The Falling Torch by Algis Budrys

The Falling Torch Reviews

• 
  Gintautas Ivanickas

  Prieš dvidešimt metų įvyko Įsiveržimas. Ateivių rasė okupavo Žemę. Vyriausybė ir paskutinysis prezidentas spruko. Tiesa, nepakako perbrist upelį – teko belstis net už ketverių šviesmečių, į buvusią žemiečių koloniją, bet jau kažin kada atsiskyrusią. Žemėje gi tarsi savo namuose laisvai tvarkosi ateiviai ir tik saujelė su tuo nesusitaikiusių žemiečių pasitraukė į kalnus bei miškus, slapstosi ten žeminėse bei slėptuvėse ir svajoja kada nors nusimesti okupantų jungą. O juos medžioja net ne tiek ateiviai, kiek kiti žemiečiai, priėmę okupantų primestą gyvenimo būdą.
  Žinant Budrio ir jo šeimos biografiją – aliuzijos aiškesnės už aiškias. Vyriausybė išeivijoje, partizanai miškuose. Dvi galingos jėgos – ateiviai ir buvusioji kolonija. Pastarieji mielai užstotų žemiečius (kad ir savų tikslų vedini), bet jėgų pusiausvyra pernelyg trapi, tad į atvirą konfliktą su ateivių rase veltis irgi nesinori.
  Ir štai – gal dėl tų aliuzijų, o gal ir šiaip – pusė knygos skaitėsi labai smagiai. O tuomet viskas pasikeitė. Pagrindinis veikėjas, prezidento išeivijoje sūnus Michaelis Wiremanas ėmė elgtis, švelniai tariant, keistokai. Budrys staiga įpynė grynai socialinės fantastikos skyrių apie klasifikavimą – ateivių visuomenės organizavimo pagrindą. Bet ir ta kryptimi eiti nepanoro. Tada paniro į ilgus ir gana painius filosofavimus. O tada – opa, mes jau finale. Ir nusispjaut, kad praleidome bene svarbiausią dalį – kaip gi iki to finalo buvo nueita?
  Keista knyga, paliekanti tokius mišrius įspūdžius. Tarsi dvi visiškai atskiros ir netgi gal skirtingų rašytojų rašytos dalys. Skystas ketvertas, bet smarkiai skystas. Ir tai – labiausiai už tą pirmąją pusę.
  
• 
  Nawfal

  The tone of the novel is very introspective. Characters get a lot of screen time to examine their thoughts and feelings. Some of it seems honest, some of it seems utterly obnoxious. It is challenging to be patient while characters start musing on their intentions, purpose, destiny, and morals – especially when these moments are pasted against an action movie scenery.
  
  Budrys is working out his personal agonies and loyalties (and those he saw in his father) against the backdrop of space empires. But all resistance forces are the same, all oppressors are the same. And who are the men on either side?
  
  Its heavy and dismal and really not for a lot of readers. But it is authentically Budrys.
• 
  Jim

  Another one from the book box from my late father. He had a lot of science fiction paperbacks mainly from the 60s and 70s. This is one from 1990! But it's a slightly revised version of a story written by the author in 1959. The author Algis Budrys (1931-2008) was an SF author, editor and critic-and captain in the "Free Lithuanian Army." However, there was no such army as Lithuania was occupied by the Soviet Union in 1940. But such a background does help explain the story. Earth has been occupied by humanoid aliens ( called "the Invaders") but some humans have escaped and have a colony in space. From there, young idealistic Michael Wireman is sent back to Earth to contact guerrilla fighters continuing to resist the Invaders. The problem is that Wireman finds a planet at peace and actually prospering under the benevolent rule of the aliens. In fact, not only have most Earthers accepted alien rule, but they have come to oppose the guerrillas as disturbers of the peace. How do you bring about a revolution when most people are content with the status quo? Interestingly, in the case of Budrys' Lithuania, they were never able to overthrow their occupiers, but became free due to the collapse of the Soviet Union...
• 
  Sharon Barrow Wilfong

  Review coming.
• 
  Hank Hoeft

  Falling Torch is considered a classic SF novel, which is a bit ironic because the science fictional elements--a resistance movement that drives out an occupying force of alien Invaders from Earth--are almost irrelevant to the theme of the book: a meditation on the origins of the "great man" in human history. Nevertheless, it was an entertaining and quick read.
• 
  Illusive

  Als die Fremden im Jahre 2439 die Erde überfielen, flohen sie vor der Übermacht und gründeten im Centaurus-System auf einer von Menschen besiedelten Welt eine Exilregierung. Jahrzehnte vergingen, bevor sie daran denken konnten, die Herrschaft der Invasoren zu brechen. Schließlich kehrt ein junger Mann vom Centaurus zur Erde zurück. Er soll mit der Untergrundbewegung Kontakt aufnehmen und die Erde von der Fremdherrschaft befreien …
  
  Ein Fix-up aus drei Storys und wie meistens üblich merkt man es der Geschichte an. Ansonsten war die Story nichts Besonderes 2,5 Sterne
• 
  Erik Graff

  Serendipitously, organizing GoodReads' Budrys database brought me to this novel, something that I read in Michigan during a summer vacation way back in childhood, having been mightily impressed by its cover at the time.
• 
  Tim

  I'm disappointed. I always have a high expectation when I find and then go to read an Algis Budrys book. Maybe I am just expecting too much of him. I'm removing him from my 'top tier' of SF authors for that time period.
  
  As for the story, it just didn't engage me. I found myself not caring at all.
• 
  Carolyn

  Interesting, "old style" science fiction -- invasion by aliens, humans fighting back, etc. Most interesting was the similarities between Budrys' life and events in the novel.
• 
  David Richardson

  This book was not that great. No epic space battles, ray guns or weird aliens. Mostly about political posturing that I really didn't care for.
• 
  I.F. Adams

  Tedious and ham-fisted. Not a fan of communism clearly (and neither am I). Strange time-jumps and odd pacing. 2.5 stars.