On a planet where the light comes from the only living beings (animals or plants), a group of 500 humans trying to survive. All descendants of a couple of astronauts stranded on the mysterious planet, they are found 160 years later. Inbreeding has done its work and the group is stagnating, even regressing, waiting in vain for relief of the Earth, heaped among the old large rocks Boule de Lava, forming Family. But John Lampionrouge wants even more, explore the world, emancipation ... at the risk of making enemies among the sitters.
A little science. 50 The estimated number of people required for a course-term viability and to limit inbreeding. 500 being the safe haven. 150 is sufficient for normal reproduction to 2000 years. OK, here we have two modern Adam and Eve (the reference "Eden" will not have escaped you) and one is in inbreeding full pot, with a lot of cleft lip and clawed feet. At the same time, after a famous book, we are all from a single man and a single woman. Everyone will be his opinion.
In prehistoric time the action we could have situated at the time of hunters and gatherers, at which declined Family. Nevertheless every work of science fiction could be transposed in a time already experienced by humanity, it is not the question. Besides the background is particularly original and contributes greatly to the success of the book. All is explained not far away, simply because lapidary and fragmentary knowledge of descendants, but it offers us a very heavy atmosphere quite fitting with the rather pessimistic view of the book.
The choice of language, with words whose meaning has been forgotten or terribly distorted and turns funny and pathetic, a choice of limited vocabulary to emphasize the degeneration of the group. For cons, I do not like this systematic repetition (it is nice-nice, clever-clever, it's hard hard-ect ...) of certain words, the text was sufficient in itself and had, according to I, achieved its goal without the need for this additional artifice.
Lovers of hard science or technology side of science fiction, by cons, forget! (Not the book, it is very nice, but this part of the story). The story of the stranded astronauts is told not only through the distorted memories of descendants.
The author discusses in its history, group dynamics, exercise and taking power, the gradual rise in violence, human relationships (and sexual) without taboo in this society to moral values dictated by the imperatives of survival, the need for empowerment of youth in all its boldness but without ever being heavy or didactic. Simply through the story of John Lampionrouge and some cronies.
It's easy to read, it's original, it's not depressing or maudlin (contrary to what one might think at first) but hopeful (pessimistic, but hopeful, not Would it not paradoxical?). A nifty little smart sf book
