The Gods Themselves by Issac Asimov

The Gods Themselves [1972]

By Issac Asimov 

Rating :4/5 🍀

Genres : Science Fiction, Hugo winner, Nebula Winner, Novel Ideas 

I close this book with a smile on my lips. It ends on a note of hope and optimism for a romantic future.  I was 25-30 percent into the book when I realized that some of the images forming in my mind are familiar and as it turned out, I did read this book once back in 2014 and re-picked it without checking my goodreads. And I am glad I did because it is a good revisit .. love the prose style of Asimov, the non-complex simplicity of his characters and there was some subdued humor throughout the narrative as well. 

I broke down the book into three phases/parts .. the first dealing with people on Earth and setting up of the most popular Electron Pump, the second with the alien race that guided and helped them set it up for their own survival needs, the third deals with people on Moon who find a solution to the problem posed by the Electron Pump which no one really wants to give up. Its a classic story in a lot of sense. Some good lessons I have learnt from this one. Human race would be willing to find alternative ways of dealing with things which they know to be "harmful/dangerous" than actually giving them up. Some questions also have arised which cast a shadow on the aptness of the title. Why are the aliens referred to as "Gods" if they have introduced and developed a technology to save their dying universe .. even if they are fully aware that it might require the sacrifice of another? 

The science fiction aspect to the story is setting up of an Electron Pump between two universes which through transfer of Plutonium and Tungsten materials also serve as an infinite energy source. I dont claim to understand the subtle physics concepts behind it but along with the energy creation, there is also an exchange of "natural laws" between the universes which will stop (which, according to some math will happen after an almost infinite amount of time for human race) once a balance point is reached. The Earth universe has larger planets and weaker nuclear forces compared to the other universe where forces are much stronger. So through this exchange of the strength of forces, some skeptical scientists like Peter Lamont and Denison suspect that Earth's Sun would blow up and turn the universe into a quasar. Though they can't prove anything and  convince the scientific community to stop the pump, eventually Denison works with an Intuitionist(someone with natural intuition/scientific creativity) to balance this situation. He creates a pump with another universe which is like a cosmic egg from which they pull in weakening forces to balance out the Electron pump. I felt the discussion and argument towards the end for Lunarites to become completely free from Earthites to be a bit irrelevant/superfluous to the overall plot .. but that's just my take on this. Why would/should they resist a good thing right and especially if it means stabilizing the whole system while losing little in the bargain? 

Well, and the aliens are quite unique in their ways and behavior. They are divided into the Hard Ones and the Soft Ones. The Hard Ones are the leaders and the all knowing, wise teachers who guide and take care of all the needs of the universe/planet. The Soft Ones are divided into three types based on their abilities - Rationals who think, Emotionals who feel, Parentals who are homies and nurtureres. Families consist of a combination of the three types to make one unit and children are also created into one of the three types. One very unique triad is formed with Odeen(the best Rational of his generation), Dua(an Emotional who is also a Rational) and Tritt(an impulsive and tenacious Parental). I so, so, so loved this triad and thoroughly enjoyed every scene with these aliens in it. Dua is definitely the best of the three for me.💘 She is the one who figures out the danger the pump could pose to the other universe and makes every attempt to stop it .. until they are found out and stopped by the Hard Ones. I think this book has just as much appeal for its science content as for this fantasy element and it superbly deserves both the Hugo and Nebula that it won!! ✋

On that note, Cheers!