Battlefield Earth
category: space opera, science fiction, author:L. Ron Hubbard
original copyright 1982
read in December 2011 (and before, many years ago)
Agamedes' opinion: 7 out of 10
My own standard for space opera is Doc Smith, the Lensman and Skylark series. In the Skylark series an Earth genius, with support from his multi-billionaire best friend, invents and builds a spaceship. He then goes on to rule the First Universe. (His arch-enemy ends up ruling the Second Universe. Doc Smith seemed to realise that the arch-enemy was a more interesting character than the somewhat saccharine hero.)
Battlefield Earth sets an even greater challenge for the hero. Yes, he is a genius but he has to learn everything -- other than how to ride a horse and kill a wild bear with a club -- from his evil captors. Having learnt everything, he utterly destroys those evil captors...
And aren't they just sooo evil! Evil and stupid! Evil, stupid, all-powerful and sooooo easily fooled by our hero!
You really have to read this book with your critical faculties switched off. The characters are cardboard. Racial stereotypes are, well, stereotyped. If you're not a good guy then you're ugly, stupid and easily defeated.
Switch off your politically correct thinking -- and enjoy!
This is space opera at its best -- or worst. It's an enjoyable romp across Earth, then across the universe. (Across the sixteen universes, actually...)
Battlefield is a book to be read and enjoyed, without too much thinking. If it were written today it would be slammed as one-eyed, racially abusive nonsense... Or would it?! I shudder to think how bad the recent movie could have been...
The book is a product of its time, the less-PC eighties.
Speaking of which...
Television last night had "The Grumpies Guide to the Eighties". Clever people paid to froth at the mouth about various topics, with "the Eighties" being last night's topic. And Battlefield Earth is a product of those Eighties...
Having freed Earth, the hero is called upon to guarantee its survival. To do this, he must impress the alien races who threaten to re-invade. The hero dresses in the best that Earth can provide:
He dons his rainbow-reflecting, skin-tight, muscle-emphasising zoot suit. Think... Freddie Mercury, if only he had access to such glittery material.
The hero has his hair done, to the ultimate of dashingly heroic impressiveness... and it's a mullet.
Ah well. Fashions change. But "good" space opera is "good", "forever"...
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21apr21: I read it again.. enjoy it again -- though I must admit that I start skimming towards the end.
This is still an enjoyable... load of rubbish. Ridiculous. Unbelievable. And still enjoyable. Though this time, I may return my copy to the second-hand bookshop :-)
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