The Children of the Company
Encyclopedia
The Children of the Company is a science fiction
novel by Kage Baker
. It is another in the series concerned with the exploits of The Company
, a 24th century cabal which exploits history for profit with the aid of immortal cyborg
s living in the past.
Although presented as a novel, it consists mostly of pieces previously published as short fiction. The pieces are bound together by the musings, recollections and ambitions of Labienus, one of the cyborgs who occupies a position of extraordinary power and influence.
Eventually Labienus is told to begin organizing mortals and start civilizing them - the first direct evidence in the Company stories that civilization itself is a result of Company activities. Labienus creates a city, which may be Nippur
, presenting himself as the god En-lil
. After installing a mortal ruler, he moves to Egypt, to run Company operations there. As part of this, he contacts an operative called Imhotep, who is actually Joseph, to begin the secret cabal which will develop, through the centuries, into Dr. Zeus Inc.
.
Another figure in the Company is Victor. He is also one of Budu's recruits, having been born as an Anglo-Saxon. His mentor in the Company is Aegeus.
Victor's first mission is to supervise the revival of Lewis, who was almost destroyed in an encounter with Homo Umbratilis, strange, dwarf-like people in 5th century Ireland. Aegeus is anxious to make sure that Lewis remembers nothing, as he is trying to use the strange new race, who are mechanical and scientific geniuses, to further his own ambitions. These are the same people who pursue Lewis in The Graveyard Game
. Victor is somewhat disgusted by what he has to do, and Labienus is able to use this later to manipulate Victor for his own purposes.
Plot elements hinted at in The Graveyard Game are expanded here. Labienus takes part in the Adonai project, which is the source of Mendoza's troubles in In The Garden of Iden
and Mendoza in Hollywood
. He encounters Budu, who has become a rogue intent on wiping out humans who are a menace to others, or to the future of the Earth.
Labienus begins looking for ways to create diseases that can selectively remove groups of people - these apparently include influenza
, HIV
, and other diseases like Sattes virus which are mentioned in The Graveyard Game. These are responsible for reducing the mortal population and the birthrate by the 24th century, apparently setting the scene for a cyborg takeover.
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...
novel by Kage Baker
Kage Baker
Kage Baker was an American science fiction and fantasy writer.- Biography :Baker was born in Hollywood, California and lived there and in Pismo Beach most of her life. Before becoming a professional writer she spent many years in theater, including teaching Elizabethan English as a second language...
. It is another in the series concerned with the exploits of The Company
Dr. Zeus Inc.
Dr. Zeus Inc., also known simply as The Company, is a fictional entity in a series of time travel science fiction stories by Kage Baker....
, a 24th century cabal which exploits history for profit with the aid of immortal cyborg
Cyborg
A cyborg is a being with both biological and artificial parts. The term was coined in 1960 when Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline used it in an article about the advantages of self-regulating human-machine systems in outer space. D. S...
s living in the past.
Although presented as a novel, it consists mostly of pieces previously published as short fiction. The pieces are bound together by the musings, recollections and ambitions of Labienus, one of the cyborgs who occupies a position of extraordinary power and influence.
Plot introduction
In 1863 Labienus has just completed dispatching the tragic cyborg Mendoza to oblivion, having manipulated her into furthering Company interests. He remembers his origins, and reviews his extensive files on other cyborgs.Plot summary
Like the cyborg Joseph, Labienus was recruited by the Enforcer Budu when his village was wiped out by the "Great Goat Cult" about 15,000 years ago. Unlike Joseph, Labienus was destined for high office in the Company, but was first allowed to develop as an arrogant young individual, delighting in terrifying mortals, who are content to live in small villages. Like many cyborgs, he despises mortals.Eventually Labienus is told to begin organizing mortals and start civilizing them - the first direct evidence in the Company stories that civilization itself is a result of Company activities. Labienus creates a city, which may be Nippur
Nippur
Nippur was one of the most ancient of all the Sumerian cities. It was the special seat of the worship of the Sumerian god Enlil, the "Lord Wind," ruler of the cosmos subject to An alone...
, presenting himself as the god En-lil
Enlil
Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent poets of the Victorian era. Her poetry was widely popular in both England and the United States during her lifetime. A collection of her last poems was published by her husband, Robert Browning, shortly after her death.-Early life:Members...
. After installing a mortal ruler, he moves to Egypt, to run Company operations there. As part of this, he contacts an operative called Imhotep, who is actually Joseph, to begin the secret cabal which will develop, through the centuries, into Dr. Zeus Inc.
Dr. Zeus Inc.
Dr. Zeus Inc., also known simply as The Company, is a fictional entity in a series of time travel science fiction stories by Kage Baker....
.
Another figure in the Company is Victor. He is also one of Budu's recruits, having been born as an Anglo-Saxon. His mentor in the Company is Aegeus.
Victor's first mission is to supervise the revival of Lewis, who was almost destroyed in an encounter with Homo Umbratilis, strange, dwarf-like people in 5th century Ireland. Aegeus is anxious to make sure that Lewis remembers nothing, as he is trying to use the strange new race, who are mechanical and scientific geniuses, to further his own ambitions. These are the same people who pursue Lewis in The Graveyard Game
The Graveyard Game
The Graveyard Game is the fourth installment in the series of science fiction time travel novels by Kage Baker concerning the exploits of The Company.-Plot introduction:...
. Victor is somewhat disgusted by what he has to do, and Labienus is able to use this later to manipulate Victor for his own purposes.
Major themes
Many of the mysteries presented in previous volumes are explained as the product of Labenius' machinations, particularly his rivalry with another powerful cyborg, Aegeus.Plot elements hinted at in The Graveyard Game are expanded here. Labienus takes part in the Adonai project, which is the source of Mendoza's troubles in In The Garden of Iden
In The Garden of Iden
In the Garden of Iden is a 1997 science fiction novel by Kage Baker. Although it is set entirely in the 16th century, in Spain and England, it is a science fiction story revolving around the activities of a group of immortal cyborgs, individuals who appear human but have been transformed by high...
and Mendoza in Hollywood
Mendoza in Hollywood
Mendoza in Hollywood is the third novel in the science fiction and time travel series by Kage Baker, concerning the activities of The Company. In the UK it was published as At the Edge of the West.-Plot introduction:...
. He encounters Budu, who has become a rogue intent on wiping out humans who are a menace to others, or to the future of the Earth.
Labienus begins looking for ways to create diseases that can selectively remove groups of people - these apparently include influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
, HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
, and other diseases like Sattes virus which are mentioned in The Graveyard Game. These are responsible for reducing the mortal population and the birthrate by the 24th century, apparently setting the scene for a cyborg takeover.
External links
- Kage Baker official site - About the novel
- Excerpt from the novel