rgb's review
The Sheep Look Up
by John Brunner
Hi - am sticking my neck out here as I haven't read either book (!) , but didn't John Brunner borrow this technique from John Dos Passos (The USA Trilogy)?
I haven't read the latter, so I have no idea. There were a few other science fiction stories of the era that used somewhat similar techniques in their stories, but I can't recall offhand what the dates of those stories were and whether or not one could argue for precedence for Brunner or somebody else. I do know that it was surprisingly effective in this book, although as a rule this kind of thing is more likely to leave me confused and cold.
rgb
I should add this to my SF-to-read pile. It was written in 1972 and Brunner was a big part of the English New Wave of the late 60s/early 70s (Aldiss, Ballard, Moorcock et al) so he was very big on experimentalism. Thanks for reminding me anyway!
rgb's review
The Sheep Look Up by John Brunner
rgb's review
rating:
recommended for: Anybody
The Sheep Look Up is a prime example of Science Fiction at its scariestly prescient (like that word, "scariestly"?:-). John Brunner portrays a world where the United States is run by a president who is eerily reminscent of George W. Bush -- a complete idiot, a figurehead run by his cabinet and given to fighting many small wars. The world is in the middle of an ecodisaster brought about by inexorable population pressure and the systematic abuse of chemicals. Antibiotic resistant diseases are in full bloom, insects have evolved significant resistance to insecticides and are starting to overwhelm the huge industrial farmers, organized crime runs nearly everything as a "shadow government" looking out only for itself. I mean, it is really spooky.
On top of this general background, a load of food (produced as one would imagine by an industrialist with political connections who makes a bundle on the deal) is delivered to a small village in war-torn Africa. Upon eatin...more
On top of this general background, a load of food (produced as one would imagine by an industrialist with political connections who makes a bundle on the deal) is delivered to a small village in war-torn Africa. Upon eatin...more
Hi - am sticking my neck out here as I haven't read either book (!) , but didn't John Brunner borrow this technique from John Dos Passos (The USA Trilogy)?
I haven't read the latter, so I have no idea. There were a few other science fiction stories of the era that used somewhat similar techniques in their stories, but I can't recall offhand what the dates of those stories were and whether or not one could argue for precedence for Brunner or somebody else. I do know that it was surprisingly effective in this book, although as a rule this kind of thing is more likely to leave me confused and cold.rgb
I should add this to my SF-to-read pile. It was written in 1972 and Brunner was a big part of the English New Wave of the late 60s/early 70s (Aldiss, Ballard, Moorcock et al) so he was very big on experimentalism. Thanks for reminding me anyway!