The Wanderer (1964)

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by Fritz Leiber



A mysterious planet of approximately the same mass as Earth appears from hyperspace within the orbit of our moon, tearing the satellite to pieces and inflicting tremendous damage on our planet through vastly increased tidal forces. 



When author Fritz Leiber keeps his focus on that basic premise, detailing the effects of the Wanderer's appearance and mankind's efforts to cope with it, this novel really flies, particularly in an early sequence wherein an astronaut barely escapes the shattering of the Moon and finds himself in orbit around the new planet.

 

Fritz Leiber

This is real action-packed sense-of-wonder science fiction from a grand master.

 


However, other factors act against the novel's success. 



There are far too many characters and many of them are handled in such sketchy fashion that not even Leiber seems interested in them.

 


For example, the high jacking of an ocean-liner, which could have generated some genuine excitement, is instead summarized in flat declarative sentences in a couple of paragraphs. 



In addition, I don't want to give away the ultimate nature and purpose of the Wanderer, but suffice it to say that by the time one of our heroes becomes involved in a love affair with a green-furred cat woman from outer space, certain plot elements have turned decisively away from the hard-SF depiction of global tragedy that I had begun to enjoy.

 


Finally, the dialogue and relationships among the characters have become terribly dated.

 


I know that it's not fair to expect an author to anticipate what will make his story seem stale decades later; nevertheless, it does remain a distraction and an obstacle to complete enjoyment.



"Wanderer" (Polish)

"The Vagabond" (French)

"New Moon" (Italian)

"Wanderer" (Finnish)

"The Wandering Planet" (Spanish)

"The Wanderer" (Dutch)

"Wanderer in the Universe" (German)

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