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نگبانان
داستان تخیلی کتاب در سال ۲۰۵۲ میلادی اتفاق می‌افت� که انگلستان از شهرهای بزرگ، مدرن و پرجمعیت و شهرستان‌ها� اشرافی تشکیل شده است. شهرستان‌ه� به جای استفاده از مظاهر تکنولوژی، با امکانات قرن نوزدهم زندگی می‌کنن�. بین این دو محدوده سیم‌خاردار� کشیده شده است که گفته می‌شو� نزدیک شدن به آن خطر مرگ دارد و نگبانان اسب‌سوا� از آن محافظت می‌کنن�. راب، قهرمان داستان، پس از مرگ مشکوک پدرش یتیم می‌شو� و تصمیم می‌گیر� شهر را ترک کند و به شهرستان برود. او آنجا را محیطی آرام و دوست‌داشتن� می‌یاب�. اما به زودی متوجه روشهای غیرانسانی حفظ این آرامش و صفا می‌شو� و باید بین «صلح و صفا» و یا «آزادی» یکی را انتخاب کند
مترجم: حسین ابراهیمی (الوند)
چاپ سوم ۱۳۷۵
مترجم: حسین ابراهیمی (الوند)
چاپ سوم ۱۳۷۵
196 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1970
16 people are currently reading
445 people want to read
About the author
John Christopher
189books532followersSamuel Youd was born in Huyton, Lancashire in April 1922, during an unseasonable snowstorm.
As a boy, he was devoted to the newly emergent genre of science-fiction: ‘In the early thirties,� he later wrote, ‘we knew just enough about the solar system for its possibilities to be a magnet to the imagination.�
Over the following decades, his imagination flowed from science-fiction into general novels, cricket novels, medical novels, gothic romances, detective thrillers, light comedies � In all he published fifty-six novels and a myriad of short stories, under his own name as well as eight different pen-names.
He is perhaps best known as John Christopher, author of the seminal work of speculative fiction, The Death of Grass (today available as a Penguin Classic), and a stream of novels in the genre he pioneered, young adult dystopian fiction, beginning with The Tripods Trilogy.
‘I read somewhere,� Sam once said, ‘that I have been cited as the greatest serial killer in fictional history, having destroyed civilisation in so many different ways � through famine, freezing, earthquakes, feral youth combined with religious fanaticism, and progeria.�
In an interview towards the end of his life, conversation turned to a recent spate of novels set on Mars and a possible setting for a John Christopher story: strand a group of people in a remote Martian enclave and see what happens.
The Mars aspect, he felt, was irrelevant. ‘What happens between the people,� he said, ‘that’s the thing I’m interested in.�
As a boy, he was devoted to the newly emergent genre of science-fiction: ‘In the early thirties,� he later wrote, ‘we knew just enough about the solar system for its possibilities to be a magnet to the imagination.�
Over the following decades, his imagination flowed from science-fiction into general novels, cricket novels, medical novels, gothic romances, detective thrillers, light comedies � In all he published fifty-six novels and a myriad of short stories, under his own name as well as eight different pen-names.
He is perhaps best known as John Christopher, author of the seminal work of speculative fiction, The Death of Grass (today available as a Penguin Classic), and a stream of novels in the genre he pioneered, young adult dystopian fiction, beginning with The Tripods Trilogy.
‘I read somewhere,� Sam once said, ‘that I have been cited as the greatest serial killer in fictional history, having destroyed civilisation in so many different ways � through famine, freezing, earthquakes, feral youth combined with religious fanaticism, and progeria.�
In an interview towards the end of his life, conversation turned to a recent spate of novels set on Mars and a possible setting for a John Christopher story: strand a group of people in a remote Martian enclave and see what happens.
The Mars aspect, he felt, was irrelevant. ‘What happens between the people,� he said, ‘that’s the thing I’m interested in.�
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November 30, 2017
The Guardians, John Christopher
The Guardians is a young-adult science fiction novel written by John Christopher and published by Hamilton in 1970. Set in the year 2052, it depicts an authoritarian England divided into two distinct societies: the modern, overpopulated "Conurbs" and the aristocratic, rarefied "County". Crowded city districts and all-pervasive technology make up the Conurbs while manors and rolling countrysides typical of 19th-century England make up the County. The story follows a young Conurban orphan named Rob as he experiences life in both worlds, uncovering truths and choosing sides in the process.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: چهارم ماه ژانویه سال 1996 میلادی
عنوان: نگبانان؛ نویسنده: جان کریستوفر؛ مترجم: حسین ابراهیمی (الوند)؛ تهران، کانون پرورش فکری کودکان و نوجوانان، 1374؛ در 196 ص؛ چاپ سوم 1375؛ شابک: 9644324102؛ موضوع: داستانهای نوجوانان از نویسندکان انگلیسی قرن 20 م
داستان در سال 2052 میلادی است که روایت میشود، «راب» نوجوان چهارده ساله در شهر لندن زندگی و پس از مرگ پدر به مدرسه شبانه روزی ایالتی میرود و با آزار بزرگترها به فکر فرار میافتد و ...؛ کتاب جایزه سال رمان نوجوانان روزنامه گاردین و برگردان همین رمان به زبان آلمانی، جایزه ای در سال 1976 میلادی برای جان کریستوفر به همراه داشته است. ا. شربیانی
The Guardians is a young-adult science fiction novel written by John Christopher and published by Hamilton in 1970. Set in the year 2052, it depicts an authoritarian England divided into two distinct societies: the modern, overpopulated "Conurbs" and the aristocratic, rarefied "County". Crowded city districts and all-pervasive technology make up the Conurbs while manors and rolling countrysides typical of 19th-century England make up the County. The story follows a young Conurban orphan named Rob as he experiences life in both worlds, uncovering truths and choosing sides in the process.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: چهارم ماه ژانویه سال 1996 میلادی
عنوان: نگبانان؛ نویسنده: جان کریستوفر؛ مترجم: حسین ابراهیمی (الوند)؛ تهران، کانون پرورش فکری کودکان و نوجوانان، 1374؛ در 196 ص؛ چاپ سوم 1375؛ شابک: 9644324102؛ موضوع: داستانهای نوجوانان از نویسندکان انگلیسی قرن 20 م
داستان در سال 2052 میلادی است که روایت میشود، «راب» نوجوان چهارده ساله در شهر لندن زندگی و پس از مرگ پدر به مدرسه شبانه روزی ایالتی میرود و با آزار بزرگترها به فکر فرار میافتد و ...؛ کتاب جایزه سال رمان نوجوانان روزنامه گاردین و برگردان همین رمان به زبان آلمانی، جایزه ای در سال 1976 میلادی برای جان کریستوفر به همراه داشته است. ا. شربیانی
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March 9, 2019John Christopher was a prodigious writer of children's books so much so that he used a handful of nom de plume just to disguise quite how many books he was churning out. His best known work might be the tripods trilogy, they all tend to be science-fictiony or fantastical adventures featuring children (ie boys) as the protagonists.
This one, as it's title with echoes of Plato suggests, is a subtle dystopia set in a semi-futuristic or fairly contemporary Britain which we explore from the point of view of a child. The subtly comes in from being limited to a child's perceptions and your understanding of quite how dystopian the setting is develops in tandem with that of the child.
The general idea is that Britain has been divided by a fence into a sprawling urban area known as the Conurb where the bulk of the population are kept: under educated, amused by bread and circuses, and distracted by an ongoing war in China while on the other side of the fence is the County, a part of Britain which has been almost entirely deindustrialised to recreate an ultra-conservative version of the British countryside circa 1900. There a rigid class structure continues, electricity and cars have been abandoned in favour of horses and oil lamps and everything appears bucolic, at least it does if you belong to the upper classes and don't ask questions.
The control mechanisms which keep the Conurb in place are plain to see, but those of the County are subtle and enticing. The hero gets to experience both. The ending, I think, is a fine touch, particularly for a children's book.
This one, as it's title with echoes of Plato suggests, is a subtle dystopia set in a semi-futuristic or fairly contemporary Britain which we explore from the point of view of a child. The subtly comes in from being limited to a child's perceptions and your understanding of quite how dystopian the setting is develops in tandem with that of the child.
The general idea is that Britain has been divided by a fence into a sprawling urban area known as the Conurb where the bulk of the population are kept: under educated, amused by bread and circuses, and distracted by an ongoing war in China while on the other side of the fence is the County, a part of Britain which has been almost entirely deindustrialised to recreate an ultra-conservative version of the British countryside circa 1900. There a rigid class structure continues, electricity and cars have been abandoned in favour of horses and oil lamps and everything appears bucolic, at least it does if you belong to the upper classes and don't ask questions.
The control mechanisms which keep the Conurb in place are plain to see, but those of the County are subtle and enticing. The hero gets to experience both. The ending, I think, is a fine touch, particularly for a children's book.
November 12, 2015
Firstly, whoever gave the go ahead for this cover at New Windmill, should be fired. This is a children's book and nothing about the cover is inviting to a child or an adult. I also think it looks very misleading as The Guardians on the cover look like vampires. There no vampires in this book.
What you do have in this story is a dystopian England, spilt into the conurbs and the county. I spent most of the time I was reading this trying to figure out what camp my home would be in, I'm in the middle of both and couldn't figure out what side of the fence I would be on.
I really liked this story, it's simple but I couldn't put it down. I think the underlying message here was that the government keep you content enough that you don't mind being controlled. This is so true and I'm totally guilty of this as are most people. There is a more sinister plot to the story but it's only touched upon in the last couple of pages. Don't be put of by the crap cover, this is well worth your time.
What you do have in this story is a dystopian England, spilt into the conurbs and the county. I spent most of the time I was reading this trying to figure out what camp my home would be in, I'm in the middle of both and couldn't figure out what side of the fence I would be on.
I really liked this story, it's simple but I couldn't put it down. I think the underlying message here was that the government keep you content enough that you don't mind being controlled. This is so true and I'm totally guilty of this as are most people. There is a more sinister plot to the story but it's only touched upon in the last couple of pages. Don't be put of by the crap cover, this is well worth your time.
September 1, 2018
This is a slow-moving story until you realise that there has been nothing but plot and character all the way through. It's a great story featuring a resourceful but quite timid protagonist who must choose between the world he was born into, the world he has escaped to and the possibility of a much better world that he can help to bring about. It's very subtly told, with great characters and a believable - and quite familiar - future setting. Christopher was terrific at characters and painting a realistic picture of his worlds and this is no exception. My only grizzle would be that it ends rather like the first volume in a series but with no follow-up volume to peruse.
March 10, 2020
It was OK. The writing is pretty basic and the ideas are interesting but not outstanding.
August 3, 2020
Usually when I write a review, I have no problem finding the cover image, not today dear reader, today I had to *gasp* take my own photo! My copy of The Guardians was published in 1982 and it cost £1.10p. I’m not sure when I took ownership of this book but as it is literally falling apart I can only assume it must have been a while back.
I read this book during high school, it was discussed as part of our English lessons (quick side note-it was also during these lessons that the teacher introduced my to The Hobbit thus starting my love of The Lord of the Rings) and it could well be one of the first dystopian books I read.
The year is 2052, young Rob lives in the Conurb, a massive city full of technology and happy people believing they are living their best lives fenced off from the countryside. The fence does indeed split the conurbation from the country, in the country life is slower andthe class of people much much higher.
Rob has lost both his parents and is sent to a boarding school where conditions are rough and Rob fears the bullying bigger kids. He longs to escape and one day he gets his chance. He knows where he wants to go - the countryside, but he has the fence to traverse first.
His luck is in and he finds himself in the vast countryside but how will he fend for himself? He encounters Mike, a boy of a similar age, he lives close by and the pair strike up a friendship as Mike helps Rob stay safe, feeding and clothing him, keeping him hidden.
Of course being kids they don’t realise that the adults have twigged something is going on. Will Rob be sent back to the Conurbs to live in the horrible boarding school? Or will he find something much worse is starting to work its way through the populace, a rebellion.
This book terrified me the first time I read it back in my teenage years, now, not so much but with everything that is going on in the world, cities being fenced off doesnt seem quite as far fetched as it does in this book. The one thing it does address is a class divide, the rich get richer and the poor are lied too to make them believe they are happy. It is still a good novel fifty years after its publication.
I read this book during high school, it was discussed as part of our English lessons (quick side note-it was also during these lessons that the teacher introduced my to The Hobbit thus starting my love of The Lord of the Rings) and it could well be one of the first dystopian books I read.
The year is 2052, young Rob lives in the Conurb, a massive city full of technology and happy people believing they are living their best lives fenced off from the countryside. The fence does indeed split the conurbation from the country, in the country life is slower andthe class of people much much higher.
Rob has lost both his parents and is sent to a boarding school where conditions are rough and Rob fears the bullying bigger kids. He longs to escape and one day he gets his chance. He knows where he wants to go - the countryside, but he has the fence to traverse first.
His luck is in and he finds himself in the vast countryside but how will he fend for himself? He encounters Mike, a boy of a similar age, he lives close by and the pair strike up a friendship as Mike helps Rob stay safe, feeding and clothing him, keeping him hidden.
Of course being kids they don’t realise that the adults have twigged something is going on. Will Rob be sent back to the Conurbs to live in the horrible boarding school? Or will he find something much worse is starting to work its way through the populace, a rebellion.
This book terrified me the first time I read it back in my teenage years, now, not so much but with everything that is going on in the world, cities being fenced off doesnt seem quite as far fetched as it does in this book. The one thing it does address is a class divide, the rich get richer and the poor are lied too to make them believe they are happy. It is still a good novel fifty years after its publication.
November 29, 2020
Left orphaned after the suspicious death of his father, Rob decides to escape the overcrowded and conformist city society of the Conurb and make his way to the forbidden countryside beyond a wire fence and guards on horseback. What he finds there is a tranquil and comfortable paradise, an England trapped in time before industrialisation. When he begins to understand the inhuman ways this tranquility is maintained however, Rob faces an impossible choice: peace or freedom?
.
The Guardians is a complex and intelligent sci fi dystopia that sacrifices high octane adventure for a nuanced meditation on the inevitable binaries of hierarchical society. Christoper is mostly concerned with class, the residents of the city are a conformist bunch allowed their bread and circuses: watching violent sports on holovision and rioting within legal parameters; whereas the society of the countryside are comfortable landed gentry: salmon fishing and horse riding without the constraints of work. Escaping from one to other, Rob is entranced by the countryside, and is granted a miraculous pass into the centre of that world through a new friend, Mike. Like so many of the middle classes in the seventies (when this book was written) he escapes the grime of inner city living and goes in search of the good life. Behind the archaic idyll however, the countryside has a rotten core, the people of the Conurb are exploited to uphold it, and Rob begins to realise that the good life is not one of freedom when a rebellion involving Mike is quashed by tyrannical means. Christopher asks his readers a difficult question: if society is conditioned to be happy, and nevertheless is happy, is that really such a bad thing? Or is freedom all that matters?
.
The Guardians is a complex and intelligent sci fi dystopia that sacrifices high octane adventure for a nuanced meditation on the inevitable binaries of hierarchical society. Christoper is mostly concerned with class, the residents of the city are a conformist bunch allowed their bread and circuses: watching violent sports on holovision and rioting within legal parameters; whereas the society of the countryside are comfortable landed gentry: salmon fishing and horse riding without the constraints of work. Escaping from one to other, Rob is entranced by the countryside, and is granted a miraculous pass into the centre of that world through a new friend, Mike. Like so many of the middle classes in the seventies (when this book was written) he escapes the grime of inner city living and goes in search of the good life. Behind the archaic idyll however, the countryside has a rotten core, the people of the Conurb are exploited to uphold it, and Rob begins to realise that the good life is not one of freedom when a rebellion involving Mike is quashed by tyrannical means. Christopher asks his readers a difficult question: if society is conditioned to be happy, and nevertheless is happy, is that really such a bad thing? Or is freedom all that matters?
July 26, 2013
Hmm. One of those books I know I read, but remember nothing about other than that it was in my "read everything I can get my hands on by John Christopher" phase.
September 2, 2018
yes! good, good story.... this went from around 3 stars to 4 by 80%through, then an easy 5 from me by story's end, which is why we all should read books all the way through before rating them, really.
It held my interest throughout, but just when I was beginning to think it was a little no-so-interesting, it became very and quick! This renewed my new found love of fiction based in the future.
It held my interest throughout, but just when I was beginning to think it was a little no-so-interesting, it became very and quick! This renewed my new found love of fiction based in the future.
February 28, 2020
Upon reading the middle part of The Guardians by John Christopher, the storyline seems a bit obvious but it doesn’t when readers reach the end.
This book is about a rich young boy’s kindness in helping a poor young boy in his plight to escape his difficult situation at home. Since this book is mainly about a future where classism is practiced, the poor boy was taken into the rich boy’s family and tries to adapt himself as part of the family.
At first, the story was thought to be the usual rich-boy-and-poor-boy kind of story where they become friends and somehow the poor boy exceeds the rich boy in academics and then is praised by the rich mother, but then more truths were uncovered. Apparently, those from the poor boy’s hometown are starting a revolution against the rich. The rich has been in power for so long, and those who were found to try to escape or disagree with how the rich state works, they are punished through a surgical procedure to the brain that brainwashes them to be obedient at all times.
So, in the end, the poor boy has to decide whether to go back to his real home, or stay in the current home where he is safer. It’s not an epic ending, but kudos to the mother for having some sense.
This book is about a rich young boy’s kindness in helping a poor young boy in his plight to escape his difficult situation at home. Since this book is mainly about a future where classism is practiced, the poor boy was taken into the rich boy’s family and tries to adapt himself as part of the family.
At first, the story was thought to be the usual rich-boy-and-poor-boy kind of story where they become friends and somehow the poor boy exceeds the rich boy in academics and then is praised by the rich mother, but then more truths were uncovered. Apparently, those from the poor boy’s hometown are starting a revolution against the rich. The rich has been in power for so long, and those who were found to try to escape or disagree with how the rich state works, they are punished through a surgical procedure to the brain that brainwashes them to be obedient at all times.
So, in the end, the poor boy has to decide whether to go back to his real home, or stay in the current home where he is safer. It’s not an epic ending, but kudos to the mother for having some sense.
May 25, 2018
Another tight piece of dystopic YA fiction from the author of the Tripods trilogy. A damning critique on the English class system, power and control. Still relevant today.
January 4, 2017
While I was searching for a book published in the year I was born, I came across this title: The Guardians by John Christopher. I immediately got a little giddy. I remember Mrs. Snellback in the sixth grade recommending The White Mountains to me. A book set in the future where the human population is controlled by these weird Tripod machines. She got me hooked not just on this series, but science-fiction in general.
I read the entire trilogy and years later when John Christopher wrote When the Tripods Came I read that too. If you have not read these books, they are worth checking out. But be sure to read them in the order in which they were published. Since When the Tripods Came is a prequel, reading it first will ruin the original trilogy for you. So save it for last.
Now, The Guardians also takes place in a future dystopia. The opening chapters center around London in 2052, but the story eventually includes the English countryside as well. While the world seems to have its positive points, like no starvation, there are still drawbacks. War still exists, but it is far away in China.
Technology has advanced to include holovisions, visiphones, sound-grams, electrocars, and monorail trains. When the protagonist Rob, a teenage boy, reads about a London that included gaslight lamps, he thinks the story is a fantasy.
The story opens strong with the suspicious death of Rob's father, an electrician. Rob's mother died years earlier, so he's temporarily cared for by one of his dad's co-workers and friend. Rob discovers letters his mother wrote and learns that she was from the County.
Here's where the plot slows down...a great deal. He doesn't know much about the County, except that it's segregated from the Conurb, where he lives. He's sent to a boarding school and eventually runs away, sneaking into the County thinking he may find a connection to his mother there. Getting Rob to the County took four chapters, out of the book's ten. The pacing is a bit painful.
Once he reaches the County, he has no plan and no supplies. And he sees people riding horses and wonders why they aren't in electrocars. A member of the gentry, another teenager named Mike discovers Rob and hides him. Even this plotting is slow. Finally, chapter five ends with another person discovering Rob's existence, and things start to look up.
The County is quite different than the Conurb. There's no holovsion. Holovisions, and those who enjoy this baseless entertainment, are sneered at. They do make limited use of technology in the County, but mostly they are content to live in their little Downton Abbey world of aristocracy upstairs and servants downstairs.
Christopher begins to truly explore the differences in class structure between the County and the Conurb with some conversations between Rob and Mike. They examine why the servants of the gentry accept their station without question and even look down upon the ignorant masses living in the Conurb. Rob begins to fit into this new world and gets comfortable in a new role that Mike helps him with.
Of course, other young characters appear, but they are quite forgettable. There are rumblings of revolution and the plot moves onward.
The significance of the title does not become apparent until the final chapter. And in this last chapter Rob does struggle with new information he receives about his world. He begins to realize that his dad's death may not have been an accident. And then he makes a life-changing decision. And then the book ends.
I am not kidding. I was reading the Kindle version of the book, and I'm terrible at looking at the Table of Contents for books on the Kindle app. I didn't see that there were two excerpts from other John Christopher books, so I really thought I was 84% through the actual book. And then the story ended.
My first reaction was to look up if this book was part of a series. It's not.
While I love the philosophical questions that Christopher explores in this book, and the fact that he presents complex ideas in a way for a younger audience to grasp, the overall pacing of the story leaves too much to be desired.
I decided to view this story as an attempt to recreate The White Mountains. There are glimpses of great storytelling here, but the execution is limited. I do wonder if he was ever going to write more about Rob and Mike.
I am glad that I read another book by John Christopher. When he died in 2012, I got a bit nostalgic, remembering that he was the author who sparked my interest in science-fiction, particularly dystopias.
I read the entire trilogy and years later when John Christopher wrote When the Tripods Came I read that too. If you have not read these books, they are worth checking out. But be sure to read them in the order in which they were published. Since When the Tripods Came is a prequel, reading it first will ruin the original trilogy for you. So save it for last.
Now, The Guardians also takes place in a future dystopia. The opening chapters center around London in 2052, but the story eventually includes the English countryside as well. While the world seems to have its positive points, like no starvation, there are still drawbacks. War still exists, but it is far away in China.
Technology has advanced to include holovisions, visiphones, sound-grams, electrocars, and monorail trains. When the protagonist Rob, a teenage boy, reads about a London that included gaslight lamps, he thinks the story is a fantasy.
The story opens strong with the suspicious death of Rob's father, an electrician. Rob's mother died years earlier, so he's temporarily cared for by one of his dad's co-workers and friend. Rob discovers letters his mother wrote and learns that she was from the County.
Here's where the plot slows down...a great deal. He doesn't know much about the County, except that it's segregated from the Conurb, where he lives. He's sent to a boarding school and eventually runs away, sneaking into the County thinking he may find a connection to his mother there. Getting Rob to the County took four chapters, out of the book's ten. The pacing is a bit painful.
Once he reaches the County, he has no plan and no supplies. And he sees people riding horses and wonders why they aren't in electrocars. A member of the gentry, another teenager named Mike discovers Rob and hides him. Even this plotting is slow. Finally, chapter five ends with another person discovering Rob's existence, and things start to look up.
The County is quite different than the Conurb. There's no holovsion. Holovisions, and those who enjoy this baseless entertainment, are sneered at. They do make limited use of technology in the County, but mostly they are content to live in their little Downton Abbey world of aristocracy upstairs and servants downstairs.
Christopher begins to truly explore the differences in class structure between the County and the Conurb with some conversations between Rob and Mike. They examine why the servants of the gentry accept their station without question and even look down upon the ignorant masses living in the Conurb. Rob begins to fit into this new world and gets comfortable in a new role that Mike helps him with.
Of course, other young characters appear, but they are quite forgettable. There are rumblings of revolution and the plot moves onward.
The significance of the title does not become apparent until the final chapter. And in this last chapter Rob does struggle with new information he receives about his world. He begins to realize that his dad's death may not have been an accident. And then he makes a life-changing decision. And then the book ends.
I am not kidding. I was reading the Kindle version of the book, and I'm terrible at looking at the Table of Contents for books on the Kindle app. I didn't see that there were two excerpts from other John Christopher books, so I really thought I was 84% through the actual book. And then the story ended.
My first reaction was to look up if this book was part of a series. It's not.
While I love the philosophical questions that Christopher explores in this book, and the fact that he presents complex ideas in a way for a younger audience to grasp, the overall pacing of the story leaves too much to be desired.
I decided to view this story as an attempt to recreate The White Mountains. There are glimpses of great storytelling here, but the execution is limited. I do wonder if he was ever going to write more about Rob and Mike.
I am glad that I read another book by John Christopher. When he died in 2012, I got a bit nostalgic, remembering that he was the author who sparked my interest in science-fiction, particularly dystopias.
November 22, 2023
To be honest, not as good as the tripods. The pace kind of lagged and the conclusion wasn’t satisfying. In fact I’d have been more satisfied if it turned out that the main character bought into the system and became a “villain� of sorts. Maybe I’m a little more persuaded by Plato’s guardians than I’d like to admit, which needs some unpacking I suppose.
August 21, 2015
John Christopher � author of the Tripods trilogy and The Death of Grass � died back in February, and I didn’t even find out until a few weeks ago, which bummed me out. So I ordered a few of his books off the Internet, ones which I’ve never read, because I like indulging in a bit of nostalgic young adult fiction (a genre which can be nostalgic even when you’ve never read the book in question) and I’m sure a writer who could put out a classic like the Tripods trilogy must have a good backlog.
The Guardians takes place sometime in the mid-21st century, when England has been divided into two worlds � the aristocratic “County,� a land of picturesque countryside and landed gentry and upstairs/downstairs social stratification, and the modern “Conurb,� a bleak, Ballardian cityscape of CCTV and blocks of flats and sports riots. Christopher takes the existing divide in Britain between country/city and upper class/lower class and develops it to its sci-fi conclusion, where the two worlds are separated by electric fences and rigid social control.
The protagonist, Rob, is a young Conurb lad � living in “the London Conurb,� in fact. To his credit, Christopher has developed this world from real places and names, instead of making everything generic, as in some other examples of mid-20th century science fiction. Rob is sent to a boarding school after his father dies, but finds life there unbearable, and � after discovering that his deceased mother originally hailed from Gloucestershire � decides to escape into the County, via Reading. He finds it easier than expected to get through the electric fence, and fortuitously runs into a helpful County family that adopts him into their mansion.
Christopher’s prose style is fairly dry, but also much simpler than I remember it � perhaps because when I read the Tripods trilogy, I was actually in the intended age group. Nonetheless, I found The Guardians to be a fairly engaging novel, and was quite impressed with the themes and ideas it presents to a young target audience. It’s a novel about social control, and balancing freedom against happiness, and I was unsure which side of that argument Christopher was going to land on until the very final pages. He manages to pack quite a lot into a mere 156 pages without the story ever feeling rushed. I was also impressed by how well The Guardians has aged, considering it was written 42 years ago; it actually could have been written in the last decade, and wouldn’t feel at all out of place. The themes about trading liberty for security and the divide between England’s rose-tinted past and pessimistic future are still very much part of the zeitgeist.
Overall, a decent young adult novel. It wasn’t a great book, but it was a quick and easy read and delivered more than I expected from it. Next in line from Christopher’s backlog is The Prince In Waiting, also from 1970, the first book in his “Sword of the Spirits� trilogy.
The Guardians takes place sometime in the mid-21st century, when England has been divided into two worlds � the aristocratic “County,� a land of picturesque countryside and landed gentry and upstairs/downstairs social stratification, and the modern “Conurb,� a bleak, Ballardian cityscape of CCTV and blocks of flats and sports riots. Christopher takes the existing divide in Britain between country/city and upper class/lower class and develops it to its sci-fi conclusion, where the two worlds are separated by electric fences and rigid social control.
The protagonist, Rob, is a young Conurb lad � living in “the London Conurb,� in fact. To his credit, Christopher has developed this world from real places and names, instead of making everything generic, as in some other examples of mid-20th century science fiction. Rob is sent to a boarding school after his father dies, but finds life there unbearable, and � after discovering that his deceased mother originally hailed from Gloucestershire � decides to escape into the County, via Reading. He finds it easier than expected to get through the electric fence, and fortuitously runs into a helpful County family that adopts him into their mansion.
Christopher’s prose style is fairly dry, but also much simpler than I remember it � perhaps because when I read the Tripods trilogy, I was actually in the intended age group. Nonetheless, I found The Guardians to be a fairly engaging novel, and was quite impressed with the themes and ideas it presents to a young target audience. It’s a novel about social control, and balancing freedom against happiness, and I was unsure which side of that argument Christopher was going to land on until the very final pages. He manages to pack quite a lot into a mere 156 pages without the story ever feeling rushed. I was also impressed by how well The Guardians has aged, considering it was written 42 years ago; it actually could have been written in the last decade, and wouldn’t feel at all out of place. The themes about trading liberty for security and the divide between England’s rose-tinted past and pessimistic future are still very much part of the zeitgeist.
Overall, a decent young adult novel. It wasn’t a great book, but it was a quick and easy read and delivered more than I expected from it. Next in line from Christopher’s backlog is The Prince In Waiting, also from 1970, the first book in his “Sword of the Spirits� trilogy.
September 19, 2010
I've been a huge John Christopher fan ever since I first watched "The Tripods" more than 23 years ago. I was still a child and scared by the Tripods, but also fascinated by the plot, the characters and this whole universe Christopher created.
For a while (especially, after the series ended after only 2 parts - out of 3) I focused on something else, but a few years back my parents made me the best birthday present ever by getting me the dvds.
I started re-watching the show and the hype was back. I tracked down every book I could get hold of, and except for a few books (that are out of print) I read everything.
"The Guardians" was one of the books I recently found and read.
It's not comparable to "The Tripods" (these will always be outstanding and the best Christopher has ever written) but it was good. A young adult book I - as an adult - enjoyed reading. The plot is fascinating and had surprising twists. Unfortunately, the end is a bit to abrupt and you close the book with the feeling that you've missed something; it's as if the story isn't done yet and you expect for chapters to follow. Unfortunately, there are no more chapters and I am a bit unsatisfied by that. Thus, only 3 stars.
For a while (especially, after the series ended after only 2 parts - out of 3) I focused on something else, but a few years back my parents made me the best birthday present ever by getting me the dvds.
I started re-watching the show and the hype was back. I tracked down every book I could get hold of, and except for a few books (that are out of print) I read everything.
"The Guardians" was one of the books I recently found and read.
It's not comparable to "The Tripods" (these will always be outstanding and the best Christopher has ever written) but it was good. A young adult book I - as an adult - enjoyed reading. The plot is fascinating and had surprising twists. Unfortunately, the end is a bit to abrupt and you close the book with the feeling that you've missed something; it's as if the story isn't done yet and you expect for chapters to follow. Unfortunately, there are no more chapters and I am a bit unsatisfied by that. Thus, only 3 stars.
April 18, 2021
کتاب پر از ایده‌ها� خوبیه که پردازش‌نشد� رها می‌ش�. دویست صفحه کمه براش. کتاب کاملا مقدمه� ماجراهای بزرگه و دقیقا در نقطه‌ا� که انگار در مرز آغاز اون ماجراهایی به پایان می‌رس�.
ولی خب هددفش هم نشون دادن ماجراهای سلحشورانه و پیروزی نیست. گویا فقط می‌خواست� مفهومی رو برسونه که موفق هم بوده اما به راحتی از ذهن پاک می‌ش�... حداقل به نظر من
کلا ارزش یک بار خوندن رو داره. جان کریستوفره ها. سه‌گانه� سه‌پایه‌ه� رو هم حتما بخونید
ولی خب هددفش هم نشون دادن ماجراهای سلحشورانه و پیروزی نیست. گویا فقط می‌خواست� مفهومی رو برسونه که موفق هم بوده اما به راحتی از ذهن پاک می‌ش�... حداقل به نظر من
کلا ارزش یک بار خوندن رو داره. جان کریستوفره ها. سه‌گانه� سه‌پایه‌ه� رو هم حتما بخونید
September 26, 2012
Read this one as a kid and enjoyed the subtlety, though at the time I'm sure I didn't know what subtlety meant. This is dystopia seen through the eyes of a kid, who can't see past first of all getting out of a bad situation into a better one to really see that the better one is just better in some ways, not all, and that the new situation may in fact be a lot crappier than the one he left. Christopher is a master of seeing things through the eyes of his protagonists, and letting the reader see that, and only that, until it's time for the reveal.
Which reminds me -- I once read a book about two gangs of kids -- one a gang of boys, another a gang of girls -- fighting it out in some school where the boys were convinced the girls were trying to take things over. Wish I could remember the title and author, as I'd love to read the book again. At one point, one of the boys is slightly injured by a booby trapped desk, as he's searching for his desk in the rearranged classroom. Any help from those in Good Reads territory in finding the book would be appreciated.
Which reminds me -- I once read a book about two gangs of kids -- one a gang of boys, another a gang of girls -- fighting it out in some school where the boys were convinced the girls were trying to take things over. Wish I could remember the title and author, as I'd love to read the book again. At one point, one of the boys is slightly injured by a booby trapped desk, as he's searching for his desk in the rearranged classroom. Any help from those in Good Reads territory in finding the book would be appreciated.
November 20, 2016
John Christopher was the master of British teenage science fiction in the 60s, 70s and 80s. His short, easy-to-read novels were studied in schools and adapted for TV. He created fantastic adventure stories in which, typically, a teenage-boy protagonist fights against a repressive system or is a survivor in a post-apocalyptic world.
The Guardians (1970) shares its themes of conditioning and the value of free will with Christopher's Tripods sequence, but in The Guardians there are no aliens. Humanity has subjected itself, to maintain a status quo in which everyone is conditioned to be satisfied, but in which no one is permitted the free will to choose. And in his depiction of the 'Conurbs', Christopher gets to satirise the way we live today, another nice element here.
For its intended audience, The Guardians is a dark, brutal novel. While the future world it evokes Is not as completely realised or convincing as that in the Tripods books, Christopher's writing style keeps things tense and interesting all the way through.
The Guardians (1970) shares its themes of conditioning and the value of free will with Christopher's Tripods sequence, but in The Guardians there are no aliens. Humanity has subjected itself, to maintain a status quo in which everyone is conditioned to be satisfied, but in which no one is permitted the free will to choose. And in his depiction of the 'Conurbs', Christopher gets to satirise the way we live today, another nice element here.
For its intended audience, The Guardians is a dark, brutal novel. While the future world it evokes Is not as completely realised or convincing as that in the Tripods books, Christopher's writing style keeps things tense and interesting all the way through.
March 29, 2018
I started reading this in school in year 9, but then I moved before we finished and I never got to find out what happened. It's only now, through the power of a search based on my vague recollections, that I've managed to work out which book it was!
I remember being fascinated by this book when we were reading it in school, and it still was pretty fascinating. But the ending... HOW does it just end there? I wonder if the author intended to write a sequel but never got around to it? I can't believe that was seriously meant to be the conclusion to the whole story! It really annoyed me... an open ending is one thing, but I feel like this book just stopped in the middle of the ending. Based on the rest of the book it would have been four stars, but I'm disappointed enough to only give it 3.
I remember being fascinated by this book when we were reading it in school, and it still was pretty fascinating. But the ending... HOW does it just end there? I wonder if the author intended to write a sequel but never got around to it? I can't believe that was seriously meant to be the conclusion to the whole story! It really annoyed me... an open ending is one thing, but I feel like this book just stopped in the middle of the ending. Based on the rest of the book it would have been four stars, but I'm disappointed enough to only give it 3.
May 10, 2018
I think this is the first Christopher book I have read. Written in 1973, it can certainly be said to have been influenced by Orwell's 1984 and, undoubtebly, has influenced those modern YA science fiction novels that explore class and segregation. Christopher has always been a science-fiction fan since his teens, and although he would begin his career writing for adults, he was lured by Hamish Hamilton to try and write a book for children instead.
Although some of the ideologies are dated (especially those concerned with gender) those which explore the notion of freedom would still stand strong with today's readers. To give anything away would be a shame and I do think elements of the text are a little out of touch but on saying this, I enjoyed the telling of the tale and the brave ending, which left the reader with some big questions to debate and discuss.
Although some of the ideologies are dated (especially those concerned with gender) those which explore the notion of freedom would still stand strong with today's readers. To give anything away would be a shame and I do think elements of the text are a little out of touch but on saying this, I enjoyed the telling of the tale and the brave ending, which left the reader with some big questions to debate and discuss.
August 11, 2022
Snappily written dystopia for children that is, like all the best dystopias, basically just a description of reality. It's no masterpiece or anything, but I think it'd do well in getting a kid to think a little critically about the society they live in--it feels like the sort of thing that could have had a decent amount of influence on me, had I come across it.
February 28, 2012
I really enjoyed this; actually, didn't want it to end!
January 29, 2015
Back in grade 5 (6?) I assumed that "conurbation" was a made-up word. It wasn't until last year that I saw the word again & this book came rushing back ;)
February 27, 2015
I remember liking it a lot but will have to read it again soon. Was part of my English literature 25 years ago... together with Brave New World and 1984...
December 25, 2016
Quick read at the block. Pity there wasn't a sequel as it would be interesting to see how the story developed.
March 22, 2024
Inhalt (Klappentext der Ausgabe des Ravensburger Buchverlags):
"Eine Zukunftsvision mit beklemmenden Parallelen zur Gegenwart.
Nach dem Tod seines Vaters wird Rob ins Internat gesteckt. Dort herrschen Drill, Willkür und Gewalt. Rob hält es nicht lange aus. Er flieht. Nach Tagen des Umherirrens kommt er in eine friedliche, ländliche Gegend. Doch der Schein trügt. Auch hier werden die Menschen manipuliert und überwacht.
John Christopher ist es mit "Die Wächter" gelungen, aus Sciencefiction mehr zu machen als einfache Unterhaltung. Wie alle seine Bücher ist auch dieses außerordentlich spannend - und es regt darüber hinaus zum kritischen Nachdenken an. Der preisgekrönte Roman wurde fürs Fernsehen verfilmt."
Bewertung:
Schlecht am Buch finde ich den Klappentext, denn der hat Fehler. Zuerst ist es nach meiner Meinung kein Science Fiction-Roman. Zwar gibt es ein paar technische Erfindungen wie die Fingeruhr, die Holovision (die TV ersetzt) oder einen Rennwagen, der kurze Sprünge im Flug schafft. Aber das ist fast alles an den kleinen Einfällen, die der Autor zum Jahr 2052 hat, in dem dieser Roman spielt. Technischer, wissenschaftlicher Fortschritt spielen in diesem Roman keine Rolle. Er ist eine Utopie über eine gespaltene Gesellschaft. Die beiden Teile wissen von einander; die Spaltung ist jedem bewußt. Und so irrt Rob keineswegs herum. Auch wenn er kein konkretes Ziel hat, weiß er, dass er in "den Landkreis" möchte. Erst nach dem Tod seiner Eltern erfährt Rob, dass seine Mutter von dort stammte. Das ist sehr ungewöhnlich, weil Landkreis und Konurbia, wie der städtische Anteil der Welt genannt wird, von einander separiert sind. Die Menschen akzeptieren das. Die Konurbia blickt verächtlich auf den Landkreis, weil die Menschen dort den ganzen Spaß verpassen. Während die Menschen aus dem Landkreis das Leben in den Städten für schlecht halten. Und obwohl es stimmt, dass die Menschen da wie dort manipuliert und überwacht werden, ist es keinem klar. Damit nimmt der Klappentext das Ende des Romans vorweg. Die Geschichte beginnt am Tag, an dem Robs Vater einen Unfall hat. Sie erzählt, wie das Leben in der Konurbia gestaltet ist und wie Rob ins Internat kommt. Dass er im Internat schickaniert und gequält wird und deshalb einen Ausweg braucht. Dass er glaubt, sich im Landkreis verstecken und von den Feldern ernähren zu können. Robs Weg dorthin wird dargestellt, wie es ihm im Landkreis ergeht und wie die Menschen dort leben. Das Ende ist offen und wie es mit Rob weitergeht, ist unwichtig. Wichtig ist, über die subtilen Manipulationen nachzudenken, die das Buch beschreibt. Nach meiner Meinung wurden die dramatischen Szenen, die man dieser Geschichte hätte geben können, bewußt größtenteils ausgespart. Es sollte wohl kein Abenteuerroman werden, sondern es ging darum, den Leser nach und nach ein Puzzle zusammensetzen zu lassen; ihn zum kritischen Nachdenken anzuregen (da liegt der Klappentext richtig). Es wird sachlich, nüchtern eine Information neben die andere gelegt. Das glättet die Handlung; sie hat keine wirklichen Höhepunkte, trotzdem aber einige überraschende Wendungen. Die Spannung entsteht mehr aus den begleitenden Gedanken als aus den Geschehnissen. Sehr genau wird erzählt, welche Gedanken und Gefühle bei Rob auftreten. Dies entspricht John Christopher üblicher Vorgehensweise und mir gefällt sie sehr gut auch unter dem Aspekt, dass sie Jungen und Männern negativ besetzte Gefühle zubilligt. Rob ist 13 Jahre alt und das Buch gilt als Jugendroman. Aufgrund der Thematik eignet sich die Geschichte jedoch sehr gut für Erwachsene. Wie Gesellschaft manipuliert werden kann und dass Gesellschaft Manipulationen ausgesetzt ist, sind auf jeden Fall erwachsene Thema. Insgesamt bewerte ich den Roman mit fünf Sternen.
"Eine Zukunftsvision mit beklemmenden Parallelen zur Gegenwart.
Nach dem Tod seines Vaters wird Rob ins Internat gesteckt. Dort herrschen Drill, Willkür und Gewalt. Rob hält es nicht lange aus. Er flieht. Nach Tagen des Umherirrens kommt er in eine friedliche, ländliche Gegend. Doch der Schein trügt. Auch hier werden die Menschen manipuliert und überwacht.
John Christopher ist es mit "Die Wächter" gelungen, aus Sciencefiction mehr zu machen als einfache Unterhaltung. Wie alle seine Bücher ist auch dieses außerordentlich spannend - und es regt darüber hinaus zum kritischen Nachdenken an. Der preisgekrönte Roman wurde fürs Fernsehen verfilmt."
Bewertung:
Schlecht am Buch finde ich den Klappentext, denn der hat Fehler. Zuerst ist es nach meiner Meinung kein Science Fiction-Roman. Zwar gibt es ein paar technische Erfindungen wie die Fingeruhr, die Holovision (die TV ersetzt) oder einen Rennwagen, der kurze Sprünge im Flug schafft. Aber das ist fast alles an den kleinen Einfällen, die der Autor zum Jahr 2052 hat, in dem dieser Roman spielt. Technischer, wissenschaftlicher Fortschritt spielen in diesem Roman keine Rolle. Er ist eine Utopie über eine gespaltene Gesellschaft. Die beiden Teile wissen von einander; die Spaltung ist jedem bewußt. Und so irrt Rob keineswegs herum. Auch wenn er kein konkretes Ziel hat, weiß er, dass er in "den Landkreis" möchte. Erst nach dem Tod seiner Eltern erfährt Rob, dass seine Mutter von dort stammte. Das ist sehr ungewöhnlich, weil Landkreis und Konurbia, wie der städtische Anteil der Welt genannt wird, von einander separiert sind. Die Menschen akzeptieren das. Die Konurbia blickt verächtlich auf den Landkreis, weil die Menschen dort den ganzen Spaß verpassen. Während die Menschen aus dem Landkreis das Leben in den Städten für schlecht halten. Und obwohl es stimmt, dass die Menschen da wie dort manipuliert und überwacht werden, ist es keinem klar. Damit nimmt der Klappentext das Ende des Romans vorweg. Die Geschichte beginnt am Tag, an dem Robs Vater einen Unfall hat. Sie erzählt, wie das Leben in der Konurbia gestaltet ist und wie Rob ins Internat kommt. Dass er im Internat schickaniert und gequält wird und deshalb einen Ausweg braucht. Dass er glaubt, sich im Landkreis verstecken und von den Feldern ernähren zu können. Robs Weg dorthin wird dargestellt, wie es ihm im Landkreis ergeht und wie die Menschen dort leben. Das Ende ist offen und wie es mit Rob weitergeht, ist unwichtig. Wichtig ist, über die subtilen Manipulationen nachzudenken, die das Buch beschreibt. Nach meiner Meinung wurden die dramatischen Szenen, die man dieser Geschichte hätte geben können, bewußt größtenteils ausgespart. Es sollte wohl kein Abenteuerroman werden, sondern es ging darum, den Leser nach und nach ein Puzzle zusammensetzen zu lassen; ihn zum kritischen Nachdenken anzuregen (da liegt der Klappentext richtig). Es wird sachlich, nüchtern eine Information neben die andere gelegt. Das glättet die Handlung; sie hat keine wirklichen Höhepunkte, trotzdem aber einige überraschende Wendungen. Die Spannung entsteht mehr aus den begleitenden Gedanken als aus den Geschehnissen. Sehr genau wird erzählt, welche Gedanken und Gefühle bei Rob auftreten. Dies entspricht John Christopher üblicher Vorgehensweise und mir gefällt sie sehr gut auch unter dem Aspekt, dass sie Jungen und Männern negativ besetzte Gefühle zubilligt. Rob ist 13 Jahre alt und das Buch gilt als Jugendroman. Aufgrund der Thematik eignet sich die Geschichte jedoch sehr gut für Erwachsene. Wie Gesellschaft manipuliert werden kann und dass Gesellschaft Manipulationen ausgesetzt ist, sind auf jeden Fall erwachsene Thema. Insgesamt bewerte ich den Roman mit fünf Sternen.
June 27, 2023
2052, and the UK is divided into Conurb and County - the former are over-crowded cities with every modern convenience, and the latter countryside where the rich live in luxury, with servants to tend to their needs. The two communities don't mix. When teenager Rob's father dies, he hopes his elderly neighbours will take him in, but they tell him he will be safer... better cared for, they mean... in a state boarding school. When Rob discovers that his late mother was from County he resolves to run away, determined to cross the barrier to a better life. Initially struggling to survive he is befriended by Mike and his family, but can the apparently idyllic life in County really be that perfect?
This young adult science fiction book was recommended to me by a friend who knows I like vintage sci-fi. I found it to be a thought-provoking read about the choices we make, and whether the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence.
This young adult science fiction book was recommended to me by a friend who knows I like vintage sci-fi. I found it to be a thought-provoking read about the choices we make, and whether the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence.
March 14, 2021
Having just finished the Prince in Waiting trilogy, i thought I'd move onto some more John Christopher and this was next on the bookshelf. An orphan boy is discontent with his life in the Conurb and finds there is a family connection with the County - the other place where people live. The two are separated by a fence and only commuters can travel from County to the Conurb. Rob decides to make the leap and in doing so begins his deception which ends in his coming to terms with the idea of revolt against authority, whom he can trust, and who his friends are.
Interesting theme to this tale and as usual an easy read. I'm not sure this is a lot different from the other books but then Christopher admitted he has killed civilisation in so many ways he's a mass-murder of distinction!
Interesting theme to this tale and as usual an easy read. I'm not sure this is a lot different from the other books but then Christopher admitted he has killed civilisation in so many ways he's a mass-murder of distinction!
January 28, 2023
John Christopher has always been a staple in my sci-fi diet, ever since I was a young lad. It has taken me a along time to read The Guardians but the wait was worth it. The book is a coming-of-age adventure novel for YAs, where the protagonist, Rob, has to flee his futuristic semi-dystopian existence in search of a better life after his dad suddenly dies. The tension is slow-boiling, with ominous threats lurking at every turn. I loved the pace of this novel but was slightly disappointed by the sudden ending, although in hindsight it was probably best not to open up a new chapter. It certainly lent itself to a sequel, although this clearly never happened. John Christopher at his best.
May 14, 2020
If someone had told me about the abrupt ending I might not have read it so I’m glad no one did because I had a very peaceful/relaxing time reading this book . It gave me some nice think about , what more can I ask . Great read , but not sure if I would recommend, never know how someone might react to the ending .
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