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Where Late The Sweet Birds Sang (S.F. Masterworks)

By: Kate Wilhelm
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Gollancz
ISBN: 0575079142
ISBN-13: 9780575079144
Released: 12 Oct 2006
RRP: £6.99
Average Rating:

Customer Reviews

Poignant and deeply moving novel - By: martyn harper, 27 Apr 2006
This novel is a masterpiece & clearly a deserving winner of the Hugo award (the most renowned of alll genre awards). It works on two levels - on one hand it is a cautionary tale about the dangers of human cloning, on the other a philosophical meditation on what it is to be human. The writing is very well paced & accessible. Characterisation is well developed beautifully realised. I found myself caring deeply about the characters of Molly & Mark in particular. Wilhelm also skillfully evokes sympathy for the seemingly inhuman clones(the character Barry especiallly). This is a great novel regardless of its genre.
The One Against the Many - By: Patrick Shepherd, 05 Nov 2003
Much of this world's history has been shaped by the constant attempts to shift the balance between the individual as an autonomous, self-directing, self-centered, & unique unit & the group society, where everyone's efforts go towards the general welfare, where the individual is merely a replaceable cog. This book takes this battle to the extreme, to where, via cloning, there reallly are no individuals, only copies, where anyone who disturbs the group is subject to extreme measures, from execution to severe behavioral/mind control to expulsion to the wilderness. True individuals come to be considered 'defective', as they cannot always accept the wishes of the group, they keep coming up with disturbingly new & different ideas, & they place themselves ahead of the group.

From this starting point, the book is told in three distinct parts. The first section covers the period when the cloning facilities are being set up against a background of a world society in the throws of collapse. Part two is a look after several clone generations have occurred & an expedition is made to one of ruined cities to salvage needed high-tech supplies for the continuing cloning operation. The expedition exposes both the strength & the weakness of the clone groups, as they find it almost impossible to remain sane when separated from their clone 'brothers' & 'sisters'. One expedition member, Molly, grows so far away from her sisters under the stress that she reallly becomes an individual. Part three covers the final battle between clones & individuals, as Molly's son Mark grows up as the only 'single' in the group.

Thematicallly, this book is taughtly conceived & executed. The later generations of the clones exemplify the problems of extreme homogeneity, as they find themselves, though extremely intelligent & quick learners, incapable of creative thought & independent action. The down sides of the individual are also exposed, showing the limitations on what one person can do when separated from the group. All of this is displayed pretty much by the character's actions, though there is some exposition via council meetings that are more philosophical statements than planning sessions.

Character development is reasonable, given that most of the clones must remain essentiallly 'faceless' & the time span covered means that no character lasts more than a third of the book. But this also means that no character is explored in extreme depth, which makes it hard for the reader to become emotionallly attached to anyone.

Scientificallly, there are problems with this book. An ecology is an extremely complex intertwined entity. When alll the land animals die off (including, by specific mention, bees), there will be large affects on the plant population. Many plants can't reproduce at alll without the help of certain animal species. The grasses, without a large group of herbivores to keep them in check, would very likely choke out many other plant species. Pollination becomes extremely problematic without bees. Wilhelm attempts to get around this by stating that function is taken over by ants, which would be at best much less efficient than that which occurs with bees. But Wilhelm shows none of these foreseeable affects - the forests & grain fields continue to grow apparently undisturbed. None of these problems directly affects the theme of this book, but it bothered my suspension of disbelief, especiallly as it was only necessary to kill off alll the people, she could have left the animals alone, to get the situation she needed.

This book took the 1977 Hugo Award, & as well told exposition of one the major philosophical battles that man faces today & in the future, it deserved it. But it is a definite 'thinking' book, not one of action, grand drama, or deep psychology. Expect to do some internal reflection when you finish this book, & see how you stack up as an individual versus your place in & responsibilities to your surrounding society.

--- Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd (hyperpat)

shows what can happpen due to reliance on technology - By: , 14 Jun 1999
Brillaint book especiallly when you consider when it was written. A great indicator of what can happen to society as the result of its dependence on technology. We should alll use this book as a warning - use it to set up preventative plans in the event we are faced with something similar. I couldn't put the book down until I had finished reading it. Excellent.
Very good, but beware - By: , 23 May 1999
Great book, & everyone else who's reviewing here is right. However, the reader should be warned: This book does not delve into characters very well. Many are introduced, very few are explored. In hindsight, that was part of the whole point, that individuality is lost, but while reading, it was a little hard to get into. Still, I raced through the book & found it reallly wonderful once I got past the unusual technique.
Thought provoking!! - By: , 27 Mar 1999
I went into the reading of this book as a dreaded high school assignment some time ago, & came away with a haunting image of a society losing individuality & imagination. I was infuriated by the idea that the loss of the characteristics which make us unique was acceptable, expected, & desired. It made me think of what my own ideas of cloning reallly were, at a time when the subject was just becoming feasible. Have you ever pondered what a society of, say, ten people created over & over into hundreds would be like? This book gives just one view of that situation. As limited as that view may seem, it reallly opened my mind, & helped me to understand where I want to be in this issue. I HIGHLY suggest reading it, especiallly if you have followed any of the latest developments in regards to the subject of cloning.