A Son of the Rock

Allison & Busby, 1979, 144 p.

Bayley was one of the instigators of the so-called New Wave in British SF in the 1960s – though it has to be said this book bears little of its hallmarks, being perhaps more typical of work that might have been published in the 1950s or early 1960s.

Killibol is a sterile world whose tower cities are ruled by those in charge of the protein tanks, which produce food processed from recycled sewage and rubbish. As portrayed by our narrator, Klein, life tends to the brutish. He lives in the city of Klittman, part of a gang headed by a man named Becmath who starts a rebellion in order to take over himself. However, it is not long before the authorities reassert themselves and the gang has to flee using a kind of armoured vehicle called a sloop. Along the way they pick up a woman from one of the nomad tribes who roam the barren land between the tower cities (though somehow with protein tanks of their own.) This woman, Gelbore, is only in the story to show how unfeeling Klein and his companions are – or perhaps reflects sexism or even misogyny on Bayley’s part, attitudes not uncommon in 1979 after all. Klein in effect rapes her (she is supposed to be grateful that he ensured she wasn’t disposed of immediately) and, a chapter or so later on, to avoid conflict between his henchmen, Becman summarily shoots her.

Killibol was settled from Earth millennia ago and the fleeing gang is seeking an all but forgotten portal between the worlds. They find it and make the transition. The rest of the novel describes how they fare on this far future Earth where the sunlight is far too strong for their eyes, the inhabitants are unable to stand against their firepower, the Moon is now called Merame and peopled by creatures even more ruthless and bloodthirsty than themselves, intent on conquering Earth, though with whom Becman manages to come to terms.

These protagonists are not admirable. Becman is a megalomaniac eager to rule over both Earth and Killibol, the rest of the gang are not any better and Klein again has sex with a woman without gaining consent – she was unconscious at the time – though he later acts selflessly in her interests. Unfortunately, his attack of conscience comes far too late to redeem his earlier conduct and the overall thrust of the book.

This isn’t one of  Bayley’s best. It is all far too crude to withstand any but a historical eye.

Pedant’s corner:-  Written in US style language. Otherwise; “and he nation” (the nation,) a stray line interpolated from elsewhere appears at the foot of page 65, “we had become recluse” (reclusive,) “take a look at a deep space” (at deep space,)