Panshin, Alexei

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Thought provoking and deeply moving
Subtle, well written, first class SF
Stealth Ethics
A second reading really surprised me
This collection of gems is back in print

Rite of Passage
Alexei, Panshin
Manufacturer: Fairwood Press, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0978907825

Book Description

In 2198, one hundred and fifty years after the desperate wars that destroyed an overpopulated Earth, Man lives precariously on a hundred hastily-established colony worlds and in the seven giant Ships that once ferried men to the stars. Mia Havero's Ship is a small closed society. It tests its children by casting them out to live or die in a month of Trial in the hostile wilds of a colony world. Mia Havero's Trial is fast approaching and in the meantime she must learn not only the skills that will keep her alive but the deeper courage to face herself and her world. Published originally in 1968, Alexei Panshin's Nebula Award-winning classic has lost none of its relevance, with its keen exploration of societal stagnation and the resilience of youth.

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After the destruction of Earth, humanity has established itself precariously among a hundred planets. Between them roam the vast Ships, doling out scientific knowledge in exchange for raw materials. On one of the Ships lives Mia Havero. Belligerent soccer player, intrepid explorer of ventilation shafts, Mia tests all the boundaries of her insulated world. She will soon be tested in turn. At the age of fourteen all Ship children must endure a month unaided in the wilds of a colony world, and although Mia has learned much through formal study, about philosophy, economics, and the business of survival, she will find that her most vital lessons are the ones she must teach herself. Published originally in 1968, Alexei Panshin's Nebula Award-winning classic has lost none of its relevance, with its keen exploration of societal stagnation and the resilience of youth.

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Thought provoking and deeply moving.......2007-02-24

One hundred and fifty years after the wars that destroyed an over-populated earth, mankind is now living on over one hundred colony worlds and a handful of giant roaming ships that once ferried men to the stars. Mia Havero is a young girl living on one of those ships whose residents are abundantly aware of the perils of the "lack of moral discipline" of "Free-Birthers" who embrace complete freedom of reproduction, an uncontrolled birth rate and the resulting exponential growth in population. They've adopted the harsh but entirely effective social policy of subjecting their young people to the "Trial". Every young person is dropped and summarily abandoned into a thirty day survive-or-die test in the harsh and cruel environment of a frequently hostile colony planet. Those who survive return to the fold of the ship and are called "adults". Those who don't - well, they just don't!

"Rite of Passage" is written from Mia's first person perspective as she grows through childhood, enters training for her time of Trial and is dropped onto the planet Tintera with her childhood friend, Jimmy Dentremont. At only 225 pages, "Rite of Passage" is a very short novel and for over 200 of those pages seems to be a rather typical coming of age story. It's reasonably well written with any number of heart-warming passages and some seriously thought-provoking essays and interludes on philosophy, education and ethics. In fact, the story concentrates so exclusively on Mia's education, evolution and the development of her character as she comes of age from self-centred girl child to mature young adult that any reader would be forgiven for forgetting that "Rite of Passage" won a Nebula Award as a science fiction novel!!

It's Panshin's epilogue that pulls "Rite of Passage" from mere novel into the realm of "classic", an eye-opening, jaw-dropping dissertation on the results of the irresponsible or reckless exercise of power. In a manner that will remind you of the subtle, quiet, yet compelling style of Simak's best novels, Panshin touches on issues of killing, prejudice, hatred, power and responsibility. When Panshin seamlessly returns our thoughts to the context of a science fiction novel by discussing the destruction of an entire planet, he brutally reminds us that these issues are timeless and are likely to remain with humanity forever unless we make a conscious decision to grow beyond cruelty.

"Rite of Passage" is a deeply moving novel likely to remain in your thoughts long after the final page is turned!

Paul Weiss

Subtle, well written, first class SF.......2006-12-01

Like several other reviewers I reread this recently after a gap of many years. My first reading was when I was too young to appreciate its deeper themes properly, but it nevertheless made enough of an impression that I've never forgotten it, I think just because it's very well written. Revisiting it I'm very impressed. I suppose it is "charming" as one reviewer has it, in a sense; but there's a dark undercurrent to the charm - good and admirable people do terrible things. For that matter, the "Rite of Passage" itself is frequently fatal...
This probably deserves a place as one of the top dozen or so SF novels. It is in no sense a "children's novel" if that means "unsuitable for adults", but the ideal reader would probably be a thoughtful adolescent (like the heroine)

Stealth Ethics.......2006-04-30

4.5 stars

I missed this book growing up, though it was written just after my birth, so I come to it without the fond remembrances of youth. All I can say is "Wow".

The only problem, in my opinion, with the book is the slow start. We have a very long setup in a rather short book before hitting the pay off. The payoff being the planetary adventure, then followed with the sucker-punch epilog which elevates the book above a typical young adult book. The horrible act approved, and implemented will cause you to think. You will see both sides of the argument, and you may in fact agree with the decision that was made.

The epilog cleverly brings what seemed to be a throwaway detail of Mia's ethics assignments into focus, providing an example of the various theories Mia had discussed writing about.

Of course the shortness of the work does prevent any more than a cursory view of minor characters but within the short space of the novel Panshin does make sure to portray both the good and bad of the ship folk and planet folk, provide a really nail-biting adventure on the planet and a hard-hitting ethical epilog. Something today's authors just can't seem to do in oversized books and series.

This one is a classic for all ages and all times. A true successor to the Heinlein juveniles. I'll even say the spiritual successor even though Panshin may disagree with Heinlein's philosphies.

Currently it has been reprinted by the Science Fiction Book Club, so is available at least there for now.

A second reading really surprised me.......2005-10-05

I first read this book more than 20 years ago. I remembered some of the basics of the plot but not too much more. It's the story of Mia Havero, aged 12 when the story begins and 14 when it ends. She's one of a number of priviledged survivors of a catastrophe, caused by unlimited population growth, which destroyed Planet Earth. She lives on a spaceship created in an asteroid, with access to education and technology, while less fortunate descendants of Earth's survivors live on colonies on planets scattered throughout the galaxy. In order to control population growth, the citizens of the Ships are sent down to planets for 30 days after they turn 14, to survive as best they can with some pretty extensive training and a limited amount of supplies and tools. This is the Rite of Passage.
The story is told in 1st person and at times I felt it went into a bit too much detail, but Mia's voice is very convincing and I was impressed that the author -- who I think was in his 20s at the time he wrote this -- could write from the point of view of an adolescent girl so well. The future society he's created is very interesting and the book is a fast, easy read. But it's not simple. It raises a lot of moral questions which, when I read the book for the first time in my teens, mostly passed me by. After rereading it recently, I was left feeling actually quite shocked by the ending. The book is very thought-provoking, and like the best science fiction, it raises more questions than it answers. Highly recommended -- I gave it 4 stars only because I think it could have been a bit more tightly written and/or edited.

This collection of gems is back in print.......2005-02-25

Now available again via the SFBC's 50th anniversary collection's 8 samples from the 60's. (you can check out the image I scanned above)

I'm surprised how many little gems of literary passages can be found in this fairly short work (compared to the few found in today's bloated offerings). My favorite was when the main character Mia found herself waiting in an impersonal public area:

"... To be a stranger in an impersonal room in which there are other people who are not strangers to one another or to the place is to have a feeling of strangeness compounded".

Extremely well done was the way that cultural bigotry is presented as embedded into the Ship's culture (whose residents call the Colonists "Mudeaters") and the Colonies (whose residents call the Shipdwellers "Grabbies")... I found myself asking, "where have I seen this good a presentation of this subject before?"... and it finally came to me - Asimov's Robot Murder Mystery Novels, and the bigotry of between Spacers and Earthmen.

At first I wasn't enjoying the level of detail that was being presented when the "trainees" went down to a planet and constructed a shelter... but, by the time the chapter was over, I thought to myself; "dang - I learned how to build a log cabin!".

Transmutations: A book of personal alchemy

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Transmutations: A book of personal alchemy
Alexei Panshin
Manufacturer: Elephant Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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A brilliant, lost series.
"Given the right premises, any conclusion can be reached."
One of the best
A Marvelous Trilogy, both deep and funny.

Masque World
Alexei Panshin
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Star Well

ASIN: 0441521053

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A brilliant, lost series........2006-09-03

Masque World, Star Well, and The Thurb Revolution were the first three Anthony Villiers novels.

They began a brilliant, swashbuckling, aristocratic comedy series, which was never finished because, I have always assumed, Panshin fell in love with and married a politically correct SF woman writer who drew him in new directions and wrecked him as a writer.

So the next book was Earth Magic, by Alexei and Cory Panshin. This is a fascinating but ultimately flawed book about the magic of the Earth Goddess, first of a new series that was never continued. A promising career had been derailed.

Too bad, really. However their future lives turned out privately, the ending of the Anthony Villiers series was a real pity.

Still, Alexei Panshin left three books behind him. Anyone who missed them should repair the deficiency, and for those who know them they are good enough to bear periodic rereading.

"Given the right premises, any conclusion can be reached.".......2002-11-30

Some 30 years ago, Alexei Panshin authored a series of three science fiction novels that have achieved minor legendary status. These were about a somewhat venal nobleman - Anthony Villiers, Viscount Charteris - and his highly illegal traveling companion Torve the Trog. What Trogs look like are six foot tall fur bearing frogs, what they think like has made them persona non grata throughout the Nashuite empire.

Trogs believe, among other strange things, that events arise out of imminent conjugation, rather than cause and effect. They have a fine sense of when these intersections of time and space are going to occur, during which they are known to express themselves with "Thurbs" of appreciation. Since they are also known to behave unpredictably at these moments, the Emperor has seen fit to invite them to remain in the vicinity of their home planet, where the most likely victim of a "Thurb" is likely to be another Trog.

Villiers and Torve have come to Delbaso to pick up some forged papers for the Trog so that he will no longer have to baffle as many customs officers; in addition, the viscount wants to pick up the stipend that his family pays them to stay out of their way. While not as unpredictable as Torve, Villiers has a tendency to wander into adventures that his relatives find disconcerting. The current arrangement suits everyone.

Or it would if the post from Duden would arrive, and if Lord Semichastny, Villier's uncle, had not conveniently misplaced the bank draft. For there is more afoot that the disguising of illegal aliens. The Delbaso Monist Association's Xochitl society is seeking wonders and marvels. The peels are grunting, and the bells of the last Christian historian are pealing. Lord Semichastny plots defiance of Delbaso's Winter-Summer Laws (recently enacted to force his lordship to leave the planet) by planning a party and hefting rotten melons at Lady Oliphaunt. Obviously, conjugations are threatening to break out everywhere.

Panshin's style, which combines wit with a sublime sense of the ridiculous, is something I have missed dearly. But unfortunately, these works are given to momentary reappearances followed by long period out of print. At present, 'Masque World' is the only one available. Recently the three Villiers novels have appeared in electronic form, which will help them regain some well-deserved notoriety. Lacking that, keep an eye out for them on the shelves of used bookstores in the hope that you can conjugate with a copy imminently.

One of the best.......2000-03-24

Alexei Panshin's 'Anthony Villiers Adventures' are among the most treasured books on my shelves. They look at the world in a wacky way that is nevertheless perfectly reasonable. This one, the second in the series (which regrettably never got beyond the third volume), is as excellent as the other two. If you can find a copy in your local public library, you should check it out. If you can find a copy for sale, you should definitely buy it -- unless fun reading isn't your cup of tea.

A Marvelous Trilogy, both deep and funny........1999-03-27

Before there were Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett, there was Alexei Panshin. I think he was ahead of his time, I can't think of another reason why these weren't wild smash hits. One quote, as well as I remember it, went something like "Everyone ever born has extended the range of human possibility- new music, new ideas, new fashions. Jerzy McBee, being human, had extended the the range of human possibilities, but not by much".

Heinlein in Dimension: A Critical Analysis

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Panshin, Heinlein, and Beethoven :-)
The good, the bad, and .. you decide
How not to study an author
Panshin isn't fit to lick Heinlein's boots
A critique of Heinlein's philosophy more than his writing

Heinlein in Dimension: A Critical Analysis
Alexei Panshin
Manufacturer: Advent Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0911682015

Customer Reviews:

Panshin, Heinlein, and Beethoven :-).......2006-09-04

Panshin is a problematic character in the history of Heinlein fandom and scholarship because although this work was the first book-length Heinlein study, as many have observed here, much of the book is simply a personal attack on Heinlein rather than objective literary criticism. That having been said, the book did contain some insights into Heinlein's work that I found valuable, and I basically ignored the other biased criticisms. I give the work three stars for a pioneering effort and for providing at least some useful insights on Heinlein and his works. But it could have been so much better if Panshin had been able to control his obvious personal dislike of Heinlein.

Panshin and I corresponded briefly some years ago on several topics related to Heinlein's work (mostly on his ideas relating to the Renshawing concepts in Citizen of the Galaxy). I was very critical of his ideas there, but I have to give credit to Panshin who accepted them without ire and the correspondence remained civil throughout.

Around that time, we got into another debate on the Heinlein SIG on the subject of Heinlein's first story, Lifeline, and I thought I would post that here in case people find it interesting.

During the discussion, several people commented that Panshin's criticism of Lifeline was nothing more than nitpicking and pettiness. It might be, but I can't disagree with his statement that a later, more mature Heinlein might have written the story better. But it's impossible to disagree with that statement for most artists--it seems like common sense to me.

That having been said, I wanted to make a few more comments about this. I'm no literary critic, and since I am much more knowledgeable about music and art history than literary criticism, I'll use my background there to make my point, since I come at it from a somewhat different perspective.

At least in music and art, it is not the case that even the greatest masters of an art form or genre demonstrate their superiority at every turn. Take Beethoven, for example, arguably the greatest composer who ever lived. He often had technical problems with his musical transitions, those parts of a symphony that tie the other sections together and act as bridge elements.

On the other hand, Schubert and Mendelsohn composed transitions that were smooth as silk, and although they were great composers themselves, I wouldn't put either of them in the same league with Beethoven.

On the other hand, Schubert (arguably the second greatest composer, after his mentor, Beethoven), harmonically wanders around the circle of fifths as if he doesn't understand intermediate harmony at times. However, he is probably the greatest example of the "artesian well" stereotype of a composer. His melodies seem to "well up" from nowhere and he had no problem coming up with thousands of them.

In contrast, Beethoven often struggled with his melodic material. And yet he could create an entire movement in the 5th symphony from a musical phrase that doesn't even qualify as a melody (actually, it's only four notes), being more of small snippet or "idee fixe," as one historian has written. In other words, Beethoven could create a work of genius starting with source material that was quite modest and almost hum-drum, perhaps even minimalist, in a way no other composer could.

This is important, because although there are composers who could more easily come up with melodic material than Beethoven, they still didn't know how to develop it like he could. They might start out with better material, but the "finished product" wasn't as good because they lacked Beethoven's genius at thematic development and exposition.

There are other problems with Beethoven, but I'll leave it at that. If he was a times a little rough around the edges, as in his transitions, he can be forgiven for this relatively minor problem because his contributions in the most important areas were so amazing. To mention just two of these, he greatly increased the complexity and sophistication of harmonic and symphonic structure more than any other composer before or since.

Another way of thinking about it is that Beethoven, like Heinlein, was a pioneer and trail-blazer who revolutionized our thinking about music (or science fiction). If they're both a little rough around the edges at times, I don't mind that--as the refinement of a field can be left to the lesser artists and those who follow after (which is essentially what happened). And the same goes for the subsequent development of science fiction.

I'm sure this idea applies to great literary figures as well, and so I suspect the same thing could be said about Heinlein as about Beethoven. As I said, like Beethoven, Heinlein wasn't just another competent artist who just "upped the ante" a bit; he was a revolutionary who blazed new trails in SF writing, going where no man had gone before.

No artist or writer is perfect. Even if Heinlein had a few minor faults, they pale into insignificance in contrast to the greatness of his overall contributions, even as Beethoven's do.

The good, the bad, and .. you decide.......2000-04-09

I waited a long time before deciding to to buy and read this book. Heinlein was the author of the first SF I ever read; I didn't read anything by Panshin until twenty years later. However, I like them both, in different ways and for different reasons. While I cannot say I agree with all of the observations, criticisms, and conclusions Panshin has made about Heinlein -- I don't -- "Heinlein in Dimension" *did* make me think a bit more about the Heinlein I've read. Seeing how Panshin viewed him and his work has made me consider my own opinions on the matter. If you're looking for an RAH cheerleading book, this isn't it. If you're looking for a completely objective and unbiased book about Heinlein and his work, I don't think this is it either. If, however, you're familiar with Heinlein (even a fan), are looking for someone *trying* to be objective about the subject, and can read it with the continual remembrance that you're reading someone's *opinion*, then you might find "Heinlein in Dimension" worthwhile -- in viewpoint-stretching ways if not as pure analysis.

How not to study an author.......2000-02-23

Alexei Panshin started off on the wrong foot with this book: he read some of Mr. Heinlein's mail without first getting Heinlein's permission.

This in turn led Heinlein to refuse to cooperate with him, or even speak with him when they met at a public event (Heinlein said: "You have read my mail. GOOD DAY, SIR!" and he turned his back on him).

Panshin demonstrates at length in this book that he doesn't like Heinlein, doesn't approve of his ideas, doesn't understand him, and thinks that Heinlein isn't a very good writer. How much of this opinion is personal animus, how much left-wing disapproval of a right-winger, and how much plain stupidity I wouldn't venture to guess, but to paraphrase the author of a review below, entitled "Panshin in Dimension" , it contributes very little of value to the study of Heinlein or his work.

I realize it is hard to be objective and insightful about someone you don't like, and it does have the occasional interesting insight into Heinlein's fiction, but mostly, it stinks. Not recommended, unless you read it first at the library and decide you want it.

Panshin isn't fit to lick Heinlein's boots.......2000-02-20

This book pretends to be objective about Heinlein, but I suspect that this is mostly a technique to try to draw Heinlein's fans away from him. RAH's most important works, such as _Stranger in a Strange Land_, _Starship Troopers_, or "Gulf," are invariably trashed by Panshin. To give one really glaring example of Panshin's bias, when the hero of _Glory Road_ states that he dislikes Vietnamese women because they are small, Panshin takes this as bigotry. Panshin himself notes that the hero here is markedly different from the hero of _The Door Into Summer_, who goes back in time to tell a young girl to meet him in the future and marry him. Somehow, he fails to make the connection--Heinlein, contrary to what Panshin and other critics say, IS capable of creating DIFFERENT characters whose life views do NOT necessarily represent his own. And of course, Panshin's review of "Gulf" is one of the worst examples of literary criticism I have ever seen.

A critique of Heinlein's philosophy more than his writing.......1999-12-14

Panshin seems to have many philosophical disagreements with Heinlein, and thus has a few axes to grind. This seriously distracts from his criticism of Heinlein's writing. The criticism mostly serves as a vehicle for making cracks about Heinlein's philosophy instead.

Much criticism of Heinlein seems to fall into one of two camps - the bash him at all costs camp, and the adoring fans camp. (This one is obviously from the bashing camp.) Neither really does the man justice. He's a great writer, but not without flaws.

An Anthology of Original SF Stories Orbit 10
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An Anthology of Original SF Stories Orbit 10
Edward Bryant , Carol Emshwiller , Albert Teichner , George Alec Effinger , R.A. Lafferty , Alexei Panshin , Jack M. Dann , Gardner R. Dozois , and Et Al
Manufacturer: G.P Putnam's Sons, New York
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000BQ4VLM

Rite of Passage
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Rite of Passage
Alexei PANSHIN
Manufacturer: Science Fiction Book Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Panshin, Alexei | ( P ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 073945000X

Product Description

From dust jacket: "Written in the Heinleinian tradition of social upheval amid advancing technologies, this classic tale of inocence lost as a far-flung humanity struggles to survive on alien worlds remains as daring and relevant as it was when first published in 1968."

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Masque World
Alexei Panshin
Manufacturer: NY Ace Books 1969.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J5FSQ2

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The Thurb Revolution
Alexei Panshin
Manufacturer: Ace
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HKP972

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Masque World: An Anthony Villiers Novel
Alexei Panshin
Manufacturer: Ace Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000H2424Q

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SF in Dimension: A Book of Explorations
Alexei Panshin , and Cory Panshin
Manufacturer: Advent Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0911682244

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