Forty Thousand in Gehenna
Encyclopedia
Forty Thousand in Gehenna, alternately 40,000 in Gehenna, is a 1983 novel by science fiction
and fantasy
author C. J. Cherryh
. The science fiction novel is set in her Alliance-Union universe
between 2354 and 2658, and is one of the few works in that universe to portray the Union side (the other notable exceptions being Cyteen
and Regenesis
).
The book was first published in a limited hardcover edition in 1983 by Phantasia Press
, followed by a mainstream paperback release in 1984 by DAW Books
. It was nominated for the Locus Award
for Best Science Fiction Novel in 1984. Forty Thousand in Gehenna was reprinted in 2008 along with Cherryh's novel Merchanter's Luck
in an omnibus volume entitled Alliance Space.
are dispatched to set up a base on a very rare habitable planet named Gehenna II. Unknown to the settlers, their mission is designed to fail; they are deliberately abandoned in order to create long-term problems for the rival Alliance.
The native Caliban are first presented as annoying lizard-like creatures. The humans at first attempt to keep them outside a perimeter or to drive them away. In time, larger and larger Caliban are seen, with differences in color, size, and even a social structure (some Caliban are subservient to the larger, different-colored Caliban). It becomes clear that the creatures are capable of communication, at least at the level of symbology, and of developing empathic
or possibly telepathic
links to humans. Eventually a symbiosis
develops, with some of the Caliban pairing off with humans.
Over a period of decades and several generations cut off from resupply, the colonists lapse into a primitive lifestyle. By necessity, the azi are allowed to raise families. The non-azi humans are in the minority from the beginning and over time, intermarry with the majority. An Alliance mission first seeks to intervene, then withdraws from direct contact, content to watch as two quasi-feudal, fundamentally opposed societies develop, while a third, smaller group called the "weirds" becomes much more closely associated with the Caliban, living with them rather than the other humans and becoming less comprehensible in the process.
The novel follows several generations of descendants of one particular azi, who establish different lines and rise to become the leaders of two rival cultures. Historical moments depict the decline of the colony, the establishment of human/azi-Caliban relations, cultural development, and the planetary environment. Finally, the two cultures, one 'masculine'-aggressive, the other more 'feminine'-receptive, meet and fight for dominance. A Union delegation arrives at the very end, just in time to be given short shrift by Elai, the girl-ruler who has emerged victorious.
Union military personnel
Union civilian personnel
Non-citizen personnel
Cloudside settlement
Styxside settlement
Alliance personnel
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
and fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
author C. J. Cherryh
C. J. Cherryh
Carolyn Janice Cherry , better known by the pen name C. J. Cherryh, is a United States science fiction and fantasy author...
. The science fiction novel is set in her Alliance-Union universe
Alliance-Union universe
The Alliance-Union universe is a fictional universe created by science fiction and fantasy author C. J. Cherryh. It is the setting for an epic future history series extending from the 21st century out into the far future....
between 2354 and 2658, and is one of the few works in that universe to portray the Union side (the other notable exceptions being Cyteen
Cyteen
Cyteen is a Hugo Award-winning science fiction novel by C. J. Cherryh set in her Alliance-Union universe. The murder of a major Union politician and scientist has deep, long-lasting repercussions....
and Regenesis
Regenesis (novel)
Regenesis is a science fiction novel by American science fiction and fantasy author C. J. Cherryh set in her Alliance-Union universe. It is a sequel to Cherryh's 1988 Hugo award-winning science fiction novel, Cyteen, and was published in hardcover by DAW Books in January 2009...
).
The book was first published in a limited hardcover edition in 1983 by Phantasia Press
Phantasia Press
Phantasia Press Inc. was a small publisher formed by Alex Berman publishing short-run, hardcover limited editions of science fiction and fantasy books. It was active from 1978-1989. The company was based in West Bloomfield, Michigan. The publisher specialized in limited quality first hardcover...
, followed by a mainstream paperback release in 1984 by DAW Books
DAW Books
DAW Books is an American science fiction and fantasy publisher, founded by Donald A. Wollheim following his departure from Ace Books in 1971. The company therefore claims to be "the first publishing company ever devoted exclusively to science fiction and fantasy." The first DAW Book published was...
. It was nominated for the Locus Award
Locus Award
The Locus Award is a literary award established in 1971 and presented to winners of Locus magazine's annual readers' poll. Currently, the Locus Awards are presented at an annual banquet...
for Best Science Fiction Novel in 1984. Forty Thousand in Gehenna was reprinted in 2008 along with Cherryh's novel Merchanter's Luck
Merchanter's Luck
Merchanter's Luck is a science fiction novel written by C. J. Cherryh. It is set in the author's Alliance-Union universe, in which humanity has split into three major power blocs: Union, the Merchanter's Alliance and Earth...
in an omnibus volume entitled Alliance Space.
Plot summary
42,363 Union humans and aziAzi (clone)
Azi are a fictional type of human clones invented by science fiction and fantasy author C. J. Cherryh. They appear in various books in her Alliance-Union universe. "Azi" is an acronym for "artificial zygote insemination"...
are dispatched to set up a base on a very rare habitable planet named Gehenna II. Unknown to the settlers, their mission is designed to fail; they are deliberately abandoned in order to create long-term problems for the rival Alliance.
The native Caliban are first presented as annoying lizard-like creatures. The humans at first attempt to keep them outside a perimeter or to drive them away. In time, larger and larger Caliban are seen, with differences in color, size, and even a social structure (some Caliban are subservient to the larger, different-colored Caliban). It becomes clear that the creatures are capable of communication, at least at the level of symbology, and of developing empathic
Empathy
Empathy is the capacity to recognize and, to some extent, share feelings that are being experienced by another sapient or semi-sapient being. Someone may need to have a certain amount of empathy before they are able to feel compassion. The English word was coined in 1909 by E.B...
or possibly telepathic
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
links to humans. Eventually a symbiosis
Symbiosis
Symbiosis is close and often long-term interaction between different biological species. In 1877 Bennett used the word symbiosis to describe the mutualistic relationship in lichens...
develops, with some of the Caliban pairing off with humans.
Over a period of decades and several generations cut off from resupply, the colonists lapse into a primitive lifestyle. By necessity, the azi are allowed to raise families. The non-azi humans are in the minority from the beginning and over time, intermarry with the majority. An Alliance mission first seeks to intervene, then withdraws from direct contact, content to watch as two quasi-feudal, fundamentally opposed societies develop, while a third, smaller group called the "weirds" becomes much more closely associated with the Caliban, living with them rather than the other humans and becoming less comprehensible in the process.
The novel follows several generations of descendants of one particular azi, who establish different lines and rise to become the leaders of two rival cultures. Historical moments depict the decline of the colony, the establishment of human/azi-Caliban relations, cultural development, and the planetary environment. Finally, the two cultures, one 'masculine'-aggressive, the other more 'feminine'-receptive, meet and fight for dominance. A Union delegation arrives at the very end, just in time to be given short shrift by Elai, the girl-ruler who has emerged victorious.
Characters
The years refer to Gehenna years since the founding of the original colony.Union military personnel
- Colonel James A. Conn (d.3) – governor
- Captain Ada P. Beaumont (d.0) – lieutenant governor
Union civilian personnel
- Marco X. Gutierrez (d.32) – biologist
Non-citizen personnel
- Jin 458-9998 (d.58) – 'A' class azi
- Pia 86-687 (d.46) – 'A' class azi
Cloudside settlement
- Elai (b.178, d.241) – ruler of the Cloud River towers
Styxside settlement
- Jin 12 (b.170, d.205) – ruler of the Styx River towers
Alliance personnel
- Dr. Elizabeth McGee (MaGee) (active 188-205+) – scientist studying the Cloudside settlement
- Dr. R. Genley (active 188-205, d.205) – scientist studying the Styxside settlement
Connection to Cyteen
The novel is set very firmly in the Alliance-Union universe, through the Union origin of the colony and the role of Alliance observers in the later stages. The failure of the colony is meant to cause headaches for the Alliance when Union cedes the region of space that includes Gehenna to its rival's sphere of influence. In Cherryh's novel Cyteen, the rediscovery of the Gehenna colony causes a major political scandal in Union; it is also revealed that specific traits were introduced into the genesets of the azi, without the knowledge of the Union military, in order to help them survive.External links
- C. J. Cherryh, Science Fiction, and the Soft Sciences
- Alliance/Union universe. Forty Thousand in Gehenna review.