City, Clifford D. Simak's classic award winning novel presents a wistful remembrance of a future history told from the distant future by the unlikely inheritors of the Earth: a new species of highly evolved canine and their robotic companions. The novel is comprised of nine short stories, each being a legend detailing humankind's exodus from the cities to the country, and from the Earth to the stars. The legends of humankind are conveyed through the writings of an unknown scholar, and possess a melancholy examination of our end time.
Simak's book is totally of its time, and read through today's eyes it can seem outdated and anachronistic. Some of the science is a bit off, and the entire premise might be seen as overly quaint, coy, and pastoral for some modern readers. However, Simak pulls everything together, and through his deceptively simple prose he constructs a wonderful story that is part Martian Chronicles, part Norman Rockwell, part cautionary tale, and all together effective. This is vintage golden-age science fiction, and because there is no hard-science pretense, Simak is clearly dealing with myth and legend, it is not hindered by its old fashioned style - on the contrary, it is bolstered by it.
Reading City as akin to listening to a great tale told by your grandpa, while sitting around the campfire with a cup of hot chocolate in hand. It plays upon the nostalgia for all things Americana. It is not only of its time, but it is also a uniquely American novel. The stories are a bit presumptuous in that they only deal with fate of American society and assume that the rest of the world shared a similar fate. While some may see this as a fault, I see it as simply a product of a golden rule in fiction: write what you know. Simak knew America. He was a science-fiction equivalent of John Steinbeck, or William Saroyan, and he used his deep rooted knowledge of small-town American life to his benefit.
Things do start off slow, and the first two stories, “City” and “Huddling Place” are a tad bit dull and uninteresting. They are not bad, they just lack a sense of awe and wonder. The “editor's” notes for each are interesting though, and they hint at something far greater to come. Because each subsequent legend builds upon these two, it is understandable that a foundation needed to be built. These stories introduce the Webster family, the main group of human characters, and their robot servant Jenkins, who plays a major role in future developments. We also learn of mankind's shifting perspective on the city's usefulness during these introductory chapters.
The third story, “Census” is where things really start to get interesting. This is the first story to feature one of the talking dogs, a canine named Nathanial. It deals with humanity's exodus away from the now dilapidated cities, and the remaining government's futile efforts to keep tabs on them. The third story also introduces the mutants - humans who have forged a new branch in their own biological and societal evolutionary paths. They have done so by following the teachings of a Martian philosophy, a way of thinking that allows people to fully know and understand other people. Imagine being able to truly know your brothers and sisters - what they are actually thinking and feeling - and how this would impact the way you lived your life.
As the stories progress, they become more interesting, more fascinating, and more packed with ideas and incredible vistas. Simak touches upon a multitude of topics here, and does so with a casual nonchalance. His pastoral prose is used to great effect; his form and function share a symbiotic relationship. Nestled within these stories are topics such as the absurdity of weapons and war, the genesis of new religions and superstitions, a prophetic glimpse at an Internet-like construct, and examinations of parallel universes, paranormal activity, psychic abilities, and alien lifeforms. Simak presents these ideas with a soft touch, rather than a pounding fist upon a pulpit.
Within City, Simak expertly creates a series of future myths, legends, and parables. It is easy to see why and how these legends have impacted the future inheritors of the Earth. The narrative spans almost 20,000 years in time, but things never feel jarring or out of context with one another. Each story is used to convey a very specific set of ideas, and when read in conjunction with the others it becomes clear that Simak chose his subjects carefully and precisely. While not quite up to the same level as Way Station, City offers another incredible glimpse into the mind of a great American science fiction author, one whose pastoral tone and admiration for small town America afforded a unique and satisfying voice.
