One step away from returning the past
Clifford D. Simak’s vision of the world is quite pessimistic. Faced with the failure of science to conquer the cosmos, mankind has turned its back on rationalism. Instead of technique, parapsychology was used, which proved to be effective. So what if science is still needed? That technology and parapsychology really do not have to be mutually exclusive (on the contrary)? Humanity has rediscovered old beliefs, and with them past fears – werewolves, witches, monsters – all this keeps many citizens awake at night.
Unfortunately, anxiety is accompanied by violence. We know it from history. How many terrible events took place because we were afraid of strangeness or otherness? How many times have these feelings been used cynically and led to tragedy? Time is the easiest thing to explore such a concept. The author shows how easy it is to turn society into a bloodthirsty crowd.
However, Simak is not limited to presenting the most terrible events. In fact, much more attention is paid to the lower price paid by “others”. The novel is about pariahs – people endowed with psychic powers. Simak’s piece can be applied to all groups that have been and are in some way referred to as “other”. This seems to make this novel very universal, but also very sad. Although there is hope in everything.
Story
From the fictional side, Time is the simplest thing , it looks even interesting. It cannot be described by the most fascinating book, but it is pleasant to read. And since the novel is not very long, reading does not take long. The main character – Shepherd Blaine – works for the Fishhook Corporation, which uses people with psychic abilities to travel to other planets. Business is extremely lucrative, as the technologies gained sometimes allow us to revolutionize our planet. Unfortunately for her, Shep encounters a being with whom she exchanges consciousness while traveling, and thus is no longer fully human. The corporation cannot allow it, and the main character decides to run away.
The novel is disappointing in some respects. It is somewhat lacking in dynamics and does not overly draw the reader. At the same time, it cannot be called boring or uninteresting. If, on the other hand, we pay attention to the issues raised, it turns out that it is really worth reaching for.
