different angles. Instead, we have a bunch of dudes walking around, looking at things, talking about them, and intrigue in the background. Until the last quarter, which was far more exciting.
Overall, honestly, it was a good read, but it does seem the themes the book was trying to raise are off-balance, especially reading it today.
Also, Franff and Anna are totally a couple right?
November 28, 2023
I am not going to lie. I found this book in a give-away-box and took it with me for the fantastic cover alone. With the book being just a few hundred pages, I saw no problem with reading through this, even if it turned out to be bad.
It wasn't bad. It was great. Timeless almost. Shockingly similar to the world we live in 2023. There are no fights in space or epic battles. Instead, there are "animaloids" that are treated horribly. There are alien races just spending decades painting landscapes on planets. An elemental alien formed from dirt or soil that may or may not paint pictures without human-like limbs and there is a looming threat of a force that spreads hate and wages wars with the "weaker" or stranger creatures being made responsible without fail.
Look, there are sci-fi-epics out there that are super popular, that are longer and funnier and with probably better world-building, but this little book was a lot of fun to read and I can recommend it to everyone with a slight interest in sci-fi. Also, that German cover is one of the best book covers ever to me.
It wasn't bad. It was great. Timeless almost. Shockingly similar to the world we live in 2023. There are no fights in space or epic battles. Instead, there are "animaloids" that are treated horribly. There are alien races just spending decades painting landscapes on planets. An elemental alien formed from dirt or soil that may or may not paint pictures without human-like limbs and there is a looming threat of a force that spreads hate and wages wars with the "weaker" or stranger creatures being made responsible without fail.
Look, there are sci-fi-epics out there that are super popular, that are longer and funnier and with probably better world-building, but this little book was a lot of fun to read and I can recommend it to everyone with a slight interest in sci-fi. Also, that German cover is one of the best book covers ever to me.
March 1, 2020
Full review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...
"The Light That Never Was (1972) is an unusual take on space opera — there are no epic battles, voyages on spaceships, weird technology, or heroic figures. Instead, the swirling eddies of interstellar change descend on a tourist planet replete with legions of rather atrocious, silly, and easily maleable “artists.” The island of Zrilund [...]"
"The Light That Never Was (1972) is an unusual take on space opera — there are no epic battles, voyages on spaceships, weird technology, or heroic figures. Instead, the swirling eddies of interstellar change descend on a tourist planet replete with legions of rather atrocious, silly, and easily maleable “artists.” The island of Zrilund [...]"
December 19, 2024
This was a bit of an odd one where there was a plot, but it took a long time before it was clear just what the plot was. It almost has nothing to do with the blurb.
However, even though I didn't have a clue what was going on, I did enjoy the journey.
However, even though I didn't have a clue what was going on, I did enjoy the journey.
March 31, 2025
I enjoyed this, it played like if Hitchcock created a noir science fiction slow burner, coming together in his style!
May 30, 2016
This is a complex story simply told. The artists of planet Donov are all human with one exception (a swamp slug), and they're all hacks nowadays (except the aforementioned slug). Although the classic panoramic views are still there, and the incredible light of Donov that once inspired master artists, the scenes are appreciated now only by tourists, and those who paint souvenirs to sell to them.
But there's a change sweeping the human-settled universe. On world after world, people who had lived in harmony with animaloid sentients suddenly rise up in riots and massacre their non-humanoid neighbors.
This wave of change sweeps over Donov without effect, for Donov has no sentient animaloids—that is, until Jaward Jorno comes home. Jorno is an incredibly wealthy local who arrives, ready to put his family's large estate to use as a refugee camp for the brilliant mesz, natives of Mestil. And while refugees are not allowed on this world, Jorno learns of a loophole in Donov law that says artists may stay for as long as they like. So 3,000 alien animaloid refugees become artists.
Now that there are animaloids on Donov, will the wave of riots touch this planet as well? Fighting this trend is the World Manager Ian Korak and his lovely grand-daughter Eritha, Korak's First Secretary Neal Wargen (who is secretly the head of the Secret Police, and not so secretly in love with Eritha Korak), and Arnen Brand, who provides a home for the slug and sells its artwork to finance a little refugee work of his own.
Biggle uses the concepts of art well in his work. This novel explores the urge to create, the pain of knowing one's work to be second-rate, the difference between creating art and "putting paint on canvas", and the role of the art critic.
The artistic topics are background, however, to the detail of this particular painting. One of the characters is a tragically flawed personality, acting in ways that have doomed dozens of worlds. Minor accents illustrate the spiteful sterility of bigotry and the liberating effects of tolerance. But the major theme of this artwork is even more sweeping:
There are books that are worth rereading, whose stories remain fresh. Like a great painting, they reward the viewer each time they are approached. Biggle's novel is a Goya, at least. Perhaps even a Hieronymus Bosch.
But there's a change sweeping the human-settled universe. On world after world, people who had lived in harmony with animaloid sentients suddenly rise up in riots and massacre their non-humanoid neighbors.
This wave of change sweeps over Donov without effect, for Donov has no sentient animaloids—that is, until Jaward Jorno comes home. Jorno is an incredibly wealthy local who arrives, ready to put his family's large estate to use as a refugee camp for the brilliant mesz, natives of Mestil. And while refugees are not allowed on this world, Jorno learns of a loophole in Donov law that says artists may stay for as long as they like. So 3,000 alien animaloid refugees become artists.
Now that there are animaloids on Donov, will the wave of riots touch this planet as well? Fighting this trend is the World Manager Ian Korak and his lovely grand-daughter Eritha, Korak's First Secretary Neal Wargen (who is secretly the head of the Secret Police, and not so secretly in love with Eritha Korak), and Arnen Brand, who provides a home for the slug and sells its artwork to finance a little refugee work of his own.
Biggle uses the concepts of art well in his work. This novel explores the urge to create, the pain of knowing one's work to be second-rate, the difference between creating art and "putting paint on canvas", and the role of the art critic.
The artistic topics are background, however, to the detail of this particular painting. One of the characters is a tragically flawed personality, acting in ways that have doomed dozens of worlds. Minor accents illustrate the spiteful sterility of bigotry and the liberating effects of tolerance. But the major theme of this artwork is even more sweeping:
Is it enough to do Good Works? Or must one actually accomplish good?
There are books that are worth rereading, whose stories remain fresh. Like a great painting, they reward the viewer each time they are approached. Biggle's novel is a Goya, at least. Perhaps even a Hieronymus Bosch.
August 17, 2011
t's a pretty good story. Unique in subject matter and narrative style. A planet wide detective story which takes place on Donov, a world almost exclusively populated by artists and funded by tourism. The structure is bizarre in that it really doesn't have a main character at all. The focus is the planet and who is responsible for forcing a plot to undermine its economy. Because there are tons of characters (with odd alien names)but none of them is primary to the story, it becomes a real trick to remember who's who. I'm constantly flipping back to recap who one player or another is. That all said, I do like the book and am refreshed by the writing of Lloyd Biggle, first Secretary of the Science fiction writers of America. He is very interested in art and music, and as such, his story's often explore the qualities of those subjects.
(I got into Biggle because I bought a bunch of his old personal paperback collection. After he died his son was given the task of deciding what to do with his massive library. I contacted the younger Biggle on Ebay and among other items, got Lloyd's entire collection of Damon Knight's "Orbit" anthologies. Together, Damon and Lloyd had founded the Science Fiction Writers of America and served respectively as President and Secretary/Treasurer. Biggle's son told me that the "Orbit"s were personally given to Lloyd by Damon. How much more geekily ecstatic could I be?)
(I got into Biggle because I bought a bunch of his old personal paperback collection. After he died his son was given the task of deciding what to do with his massive library. I contacted the younger Biggle on Ebay and among other items, got Lloyd's entire collection of Damon Knight's "Orbit" anthologies. Together, Damon and Lloyd had founded the Science Fiction Writers of America and served respectively as President and Secretary/Treasurer. Biggle's son told me that the "Orbit"s were personally given to Lloyd by Damon. How much more geekily ecstatic could I be?)
September 13, 2024
1979 Grade A+
1994 Grade A
2012 Grade A
2024 Grade B+
Biggle is noted for writing socio-political novels dealing with one of the fine arts and with persecution of some group. This time it is painters and aliens. One of his noted novels in this category is "The Still Small Voice Of Trumpets." "The Light..." was noted by a critic as being "Refreshing different." If that means excellent story but not expertly written, I agree. I found there was too much detail, some of which was unnecessary, and it was too predictable and long. I also found it difficult to speed read and could only read for about 30 min before going to or falling asleep. Still, the story is very good and I recommend it as a first read only.
1994 Grade A
2012 Grade A
2024 Grade B+
Biggle is noted for writing socio-political novels dealing with one of the fine arts and with persecution of some group. This time it is painters and aliens. One of his noted novels in this category is "The Still Small Voice Of Trumpets." "The Light..." was noted by a critic as being "Refreshing different." If that means excellent story but not expertly written, I agree. I found there was too much detail, some of which was unnecessary, and it was too predictable and long. I also found it difficult to speed read and could only read for about 30 min before going to or falling asleep. Still, the story is very good and I recommend it as a first read only.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews