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The Pelbar Cycle #4
The Fall of the Shell
Eleven hundred years after the apocalyptic destruction of the United States of America, peace between the remaining warring tribes has finally been achieved. Despite this peace, the Pelbar stronghold Threerivers retains its secretive and reclusive ways, keeping its distance from the other remaining tribes and guarding against change. A strict matriarchy, Threerivers remains the most conservative Pelbar community under the unquestioned and unyielding rule of its leader, Udge. Life in Threerivers continues without change until two young twin brothers, Brudoer and Gamwyn, accidentally initiate events that threaten the established order. The resulting chain of consequences sends Gamwyn on a quest to the far reaches of this postapocalyptic world. Within Threerivers, Brudoer’s imprisonment threatens the long-established matriarchal rule of the Pelbar stronghold.
The Fall of the Shell is the fourth book in the classic series of postapocalyptic novels about the people of Pelbar.
The Fall of the Shell is the fourth book in the classic series of postapocalyptic novels about the people of Pelbar.
214 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
10 people are currently reading
122 people want to read
About the author
Paul O. Williams
26 books22 followersPaul Osborne Williams was an American science fiction writer and haiku poet. Williams was professor emeritus of English at Principia College in Elsah, Illinois.
His most notable science fiction works are a series of novels, the Pelbar Cycle, set in North America about a thousand years after a "time of fire", in which the world was nearly totally depopulated. The novels track a gradual reconnection of the human cultures which developed. Much of the action takes place in the communities of the Pelbar, along the Upper Mississippi River — in the general vicinity of Elsah. Several cultures, including the matriarchal Pelbar, join together in the Heart River Federation. Others, especially the tyrannical Tantal and slave-raiding Tusco, fall apart after suffering defeats. The predominant characters are change agents: Jestak, Stel and his wife Ahroe Westrun. All are Pelbar. Williams won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in Science Fiction in 1983.
He is also known as a writer of haiku, senryū, and tanka, and wrote a number of essays on the haiku form in English. In a 1975 essay, he coined the term "tontoism" to refer to the practice of writing haiku with missing articles ("the", "a", or "an"), which he claimed made the haiku sound like the stunted English of the Indian sidekick, Tonto, in the Lone Ranger radio and television series. Williams was the president of the Haiku Society of America (1999) and vice president of the Tanka Society of America (2000).
Williams died on June 2, 2009.
His most notable science fiction works are a series of novels, the Pelbar Cycle, set in North America about a thousand years after a "time of fire", in which the world was nearly totally depopulated. The novels track a gradual reconnection of the human cultures which developed. Much of the action takes place in the communities of the Pelbar, along the Upper Mississippi River — in the general vicinity of Elsah. Several cultures, including the matriarchal Pelbar, join together in the Heart River Federation. Others, especially the tyrannical Tantal and slave-raiding Tusco, fall apart after suffering defeats. The predominant characters are change agents: Jestak, Stel and his wife Ahroe Westrun. All are Pelbar. Williams won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer in Science Fiction in 1983.
He is also known as a writer of haiku, senryū, and tanka, and wrote a number of essays on the haiku form in English. In a 1975 essay, he coined the term "tontoism" to refer to the practice of writing haiku with missing articles ("the", "a", or "an"), which he claimed made the haiku sound like the stunted English of the Indian sidekick, Tonto, in the Lone Ranger radio and television series. Williams was the president of the Haiku Society of America (1999) and vice president of the Tanka Society of America (2000).
Williams died on June 2, 2009.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 3, 2020
Вече много добре виждам накъде води централната идея в поредицата и не очаквам някакви изненади. По отделно обаче, книгите запазват своята свежест и занимателност.
В четвъртия роман имаме две сюжетни линии с главни герои двама близнаци. Хлапетата успяват да направят беля в Три Реки - третия град на Пелбар, който е най-консервативен. Съответно едното поема на вече позната ни от първите две книги одисея из постапокалиптична Америка, докато брат му остава в града и Протектора е решила да го използва за пример и назидание на все повече забравящото консервативните ценности общество.
Харесва ми как най-сетне Уилиямсън успява да разгърне целия матриархален строй на Пел и да успее да покаже силните и слабите му страни. Когато едното действие се задъхва, другото поема щафетата и приключенията на пътуващия брат задържат вниманието на читателя. Там визията на света продължава да се разширява и отново имаме доста експерименти с микрообщества, запазили части от общочовешкото познание. Не липсват и приключения, битки, политика, бе всичко необходимо да направи една приключенска фантастика чудесно изживяване.
Все си мисля, че ако това беше излязло някога примерно в "Галактика", щеше да е любима поредица на поколения родни читатели.
В четвъртия роман имаме две сюжетни линии с главни герои двама близнаци. Хлапетата успяват да направят беля в Три Реки - третия град на Пелбар, който е най-консервативен. Съответно едното поема на вече позната ни от първите две книги одисея из постапокалиптична Америка, докато брат му остава в града и Протектора е решила да го използва за пример и назидание на все повече забравящото консервативните ценности общество.
Харесва ми как най-сетне Уилиямсън успява да разгърне целия матриархален строй на Пел и да успее да покаже силните и слабите му страни. Когато едното действие се задъхва, другото поема щафетата и приключенията на пътуващия брат задържат вниманието на читателя. Там визията на света продължава да се разширява и отново имаме доста експерименти с микрообщества, запазили части от общочовешкото познание. Не липсват и приключения, битки, политика, бе всичко необходимо да направи една приключенска фантастика чудесно изживяване.
Все си мисля, че ако това беше излязло някога примерно в "Галактика", щеше да е любима поредица на поколения родни читатели.
March 5, 2022
This was much like the first book, beefy and full of adventure, new peoples and places. Aside from the cringe Libertarian reference, it was a beautiful story and a strong one at that in the series so far. Well worth the effort. I must admit, I found it funny when the South Ocean men believe in the ‘Lost One’, a vague hint at pre-fire religion aka, Christ and God, refer to his name as “Jeez I Cry”.
Well rounded, I look forward to the fifth book!
Well rounded, I look forward to the fifth book!
November 7, 2019
The most conservative of the Pelbar cultures is the most southerly, Three Rivers. Here men must behave within strict parameters or be punished (generally with more labor). The fortress was designed and built by Craydor, the engineer philosopher many generations ago. She used as her model various seashells and the building is an aesthetic marvel as well as being impregnable. Udge (yep, shades of Dolores Umbridge!) is presently the Protector for this community and she brooks no disobedience from anyone and feels very threatened by the changes in the Pelbar communities to the north. Bival, an engineer, closest to her, buys a spiral shell (taking her husband's money as her right) and while she is holding it, two boys, careening around on errands, bump into her and the shell breaks. She badly injures one of the boys and the other boy in a rage injures her. Udge is livid. From that moment on, you know that Three Rivers, under Udge's rule is doomed.
One boy, badly injured is sent north (to Udge's disgust) and another runs away southward, hoping to fix everything if he can only find another shell like the one that was broken. They both have adventures and make amazing discoveries and it all comes together in a smashing climax. There are some very moving scenes in this one as well, as one person learns to rethink everything from the ground up. ****
One boy, badly injured is sent north (to Udge's disgust) and another runs away southward, hoping to fix everything if he can only find another shell like the one that was broken. They both have adventures and make amazing discoveries and it all comes together in a smashing climax. There are some very moving scenes in this one as well, as one person learns to rethink everything from the ground up. ****
July 17, 2015
Who makes the rules? Perspective is everything when it comes to those in authority. Threerivers was the most conservative of the Pelbar strongholds. Women ruled and men served. Then twin boys started events that would put one in jail and the other on a flight into the most dangerous land around. A maddening clash of ideals was tumbling toward a pivotal point.
July 19, 2015
I am coming to love this series. With each 'episode' there is more to learn about this post apocalyptic world. The structures of the female dominated cultures are brought into focus in this, with a hint at the risks of blindly following protocols or beliefs that are no longer appropriate; the embryo of extremism? Maybe.
July 28, 2008
Book 4 of the Pelbar cycle.
May 22, 2015
A most excellent read, couldn't put it down. This the 3rd or fourth time I have read it and it still loses nothing in the reading.
February 28, 2023
The fourth volume in the series focuses on the very conservative Pelbar city of Threerivers. This city is ruled by an extremely reactionary Protector even though Craydor, the founder and architect of Threerivers, was quite visionary and innovative. A minor accident involving a council member, two teenage boys and a rare shell escalates into a major incident that threatens the city. The novel follows the struggles of these two boys as one, Brudoer, suffers in prison while the other, Gamwyn, begins a trek to the Southern Ocean to find a replacement shell. The book has almost too much going on. The city of Threerivers is fascinating, and Craydor left clues throughout the city that the Brudoer slowly uncovers. Meanwhile, Gamwyn encounters several societies, some hostile, on his journey to the ocean. This is by far the busiest book in the series, but the world of Urstadge is wonderfully complex. Brian Aldiss gave the Pelbar cycle a glowing recommendation in his history of science fiction, Trillion Year Spree. I agree that it is a neglected masterpiece of postapocalyptic SF.
September 12, 2020
A very interesting take on power and the abuse there of.
September 9, 2023
Love the pelbar saga. It continues the story from previous novels and is just a overall good read.
November 21, 2008
These are not as scintillating as I remember, but still enjoy them.
July 7, 2009
So much fun to read!
June 6, 2015
1985 grade B
2003 grade C+
Series book P4
2003 grade C+
Series book P4
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews