Mon 17 Feb 2025
SF Diary Review: ROBERT SHECKLEY – The Status Civilization.
Posted by Steve under Diary Reviews , Science Fiction & Fantasy[6] Comments
ROBERT SHECKLEY – The Status Civilization. Dell 8249; paperback; 1st printing thus, October 1968; cover art by Podwil. Published earlier as a two-part serial in Amazing SF. Aug-Sept 1960 as “Omega!.” First book publication: Signet S1840, paperback, September 1960.
A standard plot: The static society of Earth is redeemed by the fresh enthusiasm of criminals escaping from the prison planet Omega. Will Barrent is a convicted murderer, sentenced to Omega, who survives the rigors of life there to be contacted by an inner group dedicated to return to Earth. But before the welcome return can take place, the subconscious hypnotic teaching of Earth’s classic school must be overcome.
By itself, society on Omega is self-destructive: laws are designed to keep population down, with murder the most prevalent method; the ideal citizen is the one who breaks laws successfully. This is what Earth, stifled by conformity, needs to continue man’s expansion to the stars.
Memory is removed before sending a criminal to Omega, but evil still seems inherent in the criminal class as previously mentioned. It would seem that the question of evil by heredity or by environment could be investigated under such conditions, but Sheckley’s emphasis is on the law as it exists, independent of those who administer it or live under it, Yet laws of man would have to be less important than the basic laws of nature.
The writing is mediocre, again especially in comparison to an author such as [John D.] MacDonald. The dialogue is occasionally stiff and old-fashioned, while the action is rapid, taking place in flashing scenes, without really pausing to reflect on its consequences.
Thus in many ways, Sheckley’s writing here is like that of an author from the thirties trying to pass for modern. The theme is up-to-date, however, which probably explains why this story hes been resurrected from oblivion.
Rating: **
February 18th, 2025 at 4:43 am
This does seem like a dangerous vision (of sorts) kind of plot that is ripe for half-assing. Damon Knight’s “The Country of the Kind” done less well, at greater length…I wonder if Cele Goldsmith Lalli had a chance to read the Knight after running the serial in AMAZING…but Sheckley was worth supporting.
February 18th, 2025 at 4:58 am
Amusingly? I happened to go look at the Amazon blurb for the SFWA SF HALL OF FAME V.1 (edited by Robert Silverberg with help from an SFWA members poll), and had to tell Amazon this: ‘The description of Knight’s “The Country of the Kind” is obviously meant to describe Merril’s “That Only a Mother”. I have to wonder how many times this correction has been submitted.’ In response to this part of the blurb: ‘Robert Heinlein in “The Roads Must Roll” describes an industrial civilization of the future caught up in the deadly flaws of its own complexity. “Country of the Kind,” by Damon Knight, is a frightening portrayal of biological mutation.’
They also (which I noted to them as soon as I saw it, in a separate note) misspelled Fredric Brown’s name as “Frederic”…good for Dannay, not so much for Amazone (koff). Precious goshwow, never copy-edited.
https://www.amazon.com/Science-Fiction-Hall-Fame-Vol/dp/0765305372# (might both still be there).
February 18th, 2025 at 6:20 am
I agree with your back-then analysis, although back-then me might have been harsher. Sheckley had produced a truckload of brilliant, readable, sometimes-gimmicky stories, and following those, this was like a splash in the face. I always felt he was more at home with shorter work.
February 18th, 2025 at 11:35 am
Yes, this was early Sheckley, relatively speaking, but he was obviously well worth supporting, as Todd said at the end of his first comment. I cringed when I read the phrase I wrote saying “The writing is mediocre…” because it *was* Robert Sheckley I was writing about. But it was early in his career, and I agree: he was always better doing shorter stuff.
February 19th, 2025 at 12:19 pm
For a brief period of time in the 1960s, ROBERT SHECKLEY was my favorite SF writer. Then, of course, he got superseded by Keith Laumer, who got superseded by Roger Zelanzy, etc. Sheckley also wrote some fun spy novels like THE GAME OF X and the Stephen Dain series.
February 19th, 2025 at 12:47 pm
I bought all of the Stephen Dain books as they came out, but for the life of me, I can’t remember ever reading any of them.