The Long Earth
Sci-fi and fantasy giants Stephen Baxter and Terry Pratchett collaborate on a new novel, The Long Earth; a novel that has more depth than the traditional yarn about fantastical worlds and unbelievable utopias. The Long Earth investigates the moral implications of human exploration and development – how far is too far when it comes to making our mark on the planet? The novel centres around the discovery that there are thousands of unique versions of Earth existing just out of reach, but the development of “stepping” – the ability to literally step between these alternate worlds – allows the human race to escape the pollution and corruption of Earth (or Datum Earth as it is known in the novel), and disappear into a brand new, clean and uncharted version of their own country, or even their town. This sparks a mass migration into these alternative worlds, but they are not as perfect as they seem. Many have harsh climates, or are home to wildlife of a prehistoric, and dangerous, nature, but some resemble Earth before it was completely cultivated, and prior to the technological advances that we are all so familiar with. These are settled by a new generation of pioneers who create their own rules, and begin to make use of the abundant natural resources. Baxter and Pratchett subtly critique this desire to push the boundaries of exploration, using the journey of the main character Joshua Valiente and the setting of a futuristic Earth that is not too much different from our own to suggest that the impact human actions have on the environment is much greater than we realise. We strive for a cleaner environment, and the feeling of being the first to “discover” an untouched world, but what right do we have to do so when we have polluted and altered the planet to such an extent? The novel is thought-provoking and engaging, but I found it to be less gripping than other novels in the dystopian genre. There was a sense that the novel was building up to a dramatic conclusion, but it took a long time to reach that point, and the ending was very rushed – perhaps the next novel, The Long War, will expand on this more. As an avid reader of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series The Long Earth was a surprise, as the dual authorship altered the overall style of the novel, but there were elements of Pratchett’s wit which was a bonus to fans like myself. Overall The Long Earth is an interesting novel, slightly long-winded in parts and containing characters that are not easily likeable or realistic, but it does leave you wanting more.
By Nia Liversuch