Gully Foyle is my nameTerra is my nationDeep space is my dwelling placeThe stars my destinationSci-fi from its formative days is funny. Not funny ha-ha (not always anyway), but funny-weird…at least for me. I am often unable to get over the clunky writing and wispy plots despite the many cool ideas on display. Sometimes even a premise as cool as a galaxy-spanning empire held together by the prods and pokes of a few cognoscenti using an arcane sociological science still can’t make a plodding plot with artless prose and paper-thin characters readable to me (sorry, Mr. Asimov). At other times the founders of the genre can suffer by comparison to their descendants who have taken the ideas that, while new and fresh when they used them, seem old and tired when you come to the foundational works after seeing them presented elsewhere, often with more compelling characters and well-crafted prose. Then there are books like this one, written by Alfred Bester, and you understand why some classics are still classics.Gully Foyle is a gutter-boy. A low, brainless brute barely able to act as a Mechanic’s Mate 3rd class on the spaceship ‘Nomad’, oiling and wiping the machines and acknowledged by his superiors to be a human dead end. Then the passing ship ‘Vorga’ left him to rot, the only survivor on a crippled ship in the void. So, in five seconds, he was born, he lived, and he died. After thirty years of existence and six months of torture, Gully Foyle, the sterotype Common Man, was no more. The key turned in the lock of his soul and the door was opened.A purpose had been found that could open up all of the potential this beast-man had within him: vengeance. From here we follow Foyle as he lifts himself out of the pit (physically at least) by his bootstraps and ingeniously contrives both his own rescue and the plans that set him on the path that will allow him to fulfill his oath: “I find you, ‘Vorga’. I find you, I kill you, ‘Vorga’. I kill you filthy.” All the while his spirit stews in the morass from which his body could escape and he becomes a rapist, thug and purveyor of violence in pursuit of his goal. No price is too high to reach it, whether it be imprisonment or social isolation; no obstacle can stand in his way, whether it be the most powerful institutions in the world, or the human dignity of those he uses. Beware, Gully Foyle is on his way.Bester’s prose is well-wrought and carries us briskly along with Foyle on his quest, from the gutter tongue of the 25th century into which he was born to the more refined prose of the high society parties which Foyle must infiltrate. Bester also does a fine job of describing his world and his ability to portray everything from the rigours of Gully’s six month survival in a broken hulk in deep space a gruelling moment at a time, to the weird and wonderful portrayal of Foyle’s trauma-induced synaesthesia later in the book is astonishing. I was dazzled. There are also more ideas packed into one slim volume than you can shake a stick at and all of them are foundational in the genre: cybernetic implants for physical and mental enhancement, personal teleportation (with many of the social ramifications of its existence worked out in the story), world-ending manufactured compounds that leave the future of humanity lying on a knife’s edge, a world controlled by pseudo-feudal multinational corporations, a forgotten society of future primitives living on a lonely asteroid, tattooing their faces with hideous designs, and worshipping a debased form of the scientific method…and the list goes on. Why were they able, at their best, to do this kind of thing in the old days in one slim volume, while today a writer would have taken half of these ideas, or even one, and written a two thousand page multi-volume epic out of it? Add to that the cast of characters that are almost all equally memorable and well-drawn: the megalomaniac Presteign of Presteign, a man of wealth and power cognisant of little save his own desires and dignity; his equally powerful daughter, the beautiful blind albino Olivia, an ice-princess who sees the world in the infra-red and electro-magnetic spectrums and carries her own dark secrets; the memorably named Jisbella McQueen (Jiz to her friends, thanks very much) a criminal miscreant both attracted to and repulsed by Foyle; and the man with the death’s head smile, Saul Dagenham, a scientist made ‘hot’ by an accident that has left him a radioactive outcast, able to interact with others in only a limited way.I must admit that, while I thoroughly enjoyed this book from the start, I was minded to give it a three star rating until I came to the climax and Bester managed to turn a scarred, brutal criminal into an altruistic saviour for a mankind as lost and directionless as he had been. One key had turned and made Gully Foyle into a remorseless machine for vengeance, another equally harsh set of trials then took this driven creature and made him into someone able to see the root of humanity’s need and try his best to give them the key to their own awakening. I challenge you, me. Die or live and be great. Blow yourselves to Christ gone or come and find me, Gully Foyle, and I make you men. I make you great. I give you the stars.What a great read. Highly recommended.(Bester also gets extra points for having written the silver age Green Lantern oath, a ditty almost as cool as the one quoted above about Gully Foyle.)Also posted at Shelf Inflicted
“Gully Foyle is my name And Terra is my nation Deep space is my dwelling place The Stars my destination”The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester is one of those books that will be included in pretty much every science fiction top ten list. Fifty-eight years have passed since it was first published, and it has maintained its reputation, which is a pretty impressive record. In fact, it’s hard to believe that it was written in the mid-1950s; its style, mood and surroundings are as compelling as in most contemporary cyberpunk novels.Bester borrowed the basic plot of this novel from Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, in which Edmond Dantes was wrongly imprisoned and escapes to wreak vengeance on his enemies. Likewise, The Stars My Destination, follows a quest for vengeance.In the 25th century, an interplanetary war is being waged between the Inner and Outer planets of the Solar system. This war was instigated by the discovery of instant teleportation (or “jaunting” as it is called after the discoverer Charles Fort Jaunte) which upsets the economic balance. This practice is an action of will, unmediated by technology, provided the person can visualize the destination in their mind.Set in this backdrop, the novel starts with Gully Foyle, marooned in deep space inside the wreckage of a spaceship. Credit is due to Bester for pulling no punches in his portrayal of Foyle, who in the earlier part of the novel is painstakingly unpleasant; he is a violent man, a murderous rapist, absolutely ruthless, which are qualities he never quite sheds. At all times, he is a very dangerous man. What the author also accomplished, however, was to make his hero perversely compelling.He was Gulliver Foyle, Mechanic’s Mate 3rd Class, thirty years old, big boned and rough… and one hundred and seventy days adrift in space. He was Gully Foyle, the oiler, wiper, bunkerman; too easy for trouble, too slow for fun, too empty for friendship, too lazy for love. The lethargic outlines of his character even showed in the official Merchant Marine recordsFOYLE, GULLIVER -AS-128/127:OO6EDUCATION: NONESKILLS: NONEMERITS: NONERECOMMENDATIONS: NONE(PERSONNEL COMMENTS)A man of physical strength and intellectual potential stunted by lack of ambition. Energizes at minimum. The stereotype Common Man. Some unexpected shock might possibly awaken him, but Psych cannot find the key. Do not recommend for further promotion. Foyle has reached a dead end.Foyle is best described as a grunting illiterate. He is a lowly, brainless brute barely able to do as his job description require:, oiling and wiping machines. He survived the destruction of the spaceship Nomad on which he was working, but after 170 days in a locker aboard the depressurized hulk, he is running out of air. Foyle believes he is saved when he attracts the attention of another ship, but the passing luxury-liner Vorga leaves him for dead. This is a turning point in the character’s story and it changes something in him, turning him into an animal bent on revenge.So, in five seconds, he was born, he lived and he died. After thirty years of existence and six months of torture, Gully Foyle, the stereotype Common Man was no more. The key turned in the lock of his soul and the door was opened. What emerged expunged the Common Man for ever.Foyle, motivated by this all-consuming obsession, engineers his own escape. He is taken in by the odd Scientific People, a forgotten society living on a lonely asteroid, and unwittingly initiated into their cult. As part of the ritual, his face is tattooed with tiger markings and the word ‘Nomad’ which they perceived to be Foyle’s name. The tattoo becomes a perfect metaphor for the monster he has within; and even when the stripes are removed through plastic surgery, they are visible when he loses control in either rage or passion.Acting indiscriminately and without conscience, Foyle sets to pursue first the Vorga and the people who ordered it not to stop and save him. Although he gains sophistication and self-control throughout the book, transforming himself in the process into a highly intelligent, educated and ingenious man, he remains a tiger, burning his way through the lives of those he encounters.In general, the world building is excellent and this novel is highly recommended to science fiction fans interested in a unique future setting. The novel charts the growth and development of a character that will be etched in your mind against an intensely realized backdrop of a war-torn future solar system. A future full of ideas packed into one universe: personal teleportation (with all of its economic and social ramifications), telepathy, medical breakthroughs which allow for all sorts of physical and mental cybernetic enhancements, and the list goes on.The supporting characters are all equally memorable and well-wrought. The megalomaniac Presteign of Presteign, a wealthy man ruled by his desire and greed; his daughter, the beautiful blind albino Olivia who sees the world in the infra-red and electro-magnetic spectrums; and Saul Dagenham, a radioactive outcast who owns a courier company, are a few of the cast of characters present in this book.At about 250 pages The Stars My Destination is a short but unbelievably amazing book that does not show its age in the slightest. It smacks reminiscent of the best space operas, hero’s journeys, and sardonic social commentary.
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Gully Foyle is my nameAnd Terra is my nation.Deep space is my dwelling place,The stars my destination.Gully Foyle is one of the most memorable anti-heroes of science fiction I have ever read. He is an unpleasant but strangely fascinating character that lies, betrays, rapes and brutalizes his way towards seeking revenge. Foyle starts out as a grunting animal that only adopts more sophisticated techniques when brute force fails to be effective in achieving revenge. Two steps forward and one step back, Foyle stumbles backwards into his own sense of morality over the course of the story in a way that's surprisingly believable, if a touch clumsy at the end.This book was written in the 1950s. While the story is still a modern tale it's impossible to completely avoid reference of some of the social ideas of the time. There's some sexism in gender roles and unintentional and unnoticed slang that sounds odd today. All in all, though, Bester has created a story that sounds as modern today as when it was written. Bester’s future, ruled by corporations and hereditary captains of industry doesn't quite ring true, but it does a lot better than most political projections. The plot seems as likely and believable now as ever. You don't have to read this as a period piece to enjoy it.Despite some psychological subtleties and some good world-building, this is an unabashed adventure story, filled with larger-than-life characters, monstrous passions, and dramatic action. A laundry list of current SF authors cite it as influential or a favorite childhood read. If you've never read a Bester before, this is probably the best place to start.
—Scott Sheaffer
Mracno i surovo, prica o coveku koji oce svoju osvetu i ne dozvolja nista da se ispreci. Ali je i prica o trasformaciji iz nikoga u bice terano mrznjom i osvetom da bi kraj na kraju kulminirao sa necim daleko boljim i tera te da malo razmislis o ljudima i svetu. Jeste da je pisano pre 60 godina ali ljudi se nisu uopste promenili tako da vazi i dan danas.Ili da kazemo jednostavnije ovo vam dodje kao kniga sa jakim inspiracijama na Grof Monte Kristo, but in space :)Preporuka.Bonus: Alfred je odgovoran za kredo Green Lantern-a iz 1940tih:In brightest day, in blackest night,No evil shall escape my sight.Let those who worship evil's might,Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!!!
—Daniel
Who is Gully Foyle? The 25th Century Fighting Man!I love my copy of this. That's the best part of this book. I'm left feeling letdown by the novel and hardly feel like bothering to tell you it was only OK in the enjoyment stakes. It might be one of the single greatest science fiction novels of all time but I just didn't think it was that much fun to read. Gully Foyle exists in a permanent state of rage, desperate for revenge after being abandoned to die in space. His journey sees him grow from street savage to respected nouveau riche member of high society, get buried under a mountain and physically abuse several women. The development of the character is probably the most interesting part of this pulpy revenge tale, the way Bester uses words and even fonts giving it a boost in the quality department.The prologue and first couple of chapters gripped me, I was ready to do whatever it takes alongside Gully but as the book went on I found myself less and less interested as Bester took the opportunity to weave slightly more surreal elements to the story. This inevitably caused the story to drag through the middle only to pick up for the final third as truths and double crosses came to light in quick succession.For all those readers who shelved this as cyberpunk I take great pains to point out that there's no cyber involved in this tale. Also it was written 30 years before Gibson started writing. You hurt my brain.I was confused. Things happen between chapters that are never explained merely hinted at and referred to. Sometimes this is a good thing but I couldn't help but feel like I was missing important information. It's almost as if Bester wanted the reader to be confused or permanently off balance whilst reading it.Oh man! I totally forgot the thing about megacorporations! And the bit with the obsession with Victorian fashions! OK so these things would later go on to appear in cyberpunk. Which is quite cool. But I don't care, it's still not cyberpunk.
—Tfitoby
