False Fatherland
{{Short description|1968 novel by Australian writer A. Bertram Chandler}}
{{Use Australian English|date=November 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox book|
| name = False Fatherland
| title_orig =
| translator =
| image =
| caption =
| author = A. Bertram Chandler
| cover_artist =
| country = Australia
| language = English
| series = The Rim Worlds
| genre = Science fiction
| publisher = Horwitz
| release_date = 1968
| media_type = Print
| pages = 161 pp.
| isbn =
| preceded_by = The Broken Cycle
| followed_by = The Inheritors
}}
False Fatherland (aka Spartan Planet) (1968) is a science fiction novel by Australian writer A. Bertram Chandler.{{cite web|title= False Fatherland by A. Bertram Chandler|publisher= National Library of Australia|url= https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1220485 |access-date= 10 November 2024}} It forms part of the author's Rim World series, featuring the recurring character, John Grimes.
It was originally published under the title Spartan Planet as a 2-part serial in Fantastic magazine in March{{cite web|title= Spartan Planet (Part 1) by A. Bertram Chandler|publisher= ISFDB|url= https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?113205|access-date= 10 November 2024}} and May{{cite web|title= Spartan Planet (Part 2) by A. Bertram Chandler|publisher= ISFDB|url= https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?113206|access-date= 10 November 2024}} 1968.
Synopsis
Lt Commander Grimes arrives on the long-lost planet of Sparta where humans have modeled their society on the city-state of the same name in ancient Greece. On this planet all men are produced by birth machines and women are unknown.
The inhabitants of the planet are confused by the female members of Grimes's crew and the arrival of his spaceship has profound and lasting effects on the Spartan society.
Critical reception
Writing in Luna Monthly reviewer Jan Slavin described the book as "a fairly good adventure novel" that might "make light reading some dull evening."{{cite web|title="Spartan Planet by A. Bertram Chandler" |publisher=Luna Monthly, January 1970|url=https://www.fanac.org/fanzines/Luna/luna_monthly-08.pdf|access-date= 10 November 2024}}
Publication history
After its original publication in 1968 in the Fantastic magazine{{cite web|title= Spartan Planet by A. Bertram Chandler|publisher= ISFDB|url= https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/se.cgi?arg=spartan+planet&type=Fiction+Titles|access-date= 10 November 2024}} the novel was later published as follows:
- Horwitz, Australia, 1968
- Dell, USA, 1969{{cite web|title= Spartan Planet by A. Bertram Chandler (Dell, 1969)|publisher= ISFDB|url= https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?221073|access-date= 10 November 2024}}
- Ace Books, USA, 1979 (with The Commodore at Sea){{cite web|title= The Commodore at Sea/Spartan Planet by A. Bertram Chandler (Ace, 1979)|publisher= ISFDB|url= https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/title.cgi?247597|access-date= 10 November 2024}}
- Baen Books, USA, 2007{{cite web|title= Spartan Planet by A. Bertram Chandler (Baen, 2007)|publisher= ISFDB|url= https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?305164|access-date= 10 November 2024}}
- Gateway/Orion, UK, 2015{{cite web|title= Spartan Planet by A. Bertram Chandler (Gateway/Orion, 2015)|publisher= ISFDB|url= https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?556262|access-date= 10 November 2024}}
It was translated into Japanese in 1976,{{cite web|title= Spartan Planet by A. Bertram Chandler (Hayakawa-shobō, 1976)|publisher= ISFDB|url= https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?727666|access-date= 10 November 2024}} Portuguese in the 1970s{{cite web|title= Austlit — Spartan Planet by A. Bertram Chandler |publisher= Austlit|url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/C765275|access-date= 10 November 2024}},German in 1984,{{cite web|title= Spartan Planet by A. Bertram Chandler (Goldmann, 1984)|publisher= ISFDB|url= https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?852136|access-date= 10 November 2024}} and Russian in 2004.
The novel was also included in the following compilations of Chandler's work:
- John Grimes: Lieutenant of the Survey Service, Science Fiction Book Club, 2000{{cite web|title=John Grimes: Lieutenant of the Survey Service (SF Book Club)|publisher= ISFDB|url=https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?175911|access-date= 10 November 2024}}
- John Grimes - Federation Survery Service, Baen Books, 2007{{cite web|title=John Grimes - Federation Survery Service (Baen Books)|publisher= ISFDB|url=https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?305475|access-date= 10 November 2024}}
- First Command, Baen Books, 2011{{cite web|title= First Command by A. Bertram Chandler (Baen, 2011)|publisher= ISFDB|url= https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?353120|access-date= 10 November 2024}}
Awards
- The novel won the Australian Sf Achievement Award for Best Novel in 1969.{{cite web|title="Ditmar Awards 1969" |publisher= SFADB|url=https://www.sfadb.com/Ditmar_Awards_1969|access-date= 10 November 2024}}
See also
Notes
- Chandler wrote in The Mentor about his reactions upon receiving copies of the Japanese translation of the novel.{{cite web|title="Grimes-San and the Naked Lady" |publisher= The Mentor, March, 1978|url=http://www.bertramchandler.com/magazine/article441.aspx|access-date= 10 November 2024}}