Brief review, Tumithak of the Corridors.
Gloriosus > April 25th, 2005, 04:52 PM
As you all may, or may not, be aware, I recently got my hands on the story that was credited with inspiring CLEO2525.
The story takes place many, many centuries in the future when Humanity was driven from the surface of their world by the Shelks (natives of Venus), and lived in fear, deep in their subterranean corridors.
One fine day, Tumithak discovers a book which talks about the arrival of the Shelks and mankinds attempts to repel the invasion, and conceives a notion to one day kill a shelk. The story then follows him on his way to the surface, carrying the ancient gifts bestowed upon him by his father, meeting the intervening human communities, and describing what he sees, until the final moment when he goal is achieved and he is given a triumphant return.
All in all, this is a fairly straight-forward story told in a straight forward manner. There is some tension, but not much by way of surprise. Where it's strength lay was the atmosphere the writer had created; and the fairly unique background against which the story is told. It's weaknesses lay in the plot and characterization (and this last is in comparison with Armageddon 2419, and Burrough's Martian and Venus tales which pre-date or were contemporary with this story). I found myself reading the story in snippets as it failed to hold me in thrall, and it started me wondering what it would be like to live so deep underground (needless to state, it's an inspiration for an original work that I'm still fleshing out).
How does it compare with CLEO2525? Well, personally, I rather liked what CLEO managed to turn out in the short time it was on screen; finding it more creative and more entertaining than the story ... but on the other hand, there was an atmosphere in TUMITHAK that CLEO failed to capture. The sheer oppressiveness of living underground with the fear of extermination hanging over their heads ... but then again, CLEO was supposed to be light entertainment, so maybe this is all to the good.
/s/
Gloriosus
the G-man Himself