To Lay Bare the Brains of Earth
July 5, 2008
Alien mind-parasites!
I’ve just re-read this short novel for the first time in ages. It’s normally placed quite low in the ratings of Vance’s work but I still like it!
I still think it could have made a great ‘B’ movie, or an Outer Limits/Twilight Zone episode; aliens, mind-control, weird hand-waving physics – it’s even got treasure (sort of)!
In fact, they could still make it today! What’s Will Smith up to these days!?
Humanoid aliens abduct an Earth scientist and take him to their war-ravaged planet to enlist his help in eradicating an evil menace.
But are they evil? Or even a menace? Probably, but everybody’s thoughts and emotions are being tampered with and the truth is a bit more obscure that the aliens would have it. Much anguish and brain-storming occurs but it’s no surprise that the plucky humans come through!
While it does involve the human mind and it’s latent powers, it’s certainly not Vance’s first foray into the territory – his very first story had the hero venturing into a virtual landscape of the villain’s making, and Parapsyche, The Phantom Milkman and Telek all explore some of the same themes… Probably others, too, that I’m forgetting.
Actually, speaking of Telek, I’d say Brains of Earth certainly comes higher up any ‘best of’ list…
And retitling it ‘Nopalgarth’ wasn’t necessary, IMO; the original title was part of a great line from the book!
