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Slan

Slan

List Price: $15.95
Your Price: $15.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Forgotten Classic That Should Be Remembered
Review: "Slan" is A. E. van Vogt's first novel. It was published in book form in 1946 by Arkham House, but the story originally appeared in the pages of Astounding Magazine in 1940. It was a highly rated classic of Science Fiction for more than 25 years after it originally appeared, but today it is often forgotten along with many of the early classics. In 1949 it was tied for 4th on the Arkham Survey of 'Basic SF Titles'. It ranked 2nd on the Astounding/Analog All-Time Poll in 1952, 5th, in 1956, and 3rd in 1966.

It is the story of a mutant race of humanity (Slan) who are stronger, smarter, and are telepathic. In the story we are told that the name Slan is derived from Samuel Lann who is purported to be the creator of the race. At the start, the Slan are hunted by humanity to be destroyed, and through the course of events we learn the history of the race, as well as the truth behind the crimes of which they are accused.

The story is told through the eyes of two of the Slan. The first is Jommy Cross who is nine years old when the story commences, and who is becomes isolated from any other Slan when his mother is captured. The second Slan is Kathleen Layton, who is a prisoner of the government and being held for observation.

This is an excellent book, which holds up well 60+ years later. It is fast paced, and definitely worth reading.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Racial and social allegory that ultimately yields to formula
Review: "Slan" is one of those "classic" works of science fiction that readers will inevitably view either historically (as a literary ancestor of modern science fiction) or artistically (as an exciting allegory in its own right)--or both.

First, the history. Written as a serial for Astounding Science Fiction magazine in 1940 and published as a novel in 1946, van Vogt's novel was intended for a mostly teenaged audience. Yet even as pulp fiction for young adults, "Slan" surpasses other stories from the era for its perceptive racial commentary, reflecting the horrors both of Nazi Germany and of world war.

The kernel of the plot revolves around the inexplicable animosity, 1,500 years in the future, between "slans" (genetic human mutants with two hearts, enhanced physical prowess, and the ability to read minds) and "normal" humans. The human hatred for slans is clearly a futuristic version of "blood libel": in the Middle Ages, Jews were falsely accused of reenacting the crucifixion by murdering Christian children; likewise, slans are blamed for harming human children--although the exact nature of the injury and any evidence for its cause remains elusive. The centuries-old mutual fear between slans and humans, then, is fueled more by distrust and difference than by any actual threat.

The technology ranges from the prophetic to (of course) the preposterous. The menace of the atomic bomb and the escalating intensity of weaponry haunts the story--and I have to assume that some of these passages were revised for the 1946 novel-length version. ("They didn't have his perfect type of atomic energy. Nor was their method a development of the rather superb, so-called atomic bomb of old times, with its heavy water and uranium base, and chain reaction.") But much of the science is the stuff of Depression-era comic books: it's hard not to chuckle when, in a pivotal scene, Jommy (the hero) jumps through the opening of a launching spaceship as if it were a passing surfboard.

Artistically, the book is a mixed success. Keeping in mind the age group for which it was written, the prose is competent enough. The story itself starts off with a bang--Jommy barely escapes human hunters who mercilessly kill his slan mother--and the first half is a moving bildungsroman of sorts, describing his adventures and emotional growth as he tries to survive in a hostile world. A parallel (and equally involving) story follows Kathleen, a girl slan imprisoned for "observation" purposes.

Yet by the last few chapters, van Vogt seems to abandon his focus on character, psychology, race, and social commentary in favor of the predictable formula his pulp-magazine audience expected from him. (And, as others have noted, the "surprise" finale is downright silly.) So, it's a mixed treat of a novel: most readers will applaud the daring departures from formula but mourn that, in the end, "Slan" succumbs to comic-book banality.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Classic sci-fi
Review: I generally seem to find that sci-fi from the 40's, 50's and 60's to be more rewarding than those which are more recent. Slan reinforced that view.
There's little doubt that this novel shows some sign of age, but the quality of the ideas presented still shine through. So much of what lies between these covers has influenced much of what came later. There are plenty of other novels and short stories which explore the possibility of the next evolutionaty step that humans may take, which doubtless explore it more deeply. However, this was amongst the first.
Additionally it explores racism, and the dangers of mob-intolerance. On top of that, it's actually a good story.

Charming, and a rewarding read.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Slan
Review: I heard that this book was a classic science fiction tale so I decided to give it a try. There is action, mystery and romance all wrapped into one fun story. With an unexpected ending that will make you want to re-read this classic again and again. A definate keeper!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Call me Jommy
Review: I loved Slan. I felt for and with Jommy. I was caught up in the mystery just as Jommy was as he searched for other "true slans" like himself. I ,like Jommy, never guessed at the truth until it was revealed to both of us at the same time at the end of the book. This book is called a classic. I don't always agree with what people call a classic, but in this case I whole heatedly agree. This book was written in the early 1940s! It reads like a modern novel. To say it was ahead of it's time is an understatement. It is almost independent of time. The inventions that Jommy comes up with are innovative and exciting. His car is just like the batmobile. When Jommy just sits in his car staring, it reminded me of the dark knight.

The idea of nature coming up with the next step in man's evolution is also the topic of many stories since Slan. I never once doubted the supreme intelligence of Jommy. I felt him there way above humans. It is nice to think that the next stage after man will be antiviolence and antimurder. It is comforting to think that a higher intelligence will kill unless the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Jommy inherits the most important discovery the "human" race has ever made. He takes it upon himself to bring it forth to the true slans who are the only ones who can be trusted to use it correctly. Therefore until he does so, his survival is the most important thing.

My human reactions clashed sharply with Jommy's higher slan reactions in a few instances. When he showed mercy and took care of Granny, I would have had him kill her after she called the police. But it was his keeping her alive that saved him later on. Also Jommy felt death more deeply than a human could have yet was able to restrain himself and keep his purpose. I would have wiped out as many humans as I could have before they killed me.

Overall, this is a very entertaining and extremely intelligent book. I liked the characters, the adventure, and the mystery. It is intelligent novels like this one that drew me to science fiction in the first place. I would hope that someone would make this novel into a movie because it would be great.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Dated but still worthwhile
Review: I picked this book up somewhere as a freebie, having long heard of Van Vogt but never having read anything by him. I figured that for the price I might as well try it.

I won't say that I loved the book, but something kept me reading. "Slan" is dated, yes--the language is vintage pulp and the ideas are commonplace today, but Van Vogt's prose has an energy that kept me going. Even though his handling of the SF elements--genetic engineering, space, and technology--is a little creaky, the underlying themes of the book remain potent. Racial bigotry, genocide, and fear of those who are different are just as relevant today as they were Van Vogt's day.

It's always hard to put aside modern sensibilities of style and plot to read a classic work as it would have been read when first published. In this case, it's worth it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A compelling story -- Read it.
Review: I read Slan when I was a teenager back in the 80's. Back when I read about three SciFi books every week. Slan is one of the few that really left a lasting impression. The theme of "mutant" and "outcast" is definitely one of my favorites, but there are precious few books that do it any kind of justice. (In most treatments, the theme just becomes a pretense for comic book heroism or kinky sex.) Slan is one of the few that succeeds in really exploring the issue, including the imperative to find others of one's own kind, a concern that we can surely all sympathize with. It's definitely worth reading.

In the same genre, I would also recommend "Psion," and my personal favorite from the juvenile section, "The Girl with Silver Eyes," a real masterpiece.


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