Chthon is Piers Anthony's first novel, published in 1967. It is a wide-ranging science fiction novel with a plot that takes place on an galactic scale. It is set in the far future, and it features such advanced technologies as faster-than-light space travel and human genetic modification. Chthon tells the story of a man named Aton Five who is imprisoned in the garnet mine of the planet Chthon. The novel intricately weaves together 3 different story arcs: flashbacks to tell why Aton is sent to Chthon, a middle arc about how he attempts to escape from the garnet mine, and flashes forward that tell what happens after he escapes. Even though the plot was confusing as I read it, when I reached the end and re-read some key sections of previous chapters, the pieces all fell into place, and it ended up as a satisfying story. I also found it helpful to read the thorough synopsis found in the Chthon Wikipedia entry. (I'm glad I read the synopsis after I finished reading the book since it contains blatant spoilers.) [Wikipedia: Chthon (novel)]The overall feel of the novel is dark and serious. Along with external events, it deals with Aton's innermost feelings and thoughts. There is a powerful passage where Aton's thinking is irrational, and an actual event is depicted in a symbolic dreamlike sequence. Aton is equal parts hero and antihero as he strives to make sense of his life and to fight for freedom against forces and circumstances that threaten to overpower him. I liked that I could not predict ahead of time either what would happen next in the plot or what Aton would do about it.Like many science fiction novels, the focus of Chthon is almost entirely on the plot, and character development takes a distant second place. Aton's motivations are explored fairly well since he is at the center of all the events in the story. However, the characters around him are underdeveloped, often to the point that they resemble chess pieces more than people. The two most important supporting characters in the novel are women, and Aton's relationships with them are key to the plot. Alas, the author does not explore their motivations or feelings, and thus the novel is stuck with a male-centric viewpoint when it could have been more balanced.Although Chthon made me work hard to understand the plot, and I wished the characters (especially female ones) had been better developed, I really liked it overall. I am intrigued enough by the ending to read the continuation of the story in Phthor>, the second book in the Aton/Worlds of Chthon series. Where did the title Chthon come from? Chthon is the Greek word for 'earth', and chthonic is an adjective that means 'pertaining to the deities or spirits of the underworld in Greek mythology'. [Wikipedia: Chthonic]. Thus, this title fits well with the plot. How should Chthon be pronounced? Since it is Greek, the pronunciation of Chthon is probably kthón, i.e. with the 'ch' making a hard 'k' sound just like the 'ch' in 'chemistry'.
This was obviously written by a young man. The style is trashy and dramatic, the hero is impulsive and unsympathetic, and the female characters are mostly described in terms of how attractive or how crazy they are. There are two chapters near the end that don't make any sense and have language like this:"Committed now, by obscure circumstance, he took the step, refusing to examine whatever hideous price was being exacted. He would skirt the verge of insanity itself, for the sake of the fainting hope it offered. The swirling vortex sucked him in..."Despite this, the book is compelling, memorable, and has more good sci-fi ideas than most of the classics.
What do You think about Chthon (2000)?
I found it hard to rate this book - it was certainly interesting and I actually liked the way the book was structured. I was sufficiently engaged to read it in a day, which is also a positive sign. Having finished however, I am left with a feeling of unpleasantness, and there is much here that people would find distasteful, especially in the actions of the protagonist. I think it is certainly a book that will leave a lasting impression, and for this reason it stands apart in what is a crowded genre.
—Dave
Piers Anthony clearly has some deep seeded mommy-issues; much to our delight. What would be the state of modern art and prose without the help of mommy/daddy issues? Bright and boring I'd say. This was Anthony's first novel and is a raw, untainted melding of Sigmund Freud and scifi. Chthon was written long before he chose to spend his time and mindshare on churning out those ridiculous Xanth novels. Explore your inner Oedipus with Mr. Anthony. You'll be glad (or deeply disturbed) that you did.-m
—Michael
As much as any Lovecraft story that I have read, this is a tale of madness. It is the story of the man who falls in love with a siren. He spends his life alternately searching for and escaping from that love. He is a man obsessed and driven mad by his obsession. His madness eventually takes him to Chthon, a planetary prison where the inmates must mine for garnet in order to earn the necessities of life. This prison is harsh: heat, dehydration, unexplored caverns, unknown creatures dwelling in the depths of the planet, and the other inmates increase the difficulty of the stuggle. In the midst of his inprisonment, you get to see snippets of his life and madness. You follow him as he peels away the layers of deception that mask his madness from himself as he comes to understand the flaw in his makeup that renders him unable to lead a normal life and makes Chthon the only place where he can truly live.
—Nicholas
