Synopsis:
In the year 2100, the invention of the Electron Pump – an apparently inexhaustible supply of free energy – has enabled humanity to devote its time and energies to more than the struggle for survival, finally breaking free of the Earth. But the Electron Pump works by exchanging materials with a parallel universe, and such unbalancing of the cosmos has consequences. Humans and aliens alike must race to prevent a vast nuclear explosion in the heart of the Sun – and the vaporisation of the Earth exactly eight minutes later… (Source: S.F.Masterworks)
A Discovery of Life and Death!
Winner of several awards and coming from renowned sci-fi author Isaac Asimov, The Gods Themselves comes with certain expectations.
Split into three parts, it tells a story surrounding the invention of the Electron Pump. A huge leap forward in technology, its inexhaustible energy has the potential to solve an ever-growing Earth’s list of problems, but is free energy really free? Some suspect that the Electron Pump’s energy exchange is unbalancing the universe, and if it is, it could have deadly consequences.
Part 1
The first part of the story concerns the initial inception of the pump. Imagined similarly to Fleming’s discovery of Penicillin, the subsequent invention of the Electron Pump shoots its supposed inventor, Hallam, to near godhood, whilst his naysayers are forced to the fringes of the scientific community.
Dr Peter Lamont is one such naysayer and the protagonist of part 1. Partly driven by his disgrace dealt at the hands of Hallam, his investigation into the science behind the energy exchange begins the mystery of the novel and the ever-pressing danger posed by the pump.
At 59 pages in length, the first part of the story is a testament to Asimov’s ability to get the reader engaged with the mystery. This comes from the decision to keenly focus on Peter Lamont. Hot-blooded for a scientist, he’s able to rile the right cages to get the answers he wants, which in turn moves the mystery along at a pleasantly spry pace.
Aside from an introduction to an engaging mystery, the first part provides ample opportunity for Asimov to share poignant insights into the human condition. Senator Burt’s speech on human comfort is especially well-thought-out and plays a key role throughout the rest of the novel.
Part 2
For the second segment of the story, the focus shifts to the other side of the Electron Pump – the parallel universe and the Para-Men.
If the first part was an exercise in mystery writing, then the sequel allows Asimov to let his imagination run wild. Aliens, alien culture and alien worlds all play a key role in the development of this section, and Asimov succeeds in visualising these concepts through an attention-to-detail approach.
Most impressive of all in this part is the creation of the para-men’s life cycle. Simplistic in a way, the parallel universe’s three role aliens each take aspects from animals in nature, e.g., the parental and the male seahorse. As a result, despite these chapters taking place in completely alien environments, they still manage to feel grounded and realistic.
As for the overarching mystery, whilst it takes a while to kick in, it’s clear that Asimov hasn’t missed a beat. It follows three unique soft-ones, Dua, Odeen and Tritt, as they navigate the complexities of triad life (alien mating/marriage).
Dua instigates concerns over the pump, and the mystery starts anew. More involved than in the previous part, all three of the triad utilise their uniqueness to question and investigate. Pushing past their own animalistic instincts, they hope, in vain, to reach someone who can put a stop to the pump and save two universes.
Part 3
Concluding the dangers surrounding the Electron Pump, the final part of the story concerns scientific developments on the moon.
Attempting to find a solution to the Electron Pump problem through a clumsy love story, part three is the weakest of the novel’s trilogy. An expected outcome, given that this part of the story doesn’t break any new ground. It also isn’t helped by the cluttered inclusion of a late-game antagonist.
With Denison and Selene focused on fixing the Electron Pump problem, others on the lunar colony would see their research used for more political ends. Traces of Asimov’s brilliance can be found in these characters’ nuanced motivations, but with several more pressing plot points to conclude, they were given little time to breathe and develop.
Fortunately, Asimov steadies the ship for the story’s conclusion. It’s a segment that plays wonderfully into an earlier theme of human comfort and is played out in a way that could only have come about due to the interference of Lamont, the Para-Men, and the Lunerites.
Asimov’s The Gods Themselves manages to live up to its lofty expectations. Despite a small setback in the final act, the author’s well-actualised concepts of alien society alongside a simple yet effective mystery manage to win out, creating a work of science fiction that’ll stand the test of time for many decades to come.
The Gods Themselves
My Rating: 9.5/10
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