Black Genesis
Some books are enjoyable because of their stories. Others stand out because of the way the author tells those stories. With Black Genesis, the second volume of L. Ron Hubbard's Mission Earth series, I found both.
Having enjoyed the first volume, The Invaders Plan, I was curious to see where the story would go next. I wasn't disappointed. The second volume is equally interesting, and I particularly enjoyed the way Hubbard weaves the different elements together.
What makes this series different from much of the science fiction we read today is its combination of futuristic imagination, satire and humour. There is a serious story unfolding beneath all the absurdity, but the author doesn't feel the need to tell it in a conventional way.
When an alien encounters Earth
Jettero Heller is on Earth with a mission that is far more complicated than it first appears. He has to deal with unfamiliar surroundings, people with questionable motives, and situations that would test anyone's patience. Meanwhile, Soltan Gris is watching him and trying to make sure that things do not go according to plan.
What I find particularly amusing is the difference between what Heller actually does and how Gris interprets it. Gris is convinced that he understands the situation, yet Heller repeatedly surprises him.
There is a scene involving a large, aggressive sheepdog that made me smile. Gris expects the encounter to end Heller's journey. Heller deals with the charging dog with remarkable ease, but it is what he does afterwards that makes the incident memorable. Instead of simply moving on, he picks up the animal and carries it towards the farmhouse.
I enjoyed this little episode because it captures the spirit of the book. Heller's actions are one thing; Gris's interpretation of them is quite another. The humour comes naturally from that contrast, without the author having to stop the story to explain the joke.
Science fiction with a difference
I have always found the combination of science fiction and satire interesting, and Hubbard brings the two together in an unusual way. The story is not just about an alien trying to carry out a mission on Earth. It also takes a humorous look at human behaviour, corruption, power and the institutions people create.
The satire is sometimes exaggerated, but that is part of its character. Hubbard uses an outsider's perspective to look at our world, and this allows him to turn familiar situations into something absurd.
What I particularly appreciate is the way the story is woven together. There are several layers to the narrative, and the continuing contrast between Heller and Gris gives it a distinctive flavour. It is not the sort of science fiction that relies only on technology, strange worlds or spectacular events to hold the reader's attention.
A futuristic imagination
Another thing that struck me was how futuristic the ideas feel when considered in the context of the time the series was written. I find it fascinating when an author imagines possibilities beyond the world he knows and then uses that imagined future to comment on the present.
That is one of the attractions of science fiction for me. It can entertain us, but it can also make us look at familiar things differently. In Mission Earth Volume 2: Black Genesis by L. Ron Hubbard
Some books are enjoyable because of their stories. Others stand out because of the way the author tells those stories. With Black Genesis, the second volume of L. Ron Hubbard's Mission Earth series, I found both.
Having enjoyed the first volume, The Invaders Plan, I was curious to see where the story would go next. I wasn't disappointed. The second volume is equally interesting, and I particularly enjoyed the way Hubbard weaves the different elements together.
What makes this series different from much of the science fiction we read today is its combination of futuristic imagination, satire and humour. There is a serious story unfolding beneath all the absurdity, but the author doesn't feel the need to tell it in a conventional way.
When an alien encounters Earth
Jettero Heller is on Earth with a mission that is far more complicated than it first appears. He has to deal with unfamiliar surroundings, people with questionable motives, and situations that would test anyone's patience. Meanwhile, Soltan Gris is watching him and trying to make sure that things do not go according to plan.
What I find particularly amusing is the difference between what Heller actually does and how Gris interprets it. Gris is convinced that he understands the situation, yet Heller repeatedly surprises him.
There is a scene involving a large, aggressive sheepdog that made me smile. Gris expects the encounter to end Heller's journey. Heller deals with the charging dog with remarkable ease, but it is what he does afterwards that makes the incident memorable. Instead of simply moving on, he picks up the animal and carries it towards the farmhouse.
I enjoyed this little episode because it captures the spirit of the book. Heller's actions are one thing; Gris's interpretation of them is quite another. The humour comes naturally from that contrast, without the author having to stop the story to explain the joke.
Science fiction with a difference
I have always found the combination of science fiction and satire interesting, and Hubbard brings the two together in an unusual way. The story is not just about an alien trying to carry out a mission on Earth. It also takes a humorous look at human behaviour, corruption, power and the institutions people create.
The satire is sometimes exaggerated, but that is part of its character. Hubbard uses an outsider's perspective to look at our world, and this allows him to turn familiar situations into something absurd.
What I particularly appreciate is the way the story is woven together. There are several layers to the narrative, and the continuing contrast between Heller and Gris gives it a distinctive flavour. It is not the sort of science fiction that relies only on technology, strange worlds or spectacular events to hold the reader's attention.
A futuristic imagination
Another thing that struck me was how futuristic the ideas feel when considered in the context of the time the series was written. I find it fascinating when an author imagines possibilities beyond the world he knows and then uses that imagined future to comment on the present.
That is one of the attractions of science fiction for me. It can entertain us, but it can also make us look at familiar things differently. In Black Genesis, the futuristic setting and the satirical treatment of society work together to give the story its own identity.
My verdict
I enjoyed Black Genesis just as much as the first volume. What I liked most was Hubbard's ability to weave the story together while keeping the satire and humour alive. The book has a personality of its own, and that is what makes it stand apart from other science fiction.
If you enjoy science fiction that does more than take you into another world, and appreciate a story that combines imagination with humour and social satire, I think Black Genesis is worth exploring.
For me, this has been an equally engaging continuation of the series. I'm glad I moved on to the second volume, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the larger story develops., the futuristic setting and the satirical treatment of society work together to give the story its own identity.
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