Review: A Rough but Memorable Tale
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 03 24, 2012
We've all probably had this writing assignment in school at one time or another:  What would you do if you were the last person on Earth?  Children of Destruction by Al Philipson starts us on this familiar SF territory.  Something horrible has happened, and now only a few survive to pick up the pieces of shattered civilization.  The sudden onset of catastrophe brings to mind John Birmingham's Without Warning, but the struggle for survival that ensues is more like George R. Stewart's Earth Abides.  As machines wear out there are worries about food, shelter, and survival, and it takes all of the survivors' wits and skills to persist.  The story even recapitulates the meeting of Ish and his multi-ethnic mate Em; here the protagonist is Buck Mathews, and he has his Jean.  But this story travels paths that Earth Abides never dared to tread, and leaves almost no current hot-button issue untouched.  Passionate Jean finds herself joining wise Anne, practical Gloria, and young, flirtatious Tesse, all vying to be Buck's mate.  A spooky boy genius named Harry  joins the mix, and soon it becomes clear that Buck's fantasy of having four women may be overwhelmed by the difficult realities.  Buck could never make a previous marriage work, let alone manage a relationship with four women at once.  Meanwhile, a very different race far from Earth contends with its own ability to preserve its existence, by fleeing from a parent star about to go nova.  Sek-ka, member of a combative lizard-like people, must contend with a shrill wife, a rebellious daughter and slaves, and a credit-stealing boss who's only gift is low animal cunning.  Sek-ka wrestles with questions of status and privilege while cruelty, tyranny and deceit dominate the arrangements to evacuate.  This is also familiar ground, reminiscent of the plight of the ruthless Wyzhnyny armada in John Dalmas's Soldiers.  However, the reader becomes aware that this story is a study in contrasts.  Both races will struggle to survive, physically and socially.  But which characteristics cherished by members of each race will dominate and ultimately win the day?  In the second act, we are taken several hundred years into the future, to discover the cause of the destruction on Earth, and the reasons why only certain people survived.  This part seems more like Buck Rogers.  Humans are repopulating Earth, and the populous Mathews 'family' has developed advanced technology and space travel.  The story expands to include many new characters, including some marrying into the Mathews family enterprise.  Key among these is young Melinda, with latent psychic abilities.  Humans meet the reptilian race, with predictable results.  Philipson, however, throws in a final twist.  A third race of 'Fuzzies' is also encountered, and this meeting ends up being the pivotal and deciding factor leading to a satisfactory conclusion.Philipson plays with some potent themes throughout the story.  In fairness, most readers will likely find points with which they could take issue.  In a very Heinlein-like way, Philipson allows his characters to lecture on a wide variety of moral and political issues.  He addresses sexuality and sexual orientation, gun ownership, bureaucracy, immigration and ethnicity, family values and religion with equal gusto.  As in Heinlein's works, this is accomplished with an admixture of conservative libertarianism and principled authoritarianism.  Liberal and conservative alike find their sacred oxen skewered in this tale, where there is a clear aim to provoke readers into thinking about social norms and conventions.  The results of this social commentary are accomplished with varying degrees of success.  Philipson's writing style focuses on action and dialogue.  The narrative is strongest in the moments where the author's own voice subtly challenges itself, and in the moments of grief, regret, and reflection.  More of those kinds of moments would help to elevate this story to the same league as others mentioned in this review.  Also needed would be some judicious pruning of unnecessary lectures and analysis in the dialogue, and some 'atmospheric polish' to add depth and flow to the action. There are a few language glitches but they did not rise to the level where most readers would have difficulty. Where the story succeeds best is in sorting out the most important legacy for survival.  Duty, Passion, Faith, Love, Strength, Ruthlessness... all pale in significance when compared to the legacy of Reason and Compassion in the humans, and the ability of the alien Fuzzies to recognize and experience it.  The story also asks some interesting questions.  What if only certain people with certain characteristics survived an Apocalypse?  What happens after the initial survivors die?  What would be their legacy?  What would a human eugenics program actually look like?  At the end of the day, the story is a bit rough around the edges, but it's not an easy one to forget, and the possibilities linger in one's imagination.  It will appeal to fans of post-apocalyptic science fiction looking for new twists on conventional themes.