Book Review
Author: Isaac Asimov was born in 1920 in Petrovichi,
Russia. When he was three years of age,
his family immigrated to the United States and settled in Brooklyn, New York. Asimov turned to full time writing in
1958. This accomplished writer is best
known for his novels dealing with science fiction. However, his works extend to other
subjects. These include humour, mystery,
history, and some volumes involving the Bible and Shakespeare. He has published around 500 books for both
young and adult readers. His most famous
science-fiction writings are I, Robot (1950) and The Foundation Trilogy (1951-1953). Asimov was dubbed a Grand Master of Science
Fiction in 1987 by the Science Fiction Writers of America. He died in 1992.
Setting: The story takes place in two time
periods. One set of events takes place
in the present, while the other set takes place in the past, drawing closer to
the present. It spans over a fifteen
year period, beginning in the year 2220.
Although most of the important incidents occur on the planet Erythro
about 2 light years from our solar system, the novel shifts between Earth,
space, and the Settlement named Rotor, which orbits the foreign planet.
Main Character:
Marlene Fisher is a very intelligent young
woman at fifteen years of age. As a
child, all who encountered her sensed that she was different. Her wide eyes absorbed all that was around
her and seemed to know a great deal.
Growing older, her "uniqueness" established itself as a gift
in which she is able to read into the body language of others. A slight movement, a stuttered word, the
smallest hesitation gives her indication as to one's true feelings and
motives. Some mistake this gift as her
being a "psychic", but she is not.
Marlene has only learned how to interpret little signs often overlooked.
Now a young woman, Marlene's uncanny ability
has become quite developed. She finds
herself constantly watching people's reactions, and does not hesitate to
bluntly speak out what she has learned.
Her intuitions sometimes get too interfering and she often crosses the
line of being helpful. Many become extremely
uncomfortable whenever in her presence, so she is advised by her mother against
showing this talent. She tries to follow
her mother's warning and her annoyance at the falseness of those surrounding
her dwindles.
Although Marlene is obviously an exceptional
youth, she has troubles and stresses just like any other teenage girl. She knows she is rather plain looking and
senses that others agree, but she has come to accept this fact. In her unrequited love for Aurinel, Marlene
is perplexed that her intelligence, which should outshine beauty, does
not. However, as time passes and life
becomes more complicated, she soon buries these feelings.
Marlene knows that she can use her talent to
her own advantage and does. When on Rotor, she yearns to be on Erythro, not
knowing why but making a firm resolution to do everything in her power to make
her desire reality. She confronts the Commissioner of Rotor about his dislike
for her and her mother, thereby accomplishing Marlene's goal of being
transferred to the nearby planet. Bathed
in red light from the star Nemesis, she is more at ease with herself on
Erythro.
A mysterious illness plagues the planet,
especially those of higher intelligence.
Though many fear for Marlene's health, she is extremely confident that
she will not be harmed. Her stubbornness
prevents her from giving in to the advice of others, and she ventures forth
into the planet's natural environment.
Meeting with a being of like intellect, her mind is able to further
expand.
Her new friend, indigenous to Erythro, assists
Marlene in using her mind to communicate with it. Her outings become an almost daily event and,
as a result of her confidences with this alien, she matures. She now understands why people do not always
reveal their true feelings and why they keep things to themselves. She learns the importance of privacy and has
come to terms with her father's desertion of her. She is now seen as a true adult in the eyes
of those around her.
Theme:
Nemesis was the Greek Goddess of Retribution,
of Justified Revenge, and of Punishment. In Isaac Asimov's Nemesis, an idea of
the theme can be derived from the title itself.
Although it sometimes appears to make changes for the better, mankind is
essentially a self-destructing species which destroys others along with itself. This theme of human nature and its inability
in dealing with its problems is evident throughout the course of events. Demonstrated in seeing Earth in the future,
which is unable to contend with difficulties despite all its advancements,
Asimov voices his opinion.
Initially, the future is portrayed as a
wonderful world because of its many technologies. Science has prolonged life,
"Settlements" have left Earth
to orbit in nearby space, and occurrences of space travel have increased. However, this picture of peacefulness soon
begins to disintegrate.
In pre-Settlement times, Earth appears to have
completely abolished all prejudices based on outward appearances. Slang terms for the different races have not
been used for two centuries, of which Earth is quite proud. After years of
struggling to live in peace, with all backgrounds and all features, it has much
improved over the previous hateful times.
Nevertheless, as soon as space travel allows for groups of people to
move out into space, this illusion of total harmony fades.
Settlements are now quite common as there are
hundreds floating around in near space.
Visitors to other Settlements notice the differences between each and
the uniformity within every small establishment. As observed by Earth's Director:
Like clings to like, because like hates
and despises unlike.
Most have adopted
a racial unity and those of different ethnicity are made to feel an
inconvenience. The reason for this
suspicion of one another lies in Earth's wild mixture of cultures. Earthmen are proud of this characteristic and
consider it to be a strong point. Then
why hate Settlements for having what Earth would consider a disadvantage? It is fearful that this racial unity will prove
successful. This development of a
dislike between Settlements themselves and between Earth leads to competition
in outdoing one another.
As faster space travel techniques are
established, one particular Settlement, Rotor, moves away to a newly found star
named Nemesis. Despite their knowledge
of the danger it poses to Earth, the Commissioner does not warn others of the
potential loss of lives. Rather, he keep
this information to himself, hoping his Settlement will be the last seed from
which all other life will begin anew. In
anticipation for the arrival of representatives from Earth, he installs
locating devices to warn him, and at their signal will blast them out of space.
Earth develops a more advanced superluminal
flight, thus enabling travel at the speed of light. Its destruction is inevitable so it is
decided that Erythro will be taken over, to serve as a temporary rescue
location before it is possible for the population to disperse into outer
space.
Regardless of the Commissioner's hate for these
people, he is perceptible in that he sees the fate of humankind far into the
future. In order for civilizations to be
successful,
Humanity needs space, size, variety, a
horizon, a frontier.
This is the
rationalization provided by Earth for expanding into the outer regions of
space, beyond the Solar System. In spite
of this given reason, mankind cannot be expected to live a virtuous life when
it was not even able to handle its problems when on Earth. What more if this problem is allowed to
spread out?
The same anarchy, the same degeneration,
the same
short-term thinking, all the same
cultural and social
disparities would continue to
prevail--Galaxywide.
All vices will be
allowed to grow and overflow into other worlds.
The complications of the human race will multiply. Sense will never be made out of all the
confusion.
"Nemesis had indeed come."
Endnotes
Isaac Asimov, Nemesis (New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.,
1989), 11.
"ibid." 102.
"ibid." 249.
"ibid." 385.
"ibid." 386.
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