The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov

In a previous review, I commented that Jules Verne worried about the limited reserves of coal energy left in the world.  He estimated that the coal would last about 300 years, unless we modified our consumption.  After that, what will we do for energy?

I suppose one can forgive him for not foreseeing the rise of the petroleum industry, let alone nuclear or renewable energies.  It is plain to see that high civilization depends on reliable and efficient fuels for energy.  Oil has served us well for the last century and, perhaps, may serve us for another century.  And then what?  

Also, we must not forget the negative impacts that modern industry is having on our ecosystem: global warming, ozone layer depletion and ocean acidification, to name a few.  We must surely give thought to the consequences of living the lifestyles to which we have become addicted.  If only there was a limitless and consequence-free energy source - we could go on partying for centuries, perhaps millennia, or even until the sun goes phfft!  That energy source may be just around the corner.

Or in another universe.  That is what Frederick Hallam discovers when an unusual substance materialises in his office and begins to leak radiation, slowly at first but then in ever greater quantities.  Hallam soon establishes contact with aliens in a para(llel) universe who instruct him on how to build an "electron pump".  Sim sala bim! electron energy is pumped into our universe, and a reciprocal stream of positron energy is pumped into the para-universe.  Everyone is an energy winner, and there seem to be no negative consequences.  Well, not until wunderkind scientist Peter Lamont decides to open his mouth.  But why is no one listening?

The word on the street is that Asimov wrote The Gods Themselves in response to criticisms that his stories lacked aliens and sex.  In this novel, he gave us aliens, alien sex, and even moon sex.  Although the book was first published in 1972, its theme of energy dependence and production presages the oil shocks of 1973 and 1979.

As is usual with an Asimov tale, the storytelling is done through conversations held in closed rooms (or, in this case, caves too).  There is a lot of exposition needed for the reader to understand the plot and its underlying scientific premise.  And the same applies to the politics in the novel.  Luckily for us, Asimov has a talent for weaving all these elements into his stories without making our eyes glaze over or losing us in detail.  

His masterstroke in this novel, I think, is his treatment of the aliens in the para-universe.  First he invents a tri-gendered species.  Then he explains (or, rather, shows) both the mechanics and psychology of sexual and emotional intercourse in such a species.  And while he is doing this, he does manage to advance the action.

The book is divided into three parts.  The first part sets up the basic problem.  The second part shows the problem from the aliens' perspective.  Both these parts of the book play their part admirably.  The third part contains the denouement.  It is arguably the weakest section of the book: the solution is undramatic, the characters unsympathetic, and there is a lot of padding in the guise of conversation.  

In fact, I think the story would have been better suited to a shorter form of story telling. Editors and judging panels seem to have disagreed with me.  The Gods Themselves won both the Nebula and Hugo awards for best novel.  I don't grudge it.  Overall, I found the book entertaining, thought-provoking and relevant to our 21st century predicaments.