2.4 — 2.6 stars.If Major Ardmore, Robert Heinlein’s protagonist in his first published novel, Sixth Column, were to experience himself, as a reflection in a mirror, would he see and hear this?“Bark-bark-bark-bark-bark . . . . . . Bark-bark.""Bark . . . . . . Bark-bark-bark."". . . I think you have something there . . .”Yes. A kind of baroque, “terraced dynamic” quality defines Major Admore’s way of speaking—and acting. And, like the protagonist, Heinlein’s novel maintains this “odd” tone throughout.As Space Cadet, Heinlein’s second novel, is seemingly strange, Sixth Column, his first novel is likewise seemingly strange, though from a different perspective. Whereas Space Cadet surprises the reader with mature ideas within a young adult, (“juvenile”), narrative, Sixth Column strikes a reader as “juvenile-ish” within a mature narrative.Published in serial form, (which contributes to the uneven tone), approximately four months prior to the Pearl Harbor attack, the novel anticipates such a conflict and “plays out” a futuristic, full-scale invasion of the United States. From the beginning chapter, the United States is devastated. And, the PanAsian Empire, the enemy force, then sets about occupying and enslaving the native population. The “Sixth Column” title, gleaned from a military tactic used during the Spanish Civil War, describes a handful of Americans who then fight the enemy “from within” the occupying force.With such a premise, the author consequently presents a number of ideas associated with warfare and such an occupation: an autocratic-totalitarian state with widespread surveillance, race, genocide, eugenic prejudice, and terrorism. Additionally, he explores the ideas of freedom / independence, varying facets of religion, as well as individual morality—which he continues to explore in later novels. He also posits one horrible idea that becomes remarkable: that of “killing [the] culture.” The PanAsians maintain the “killing of [the enemy’s] culture” as a strategy to completely subordinate, then enslave, the “lesser” races.Heinlein succeeds in presenting a potentially horrific vision. He also succeeds in satisfying reader expectation for a science fiction narrative. However, “lucky” and “odd” incidences within the plot as well as a lack of character development push the speculative quality of the novel to an almost cartoonish extreme. And unfortunately, for a science fiction “war” novel, Heinlein creates scene after scene of “talking” or second-hand reporting instead of episodes of action.Yet, Sixth Column has its strengths, too.Despite the cartoon quality that ultimately ensues, there are a few scenes that create verisimilitude within the situation: the despair at the beginning of the novel, as well as the severe process for “drafting” military recruits. And, the scene where Thomas discovers a spy within the rebels’ first forward base, (the rebels’ first “church”), becomes quite dramatic and even brutal. The references to labor camps and “pleasure centers” where women are enslaved for sex further support the intended serious tone for the narrative, as well.By far, Heinlein’s various ideas and critiques become the novel’s greatest strengths. From including linguistic coded messages and chemical warfare, (an incident of a gas attack), through an incisive prediction of world overpopulation, to his critique, through Ardmore, of the political complacency of U.S. leaders, Heinlein, as expected, sets the American ideal of individual liberty in relief against the PanAsian totalitarian and eugenic projection of “superiority.” He also provides cultural commentary regarding the influences and corruptive nature of money, qualities of “the police state,” and the human need for symbol.Unfortunately, many of these wonderful aspects become thwarted by two particular plot elements: the Americans’ secret weapon, the “Ledbetter effect,” and the choice of using an imagined religious sect as “cover” while building a counter-offensive.The “Ledbetter effect,” while amazing in its scientific explanation, nevertheless becomes a “miracle” weapon. And, all PanAsian threats to the small rebel group fail to create a sense of risk. This “effect” weapon has a feature so deadly that a reader cannot help but laugh at the “cartoon magic” sense of it—despite its grotesque and horrific implications. Indeed, a riotous skit from Monty Python comes to mind.The created religious sect of “Mota,” (“atom” scrambled), contributes to the novel’s progressive cartoon quality, as well. Here, agents dress as priests, utter bizarre platitudes to placate their PanAsian oppressors, and bribe local officials as they screen supplicants as potential military recruits. The costumes, like the platitudes, seem silly; and, Heinlein poses a seemingly ignorant assumption about the PanAsian’s view of religion.One particular illogical and jarring episode involves Ardmore’s frustration toward forming a military staff. This oddity stands out since Heinlein makes the character a Major, a Field Grade Officer—an officer who should know very well the ways in which larger military organizations function. Further, the progressive episodes involving the haughty Calhoun character as well as Heinlein’s diction, “That’s swell . . . I’ll be a cross-eyed intern . . . Fortnight . . . etc., seem to bring the novel even closer to cartoon territory.Lastly, while Ardmore’s pronouncement upon the invaders is wonderfully apt and just, his final statement creates an uncomfortable irony. Indeed, he advocates a position seemingly as arrogant as his nemesis. Was Heinlein intentional in this irony? As an author . . . quite possibly. Through the Ardmore character . . . not likely. Consequently, this appears to be another blemish to the conclusion Heinlein perhaps intended.If, then, the reader were to experience Heinlein’s first novel, Sixth Column, as a reflection in a mirror, s/he would see in that reflection the author’s second novel, Space Cadet, since it stands as a complete reversal to his first. Left becomes right; and, right becomes left—in reflection. As Space Cadet proposes a positive future anchored in “Peace,” Sixth Column proposes a negative future anchored in war and oppression.And so, per Major Admore, remember: "A good PanAsian is a dead PanAsian," and, "Good Hunting!”Recommendedfor Heinlein & Science Fiction Readers, (2.5 — 2.6 Stars).Not Recommendedfor All Other Readers, (2.4 Stars).
A secret research facility in the Colorado mountains is the US Army's last outpost after defeat by the PanAsians. The conquerors had absorbed the USSR after being attacked by them & had then absorbed India. They're ruthless, having crushed a rebellion by killing 150,000 civilians as punishment.The lab is in turmoil. All but six of the personnel have died due to unknown forces released by an experiment operating within the newly-discovered magneto-gravitic or electro-gravitic spectra. Survivors learn they can selectively kill by releasing the internal pressure of cell membranes. This weapon can kill one race while leaving others unharmed.They devise more uses for the forces discovered, but how do a handful overthrow an occupation that controls all communications & makes it criminal to print English? Noting the invaders have allowed religious practice to pacify their slaves, they start a church & act as Priests of Mota (atom backwards) to build a resistance movement which Major Ardmore, the protagonist, refers to as the 6th Column--as opposed to a traitorous 5th.Originally published in 1941 as "Sixth Column" this came to me from my bookgroup under it's alternate title of "The Day After Tomorrow". I hadn't read Heinlein, or any other books from this era, in years, so picked it up.The story starts with Major Ardmore arriving at The Citadel, to find that all but 6 members of the section are dead, via unknown methods. To all intents and purposes it's an Military (Army) base, but the remaining staff are science types or low grade army recruits. Ardmore finds himself having to take over command and not only deal with the temperamental staff but how to react to the enslavement of the American people by a combined Far East contingent."But the PanAsians arent Japanese" "No and they're not Chinese. They are a mixed race, strong, proud and prolific".50 years of non interaction with the far east had resulted in America being invaded by an group of people they had no understanding of.The Nonintercourse Act had kept the American people from knowing anything important about their enemy. [...] The proponents of the measure had maintained that China was a big bite even for Soviet Russia to digest and that the United States had no fear of war [...] we had our backs turned when China digested RussiaThey then go on to absorb India as well and it is many of the veterans of the India campaign who are brought over to control the Americans.The invaders are depicted as ruthless and cruel—for example, they crush an abortive rebellion by killing 150,000 American civilians as punishment.Under Ardmore's instruction the scientists soon find what killed their colleagues, and the rest of the book is a way of overcoming the obstacles of being a small group overcoming a whole continent of enemies. They make the best use of their new weapon despite the limits on communications and travel. Noting that the invaders have allowed the free practice of religion (the better to pacify their slaves), the Americans set up a church of their own in order to build a resistance movement—the Sixth Column (as opposed to a traitorous fifth column).This is a short book (145 pages) and so the writing is sparse and there is little exposition of the things that are different. The Scout cars - high speed flying cars, manoeuvrable like helicopters, but faster and virtually undetectable - are used where travel over long distances is required. There is some description of the new weapon, but that is kept to a minimum but having Ardmore as a non-scientist quickly bored with things he doesn't understand.It's difficult to decide whether it's the author or the characters themselves who are inherently racist against the invaders. Several characters refer to them as "monkeys" or "Flat faced Bastards" but outside of speech they are most commonly referred to as "PanAsians" or "Asiatics". A few of the characters are slightly more charitable, saying things like the following:"Don't make the mistake of thinking of the PanAsians as bad - they're not - but they are different. Behind their arrogance is a racial inferiority complex, a mass paranoia that makes it necessary for them to prove to themselves by proving to us that a yellow man is as good as a white man, an a damned sight better. Remember that, son, they want the outside signs of respect more than anything else in the world."Ardmore is the most complete character, but even he isn't an in depth person. The secondary characters are a little on dimensional, but that's a side effect of such a short book. The characters who appear early in the book are dropped early, only for some of them to appear later in the book - Dr Calhoun disappears as soon as the weapons are developed, and only appears again having a breakdown and running amok in the Citadel. The intelligence gathering trip by Thomas was interesting, and provided the most rounded description of the changed world state.
What do You think about Sixth Column (1999)?
I'm about a third of the way through this book and I just want to comment about the racism and bigotry presented so far.Yes, the characters are racist (both the Americans and Pan-Asians) but I think it is important to take this in context. Not just with regard to the time this book was written but with regard to a central premise of the story. After WWII, the cold war had begun but had continued to freeze well beyond the level it actually did historically. The Pan-Asian countries had maintained a strict isolation from the west and vise versa. This had become enshrined in law preventing any contact between the peoples of these countries for two generations. Knowledge of each other's culture, languages and religion became virtually non-existent and so this explains why the people (on both sides) had strong pre-conceptions and prejudices about the other side.It comes across quite strongly that the racist sentiments expressed are only that of the characters and not of the author. Indeed, there was one character, an anarchist hobo, who sees the Pan-Asians as just people, induced to hate, kill and conquer by their state just as the Americans were themselves induced by their state. In the eyes of this character, it is the respective governments that were the real criminals, not the people themselves. And I feel that the views of this character are probably closer to the personal views of Heinlein than any of the others.---A quick word about the science in this story. It's a bit fanciful to say the least. According to general field theory, there are three types of forces: Electrical, Magnetic and Gravitic. The "Ledbetter" effect, utilised by the protagonists in thist story, involves tapping into the spectra (besides the electro-magnetic) that general field theory predicts should exist: electro-gravitic, gravitic-magnetic and the three-phase electro-magnetic-gravitic. I suppose field theory was quite new when this book was written but still, Heinlein's grip of it seems to be quite weak. Even with my very limited understanding of it.This isn't really a negative for me at all. I have no problem suspending belief and just running with it but I imagine that for some people it may prove problematic.--- At 140 pages, the story unfolds at a breakneck speed, never pausing for breath. The advantages of this is that you never get bored, are always on the edge of your seat. The disadvantage is that the author never really had time to develop the characters. They were this way one moment and another way the next. Virtually no time for narrative that didn't develop the plot.All in all, it is a barmy story with barmy ideas (see above) but it is an engaging read. If you can overlook it's shortcomings, you will enjoy this book immensely. Me, I don't have a problem with barmy.
—Simon
Bit of an old curiosity this one. First published in 1940, it has an odd and outdated attitude to just about every subject it comes across. For those reviewers who whine about bigotry, sexism et cetera all I can say is... get a grip! It's a story (that means made up) and was written over 70 years ago - when we start telling writers what they can and can't write about we may as well give up reading.Like many older novels, Sixth Column is quite talky and ponderous, especially considering its rather exciting plotline. That it moves along at a reasonable pace is more due to regular narrative jumps than any sense of urgency in the writing. To be fair, the style is fairly typical of the era in which it was written.Sixth Column starts out with a few scientists and others, less than 10 in total, in a citadel under a mountain. Their group have survived a war that has resulted in the "Pan Asians" taking over the USA, but have been decimated by a weapon testing incident which is (sort of) explained later. This handful of men are on their own against the might of the cruel and evil occupying force that has enslaved the American people. Sounds like they're screwed.But wait a minute! Between them these few people can do anything! They have unlimited resources and can create/invent anything. Every time a problem strolls in, the solution is rushing in the door behind it so fast that it nearly knocks it over. The religon idea is pretty cool, but it's just achieved with hardly any fuss. And that's the crux of the problem. It's all too easy. Worth reading for its novelty value, but after that there's not much left.
—Joe Stamber
Pretty disappointed with this one. The premise of this book is that the US was taken over by the "Pan Asians". The last remaining vestige of the US military consists of a few scientists and an advertising writer. Rather than give up, the ad guy decides to use the time honored military tactic of making up a fake religion and using the newly invented "Ledbetter Effect*" to beat back the yellow menace once and for all.The book is just absurd wish fulfillment. Utterly goofy and filled with racial pejoratives that might have been acceptable When this book was written, 1941, but is very jarring to read today. I am a Heinlein fanboy but I would skip this one unless you are a completist. Two stars including one just because I love Heinlein.*The Ledbetter Effect is the well known scientific effect of using radiation to do whatever the fuck you want. See also Alchemy or Handwavium.
—Ed [Redacted]
