This novel is a departure for Niven, both in style and exposition. It's also closely played; no easy, quick answers are offered for evaluation, nor is there much in the way of backstory except towards the very end.It's a sociological treatise in many ways. I suspect Niven fancies himself a historian in the mold of Russell or Wells; equally equipped to tell the story and give it a spin in the direction of social commentary. His reputation in that respect is well-deserved.The "spin" is relatively simple: empires that rigidly control any resource vital to its citizens are bound to crumble eventually, most often from within. Niven has used the term "hydraulic empires" previously in "World Out of Time", along with a lecture on the concept. Give him credit: he invented a somewhat different perspective of history. Here in "Destiny's Road", he postulates potassium as the vital resource and then assembles a (mostly) fascinating structure to explain its absence from the ecosphere, its subsequent discovery as seeds from a rare plant, and the inevitable exploitation as a primary controller of the population of a colony world. It's all carefully worked out, meticulously constructed, and seamless, as far as the plot is concerned. It's also clear that he's determined to maintain the "show-don't tell" fourth wall and damned if he'll tell you exactly what's going on in the book's few action scenes. You'd better have a good imagination and an exemplary spatial sense or much of the time/space orientation presented with complete objectivity will pass you by.This is not always a good thing. Nor is it always a good thing to limit the reader's sense of the protagonist's aging process. Jemmy goes through several stages in the course of this dense travelogue (its distant affinity to "Candide" is limited only by Niven's reluctance to write anything really "literary." He seems content to let Greg Benford assume that title), from teenager to late middle age, and other than light touches here and there, there is no sense of that particular journey except for the Road as metaphor.The Road is the result of a starship hovering over the ground, its fusion drive melting it down to the bedrock as it drifts down the coast from its original landing site to an endpoint on the southern continent of Destiny. Its purpose is two-fold: provide a means of travel between the two places and sterilize the the native life so that imported Earthlife can survive. It does, for a time, until the clever plot device (a bacterium in the ocean chemically "fixes" ALL the potassium to the ocean bed on Destiny. Unlikely, but I digress) threatens the colony's existence. More clever plot devices ensue and the result is a fairly benevolent tyranny that holds nine-tenths of the colony's population in thrall. It is corrupt, Niven seems to say, not because its purposes are bad--the merchants who pull the strings aren't evil in the least--but because it's complacent, sure of itself and therefore less vigilant. But what might replace the tyranny?One man, as in "World Out of Time", can break that tyranny, but this time Niven lets us see it, rather than lecture at us. The effect is muted, questionable, and Niven may have mistaken it for ambiguity. Perhaps. But reluctant heroes are not always ones to identify with. In this case, Niven gave us a protagonist who not only was slow to understand, but slow to act; a whole lifetime, in fact.Better late than never, I suppose. Don't read "Destiny's Road" if you like fast-paced conflict. Here the conflict is muted, even depressed and the lesson is one we already know by heart.
In his first solo novel since concluding his epic Known Space series, Larry Niven takes us to planet Destiny, a long-forgotten human colony light-years from Earth. Thanks to a hostile environment and more than 300 years of isolation, the Destiny colony has devolved into a feudal society of alienated townships. The ancient technological artifacts left behind by the original colonists remind Destiny's inhabitants how far they have fallen, giving the story a strange post-apocalyptic flavor.The plot follows the misadventures of prodigal son Jemmy Bloocher. Jemmy begins as an ignorant, content resident of Spiral Town, Destiny's first settlement. A few years after the founders built Spiral Town they split, leaving behind a road burned into the earth by the fusion exhaust of their landing craft, the Cavorite. Problem is, nobody knows what happened to them. All the Spiral folk do know for sure is that a few times every Destiny year, a caravan of merchants comes down the road to deliver a cargo of speckles, a vital mineral without which they will perish. When Jemmy slays one of the merchants in self-defense, he is forced to flee his home, and follow the road in pursuit of the Cavorite, deep into the mysteries of Destiny's origins.Some critics have accused Niven of coasting; they argue he has fallen into a rut by working within the confines of his Known Space universe for so long. Destiny's Road provides a welcome relief and a great opportunity for one of science fiction's greatest imaginers of worlds to craft a whole new universe. In Niven's stories the environment often becomes a character itself (see Ringworld) and here Niven imagines an alien ecology with astonishingly realistic detail. The book is suffused with the sense of an old master -- hungry to prove himself to a new generation - flexing muscles he'd forgotten he possessed. Niven's new found enthusiasm is infectious.If you are familiar with Niven's work, you might expect a bizarre, earth-shattering revelation at the story's climax. But here Niven restrains himself and, rightly so, stays focused on Jemmy's character arc. Instead, the payoff is quietly profound.
What do You think about Destiny's Road (1998)?
This book gets a lot of flak. Readers find the narrative structure confusing, the main character distant and unrelatable, and the find the substance within the pages lacking.This book just isn't what they expected it to be. The so called confusing narrative is intrinsically tied to the ecology and interactions with humanity as it attempts to settle Destiny.The main characters distance is also tied to this interaction. Not to mention the taboos and social ideas of his home, Spiral Town.The story doesn't attempt to run any sort of "action" marathon. It walks. I am not saying that there is a distinct lack of action either, just that it isn't like a Michael Bay movie.The flaws people see are really just misunderstandings.The ending also seems to get a lot of hate. Not every ending to every book is going to answer all of your questions, and not all endings are explosive. Sometimes an ending just needs time to take root and grow.
—Cadaver19 Travesty
This book gets points because it explores a fascinating idea. Hundreds of years ago, humans colonized an alien world. They were deserted by their starship and left with only the orbital landers and no way to remain in contact with Earth. The group split with one half going off to explore more of the world and in the process coming into possession of the sole source for a necessary resource. What kind of society evolves? How do the haves treat the have nots? How much do they tell them.In execution, the plot moves slowly. It is also disjointed as months, years, or decades can disappear in the time between sections. It isn't until most of the way through the book that the reader realizes that this story isn't really about Jemmy Blucher but about the planet Destiny itself as the reader slowly begins to understand it's character through Jemmy's journeys along Destiny's road.
—Neil
This book gets a fair number of low reviews from people saying that it isn't as good as his earlier works. Readers have difficulty following the main character who seems somewhat shallow and a bit emotionally void. He is confused for most of the book and this translates into no small amount of confusion for the reader. The book doesn't seem to go anywhere and it's difficult to tell where the denouement is and when anything has progressed.This is not a novel, there is little to no progress in the main or any character, no discernible denouement and hardly any resolution. It is a character study, think 'Catcher in the Rye.' However you won't find Jemmy whom we follow delving into his angst ridden subconscious. This is a character study of Destiny itself. Jemmy is our eyes. As he travels along the road he encounters and learns about the settling and exploration of the planet and explores the minds of the first settlers. Destiny's road is a study of the ecology of destiny and the psychology of it's peoples.For better or worse don't expect an exciting nail biter but I do recommend this book. It is an interesting study of humanity and of the challenges that could await us when we attempt to colonize other worlds.
—Aaron Forster
