The Lovers by Philip José Farmer
"The Lovers" is a science fiction narrative set in a post-apocalyptic world where survivors gradually repopulate Earth under the oppressive rule of a rigid church/state known as the Sturch. The story follows Hal Yarrow, who, along with his incompatible wife Mary, lives in a shared apartment in Sigmen City. As part of a society requiring married couples to report each other for any law violations, Hal feels increasingly stifled. He seizes an opportunity to escape by signing up for a long-term mission to the distant planet Ozagen, initially under the guise of scientific exploration, while harboring the personal goal of obtaining a divorce.
On Ozagen, Hal encounters the native inhabitants and forms a bond with Jeannette Rastignac, a mixed-blood creature, despite her struggles with alcohol. As Hal navigates the complexities of his feelings and the dangers of their environment, he grapples with moral choices, such as his reaction to an injured mentor, Pornsen. The narrative unfolds with themes of love, sacrifice, and survival, ultimately leading Hal to prioritize his future with Jeannette’s offspring over returning to Earth. The story touches on the interplay between individual desires and the overarching societal controls that define the characters’ lives.
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The Lovers
First published: 1961 (revised, 1979; serial form, Startling Stories, 1952)
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Science fiction—alien civilization
Time of work: c.e. 3050
Locale: Earth and the planet Ozagen
The Plot
After two apocalyptic wars, Earth is slowly repopulated by survivors. Hal Yarrow and his wife, Mary, share a small apartment in Sigmen City with another couple. The Yarrows sleep at night, the other couple during the day. A rigid church/state structure, the Sturch, controls the society. Married couples are required to engage in sexual relations, and each partner must report the other for any lawbreaking activity. Hal and Mary are not compatible, and Hal has difficulty relating to Mary and to the rules of the Sturch.
Luckily for Hal, he is selected to travel to a distant planet, Ozagen, to act as a translator for an exploratory group. The group ostensibly will visit the planet as a scientific team but actually is planning to poison the inhabitants with a gas attack. Hal signs on for the trip on the spaceship Gabriel because he wants to escape the restrictions of Sigmen City and to obtain a divorce. The divorce will be granted automatically because the trip will take about forty years, making his marriage untenable.
Pornsen, Hal’s gapt (lifetime mentor), suspects Hal’s secret reasons for the trip. As Hal’s gapt, Pornsen has the duty of watching over Hal. Hal has developed a hatred for Pornsen and tries to avoid him.
Once on Ozagen, Hal learns the native language with the help of Fobo, one of the Ozagens’ leaders. He gradually overcomes his dislike of the Ozagens. At a huge shrine, Hal hears someone calling out for him. He sees a beautiful human female hiding in the monuments. Later, Hal meets Jeannette Rastignac, a creature of mixed blood. Jeannette’s strange speech, resembling French, attracts Hal, and he desires her almost instantly. Hal hides Jeannette in his room so that Pornsen and Fobo cannot find her.
Jeannette seems to have only one flaw: She drinks too much liquor, supposedly because it relaxes her during lovemaking. Hal brings liquor to her even though it is against the rules of the Sturch. He tries to limit her intake of alcohol by diluting it. Searching for alcohol with Fobo, he is involved in a barroom brawl with aliens and narrowly escapes. He and Fobo become separated, and Hal must find his way home through the strange city streets. He has been warned about strange insects that mimic human behavior. He soon meets a vicious creature. Pornsen, who has been spying on him, helps him fight the insect, but Pornsen is seriously hurt. Instead of helping Pornsen, Hal leaves the area, allowing other insects to kill and eat Pornsen.
Shortly afterward, Hal discovers that Jeannette is very ill, suffering a reaction to the diluted alcohol that she had been drinking to avoid pregnancy. Hal discovers that she is one of the insects who mimic human behavior; even so, Hal still loves her. When she delivers her larva, Hal vows to take care of them after Jeannette’s inevitable death.
Meanwhile, the Ozagens have found out about the earthlings’ plot to poison them, and they are ready to blow up the Gabriel and all the humans on board. Hal decides to raise his larva and does not stop Fobo from destroying the Gabriel. He does not want to go back to Earth: He will live forever on Ozagen with his offspring.