Leaping to the Stars is the third and final book in the Far
Side of the Sky series by David Gerrold. The series chronicles the exploits
of Charles "Chigger" Dingillian, a young teenager who comes of age as
he and his family leave a ruined Earth to find a better situation. Written in
the traditional style of science fiction, the author take us beyond the solar
system for an exciting adventure brimming with twists and turns as it unfolds.
But that's not all. There is a smorgasbord of questions presented to give one
food for thought.
I would recommend that anyone
interested in reading this saga to be sure to read the series starting with the
first book in the series to see the growth in the principal character. The
first book is Jumping off the Planet, followed by Bouncing off the Moon. All three are excellent books that have a great deal of value in
great storytelling, characters to care about, and thought-provoking
philosophies presented without taking the reader out of the story.
It's no secret David Gerrold is
a superior author, and this series is one outstanding example of his
brilliance.
This tale picks up shortly
following the events of Bouncing off the Moon. Charles has been reunited
with his mother and father. He and his two brothers, Douglas, Bobby, along with
Mickey - Douglas' love interest - all board a starship in preparation to move
to the Outbeyond colony, some thirty-five light years from the earth. Life will
not be easy on Outbeyond. Conditions there are going to depend heavily on
everyone in the colony, contributing their talents and knowledge to survive.
One thing that may help is the
artificial super-intelligent program called HARLIE, contained in a toy monkey
bonded to Charles. HARLIE is an acronym for Human Analog Replicant Lethetic
Intelligence Engine. The thing is, everyone wants HARLIE for its sheer power to
think and come up with abstract ideas to problems. HARLIE's main purpose is to
ensure the wellbeing of Charles, and by extension, everything he cares about.
What we learn in this story, as far as HARLIE is concerned, is what lengths the
program will go to make sure Charles is safe.
Being chased by everyone,
Charles and his family get aboard the starship Cascade to begin their
journey. Right up to the last minute before their final launch, a law
enforcement official is knocking at the hatch of the ship, trying to stop them
from leaving. The ship finally blasts away from the moon to begin the journey.
And that should be the easy part, but it's not to be.
Onboard the Cascade,
there is endless training for the future colonists. There are matters of
educating the young and finding out how adult passengers can contribute to the
colony. There are matters of conservation and usage of limited supplies, and
how the colony will be set up upon arrival.
If it sounds daunting, it is.
The tale is told from Charles's
point of view entirely. We get a look at his thought processes and the
conclusions he draws. He is often disappointed in what he finds coming from his
experiences. For instance, even before he is aboard the starship, it is made
clear to him he, and his family, are only welcome because he controls HARLIE.
The best thing about Charles is
witnessing him coming into his own as the story progresses. Being forced to grow
up makes him appealing to me. The unfortunate thing about him is no matter
where he turns, there is always someone trying to take something from him. He
is somewhat a tragic character, but he learns about his world despite the
setbacks, which there are many.
Charles finds his solace in
music. He is an accomplished musician, following in his dad's footsteps. His
music has been a sustaining force all his life and in this part of the saga, it
also becomes a sustaining force for others.
My favorite point of plot in Leaping
to the Stars is in a chapter called "Defining Government" (pp.
192-196 - Kindle Edition). It describes a discussion between students and a
wise teacher using the Socratic method to lead students in discovering their
own conclusions, namely how they would shape the government for their colony.
The students discuss everything from free-living to coming up with a set of
rules that must apply to all. These four pages of the book are worth the price
of the book.
Another discussion that takes
place between two people is on the nature of being good, or maybe behaving well
would also fit. The question is, is behaving well desirable because it comes
with rewards, or is it a reward in itself?
Finally, my favorite quote from
the book is at the core of another concept.
"... knowledge isn't about
what you believe, it's about what you can demonstrate." (Page 199 - Kindle
Edition)
There is what one knows, and
there is what one believes. I think I'll just leave that one right where it is.
I will add, much of what I read
in parts of the book dealing with philosophy and world building reminded me of
Plato's Republic, but David Gerrold's writing is far more entertaining.
My takeaway from this book
shows how difficult it is to maintain a society, and none of us really knows
everything that makes a communal living situation work. As the people on the
ship move closer to the colony, there are a lot of bits and pieces that need to
fall into place. Or maybe more like hammering into place. Everyone will have to
contribute to the commonwealth to make it a viable place to live. Just
subsisting is not an option.
One of my favorite things about
David Gerrold's stories is there is something to be learned from all of them I
have read. There is always something to think about after the book is closed,
and this book will haunt me as I work through and sort out what I have been
given to think about.
But please, don't
misunderstand, Leaping to the Stars is not just a treatise on societal
living. The story is amazing. It has everything one would want from a good
sci-fi book. It has great backdrops for well-developed characters to play in.
It has a full gamut of emotional context for the reader. There is even a love
story, as well as a budding love story, when Charles is reacquainted with
someone he met in the first installment of the series. There is technology at
work and even an element of uncertainty with HARLIE. All of this is tied
together to round out a trilogy full of unexpected surprises in the tradition
of authors such as Robert Heinlein. In a word, it’s fun. Highest
Recommendations!
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Well, there it is...
Qapla!
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