The Alien Way by Gordon R. Dickson (book review).
Gordon Dickson’s ‘The Alien Way’ was first penned in 1965, with a reprint surfacing in 1973. The narrative revolves around a classic sci-fi theme: the first alien-human encounter. At times when there’s speculation about extraterrestrial visitors on Earth, science fiction, as exemplified by this novel, has often ventured there first.
As the story unfolds, we discover a committee dedicated to shielding humanity from alien interactions. Jason ‘Jase’ Barchar, one of its members, finds himself navigating a perplexing reality. After undergoing a mind transfer via an alien device, he perceives the aliens and their intricate honor system through their own lens.
The narrative takes a complex turn when Barchar decides to master fencing to assist his alien counterpart, Kator Secondcousin. Discerning between their identities and pinpointing when the mental switch occurs can be a tad challenging for readers. To clarify, alien names elucidate their relational ties, with designations like Bolf Paternalnephew and Horang Adoptedson. The extraterrestrials hail from the Ruml species, who amusingly label humans as the “Muffled” species.
As the plot thickens, it’s revealed that the Ruml harbor intentions of Earthly conquest. Concurrently, Barchar’s protective agency falls under governmental control. He then faces the challenge of asserting his pivotal role in the project. His unique knowledge stemming from the mind transfer experience positions him as the key to thwarting the Ruml’s plans.
The Ruml’s intricate honor code lacks a direct human parallel. While it bears some resemblance to human familial systems, it’s distinctively alien—everything is, after all, relative.
The narrative can get slightly muddled, especially when Barchar reverts to his own consciousness. Given the era in which it was written, where 180-page novels were standard and works were frequently condensed to fit this mold, it’s uncertain if ‘The Alien Way’ underwent such truncation.
It’s equally ambiguous whether, during the mind transfer, Barchar actively influences Kator Secondcousin’s thoughts or is merely an observer. Notably, the experience is one-sided; Secondcousin doesn’t undergo a similar transition. One can speculate that if the book were crafted today, Dickson might have refined some of these concepts. Nevertheless, the book presents a thought-provoking journey that’s undoubtedly worth delving into.
GF Willmetts
August 2023
(pub: Corgi, 1973. 184 page paperback. Price: varies. ISBN: 0-552-09167-7)
