All in Zanzibar

Summary

In 2010, the number of the human beings is such as, if they were held with the neck and neck on the island of Zanzibar, they would cover it in entirety. Overpopulation involves the disappearance of any private sphere, a Draconian genetic control and a generalized urban anarchy. Pollution makes that with New York, of the oxygen distributers are at the disposal of those which need to fill the tank before crossing the streets. The consumption of tranquillizing, to limit the necessary social strains due to promiscuity, spread.

Radiations involved the increase in the rate of the hereditary diseases at such a point that drastic measures are taken: the carrying individuals are automatically sterilized and only reproduce those which have healthy Caryotype S. The Eugénisme is developed. Obviously, individual freedom is resolutely refused.

In New York, Norman, a young person Afro-American, works for all-powerful General Technic Corporation whose Superordinateur Shalmeneser organizes the pure and simple purchase of a African country. Its compagon of apartment, Donald, apparently a simple student, is in fact recruited by the secret services which send it to seize discovered a geneticist a country the Tiers-monde which would make of all the newborns of the predetermined geniuses.

Comment

In the beginning, John Brunner had written a very short account published in 1967 and that it began again and amplified until making of it a book three times longer than a normal novel. It is indeed a deliver-world, qualified of not-novel by its author. The traditional account is déconstruit, because the narration runs on four tracks the various, overlapping ones in the others, but separate with the synopsis so that readers eager not to read such or such part can do it without disadvantage. This writing approaches that of a Paul Auster in the New Yorkean Trilogie .

Initially the context which, as the word indicates it, makes it possible to have an idea of this world of 2010. Then the world moving, composed of very fast labels, of instantaneous with the sometimes unfinished sentences, over the time, which make it possible either to have an overall vision of it, but to look it by the short period of the spyglass as people who live there. Then, stakes and portraits where, this time, the author presents living beings to us, generally not making part of the intrigue, but inhabitant this world and living it with the daily direction of the term. Lastly, continuity tells the history itself of Stand one Zanzibar. To return the panic which seizes this humanity, John Brunner has an exuberant language, deploys a remarkable invention in the language, extremely well returned by the French translator.

It is a main work. One can consider that with works of Philip K. Dick, it is one of the bases of the Cyberpunk. The universe of Stand one Zanzibar had so much marked John Brunner whom he wrote a second novel being held within the same framework, the jagged Orbit (1969, The Jagged Orbit ).

Literary prizes

All in Zanzibar of John Brunner received the Prix Hugo of the best novel of Science-fiction in 1969.

Traditional of the science fiction

This novel is regarded as a great classic of the Science-fiction in the following reference books:

Annick Beguin, 100 principal titles of the science fiction , Cosmos 2000,1981;
Jacques Sadoul, Anthology of the literature of science fiction , Ramsay, 1981;
Jacques Goimard and Claude Aziza, Encyclopedia of pocket of the science fiction. Guide reading , Presses Pocket, coll “Science fiction”, n°5237, 1986;
Denis Guiot, the Science fiction , Massin, coll “the world of… ”, 1987;
Science fiction. The ideal library , Albin Michel, 1988;
Investigation of Fanzine Carnage society man near his readers, 1989;
Lorris Murail, the Masters of the science fiction , Bordered, coll “Compact”, 1993;
Stan Barets, science-fictionnaire , Denoël, coll “Presence of the future”, 1994;
ideal Library of the webzine cosmic Cockroach.

Criticisms specialized

In its History of the modern science fiction , appeared in 1984, Jacques Sadoul declares in connection with this novel: In a word, we really believe to have lived at the time of Stand one Zanzibar when we close again the book. There let us add finally a remarkable invention in the language, which was extremely well returned by the French translator and we will have a work perhaps a little too artificial, a little too manufactured, but absolutely enthralling. It is a feat of ingenuity and a main work. .

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