Like "Triffids" Wyndham, this unstoppable, "infection" of Maine is one of the classics of the "natural" English fiction: one of those frightening and masterful chronicles daily where everything is recognizable, "true", although from the outset enters an unforeseen element that disrupts the lives of all and ends up throwing the society into anarchy and most complete wild by reducing men and women mad with terror beasts struggling to survive. Review: The Great
infection is one of the cornerstones of science fiction disasters. The disaster in this case is represented by a virus that spreads slowly at first and then more rapidly around the world with a mortality of up to 50%. The cut decided by Charles Eric Maine is certainly original. The writer leaves the epidemic in the background and focuses on the social level. What would happen to a society undergoing such a test? The author's answer is: a revolution. So governments around the world, forced to hide in bunkers anti-infection, would be attacked from the excluded, can organize a real social change, a revolution indeed. The key to reading Charles Eric Maine fits in the tradition of English fiction. First there is the fear of fascism. Although in England there has ever been, fascism is a real nightmare for the storytellers. Again society imagined by Maine defending itself from viruses with totalitarianism, censoring news, summarily eliminating opponents, only defending their own privileges. To oppose the fascist totalitarianism is socialism, another spectrum of the British science fiction. The Socialists are increasingly seen as useless if not harmful, that in times of need to talk about workers' rights and promote unnecessary strike (instead, but this is my addition, to sacrifice (?) For the cause, that is, not eating or Drinking warm or caring or catastrophe, depending on ..). These two spectra are evoked by Charles Eric Maine and collide in a civil war where there are obviously innocent and that will be terrible. In the midst of an unsuccessful player in my opinion, Clive Brant.
attempt Maine is to create a particular hero, a man of action and decided that, however, is always unsatisfied and do not neglect to be ambitious and cynical. The attempt fails because the Maine end leaves little choice then to his protagonist, always sticking in enough situations required. Difficult to make moral choices when it comes to survival. In any case, the originality of Maine is remarkable and should be emphasized: even a catastrophe would be used "politically" and would be just another variable in the complex socio-political national and global geopolitical game. But to criticize the reaction of the rioters, which appears unlikely. In no time they are able to control parts of the 'army succeeding well as to use military aircraft.
the author:
Charles Eric Maine was the pseudonym of David McIlwain, born in Liverpool in 1921 and died in 1981 in London. Maine was a novelist, he worked in radio and television, during the Second World War he served in aviation. photos and images from:
