This is one of those classic tales set in an artificially sustained reality, such as in Shakespeare's The Tempest and Michael Moorcock's Dancers At The End Of Time and The New World's Fair.

Yet The Overman Culture unfolds like a set of Chinese boxes, to finally reveal the reason for the many paradoxes, temporal and otherwise, that haunt the reader as she/he progresses through this masterpiece.

Why is Sir Winston Churchill walking arm in arm with Queen Victoria as the Battle of Britain is re-fought above London's transparent pressure dome? Why do some children bleed and not others?

The answers are all in there. Treat yourself. Then pick up Cooper's A Far Sunset and Sea Horse In The Sky. Trust me.

I first read The Overman Culture in highschool and was rivited by the concept. I found it again as an adult, and on revisiting Mr. Cooper's London, was once again wrapped up in his world. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes future history, end of the world and rebirth stories...

After having read a number of Edmund Cooper's other books (namely Kronk and Prisoner of Fire), I had very high hopes for this book. I was intrigued as to what Mr Cooper could add to the fantasy genre to compare with his efforts in the field of sci-fi. The mystery present in so many of his novels is present at the beginning, but this is surpassed by the vision and stylish splendour of the, rather unexpected, ending. While I did not enjoy this book to the extent to which I had the others, this is still a wonderful read.

When I describe this novel as "juvenile", I have to make sure I'm being clear. I don't mean it's like one of Robert A. Heinlein's "juveniles", geared for young readers and still appealing to older fans too; No no...I mean the book is rather hackneyed, trite, and, especially, immature in its depiction of women. If, after reading the above, you are still interested in the plot of this forgotten and forgettable bit of minor 70s SF, then just know it's about Idris Hamilton, whose spaceship is blown out from under him thanks to sabotage, and is left to float, alive but frozen, in space, until he ends up on the tenth planet of our ever-surprising solar system--a planet called Minerva. Hamilton does not fit in well with the Minervans' advanced, peaceful culture...not surprising since he slept in space for five thousand years, making him, in the Minervans' eyes, a barbarian-flavoured popsicle, one that many of them would just have soon seen not thawed out. Yes, Idris becomes a problem within his new society on a new world. He courts two women, but that's okay, that's normal on the tenth planet; but punching out rival suitors is not. Neither is linking his lot with underground rebel troublemakers (who operate in groups that could contain government spies anyway). The more Idris fights to change what he sees as a repressive, stagnant world, the more enemies he racks up. He dreams of fleeing back to distant, abandoned Earth, where once upon a time at least humans had chutzpah, gumption, all that.

This book is halfway engaging and somehow fun during the reading of it. But Idris and his plight are not original. This is Thomas More's Utopia for Dummies meets Cheesy Nudie SF Late Night Movie, where women strip on command for Science's sake ("so I'll humour the barbarian; maybe I'll learn some valuable psychological information--oops, now I want to sleep with him"). It's a shame that The Tenth Planet is such a routine stop, because I have enjoyed an Edmund Cooper effort, called Five To Twelve, much more than this. But then, it actually had something to say.

I read this book when I was still in high school, and what struck me was the vibrant image the author painted of a world that had lost its humanity, viewed through the eyes of Earthman who very well could be your neighbor today. Definitely a worthwhile read if you can find it.

"Five To Twelve" is a work of Science Fiction that deals with a future society that is ruled by women. By some biological mishap twelve females are born to every five males. The females of 'Five To Twelve' have also reached physical equality with males. Women in this world now hold the reins of power and over time males have become third class citizens and lose the rights to vote, hold public office, or receive a higher education.

The story centers on a man that is a brilliant writer but is unable to achieve any of his goals because of the long standing and institutionalized prejudice against men in this matriarchal society.

The story also chronicles the stormy relationship this disgruntled man has with an Amazonian policewoman who just can't understand at first why he is so upset with his lot in life.

In 'Five To Twelve'The author to promotes the view that nothing good can come out of a situation where one sex dominates the other. The author's intent seems to be to draw attention to the lot of women in the male dominated society at the time the book was written. Even though the writers theme is a bit simplistic and the plot rather predictable the book presented the inverted world of "Five To Twelve" in a detailed and believable fashion. The book was interesting, fast paced, action oriented and generally a good read.

Steve

This book passed the time on a couple of long-haul flights recently. Written in 1970, the book definitely shows the mark of time and changes in society. The book's theme is the conflict between blacks and whites which was pretty hot in the 1960s but not nearly so bad now. The concept of a global war between powers based on the colour of the skin doesn't seem too likely today. The book does cover the generic subjects of racial hatred, first contacts with new races, and low tech people meeting high tech people reasonably well. I didn't get many surprises though. The book also suffers from being too short. For example, there is one chapter devoted to the political structure on Mars which could easily have been expanded on to add more depth. Typical charity-shop fare