Monument (novel)

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Monument is a science fiction novel written by Lloyd Biggle, Jr. and published in 1974. The subject (destructive tourism) is serious, but as usual with Biggle, the treatment is in a lighter vein, and at times frankly humorous.

Monument was based on a short story of the same name published in Analog magazine in 1961. The novel was opted as a film in 1979 and was to be the premiere film of Spacefilms, but never materialized. The film was co-written by Biggle and Spacefilms founder John Flory. The novel is dedicated "To John, Bee and Jack Flory, who had a vision."^[1]

[edit] Explanation of the novel's title

The reason for the choice becomes apparent in the final pages.

[edit] Plot summary

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Some time before the novel opens, a spacer of more practical than theoretical skills called Cerne Obrien finds a cache of extremely valuable "retron crystals", but before managing to return to market them, crash-lands on an apparently idyllic planet. There he finds a tribe of humans apparently left over from some much earlier exploration. Despite the beautiful beaches and jungles, the environment is extremely hostile to human life, and by the time Obrien arrives, the tribe have found ways to render edible a horrific sea-creature called the koluf, which forms almost their entire diet. Obrien takes them under his wing, uses his surviving technology to rid the area of several pests, and eventually marries into the tribe. They come to call him "the Langri", and his Galactic name is forgotten.

The novel opens about five generations later as Obrien realises he has terminal cancer. He forms a crew of the brightest among the tribe, then tries his best to educate them about Galactic society, and in particular to build "the Plan" as to how they can best resist the exploitation which is sure to follow their eventual re-discovery. Most think he is senile ("If there are so many worlds, why would anyone want ours?"), but a few retain details such as the name of a good lawyer. Obrien dies just as a developer called Wembling arrives with the technically illegal intention of prospecting for minerals. The tribe, led by one Fornri, put the Plan into effect, securing the crews of Wembling's vessel, and of the four scout vessels sent to investigate Wembling's "disappearance". The Navy arrives, official negotiations under Galactic law ensue, and the planet is legally recognised under the name Langri. The tribe fine Wembling and his scouts half a million credits for illegal landings. In due course, this pays the lawyer.

After a great deal of legal manoeuvring, Wembling belatedly realises the planet's potential as a resort. He then corrupts the record of the tribe's Galactic treaty and proceeds to start building an extensive resort, with "golf-courses" (legal) that just happen to include lakes and areas suitable for ski-runs (illegal). The construction process drives away the koluf, and the tribe begin to starve, as their adaptation to the environment has eliminated the ability to digest "normal" food. Meantime, Wembling's niece Talitha, and his hired (and fired) anthropologist Hort form a relationship, and lean more to the tribe than to Wembling.

At the last moment, the tribe find they have a high enough literacy level to apply for membership of the Galactic Federation, duly granted offstage. This allows them to impose taxes, and Wembling's development is assessed at ten times its actual value. This turns out to be legal, based on a similar but obscure case, settled many years before and not visible in recent court records. Only Obrien's memory of the case ensured that he put it in the Plan. Wembling is obliged to leave the planet as he found it, the retron crystals are no doubt duly sold, and everybody (except presumably Wembling) lives happily ever after.

The novel closes with Talitha and Hort discovering Obrien's wrecked craft and reading the log, including his notes on the Plan; they are amazed that such an ill-educated man could have picked up enough knowledge in his career to build the Plan. They marvel at it to Fornri, who closes the novel with the words "Obrien? Who is Obrien?".