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Finley's Reviews > The Ancients
The Ancients
by
by
I received a free copy of this book for review purposes through a giveaway hosted on GoodReads.
In the distant future, all of our current knowledge as a society has been forgotten. Much of the population has returned to lifestyles found in the past, the technology and science of our time now only relics and legend. Now, the world is going through another cycle of climate change, and the future is uncertain as everyone searches for a guarantee that they will have the opportunity to survive. Three siblings have been left behind after fish and elk have become scarce in their village, and now must journey across the mountains in search of their community after their parents suddenly disappear one night, and are presumed dead. Meanwhile, in a city of vast class division, an ark is being built to bring the rich to a distant, green land that none of them know for sure to exist. A young man is thrust into the role of patriarch of his family after his father's death, and is trying desperately to produce enough wool to satisfy his and his mother's place in the new world, while also dealing with forbidden feelings for a married peer of a lower class. Time is limited. However, these are familiar stories. They have happened once, and they will happen again, for as long as human beings persist.
The Ancients by John Larison is a thought-provoking novel about human relationships, the nature of society, and the persistence of natural cycles. I have also read Larison's first novel, Whiskey When We're Dry, so I had high hopes for his novel, but The Ancients still exceeded my expectations. The world in which our protagonists live is rich in detail, and every character is developed to the point that they feel as if they might jump off of the page at any moment. As I read, I often had to stop and remind myself that this was a story that is based on our hypothetical future, rather than a story pulled from our past, until the moment that one of the characters comes across some object or structure that remains from our own time, though its original purpose has been long lost, just as so many things that had been used by past civilizations are now only artifacts with their stories lost to time. It really helps to drive home how history always repeats itself, and will always repeat itself. Whole empires will come and go with time, animals will continue to migrate to wherever they can find food and shelter, and even the climate distribution of our planet may someday change entirely, just as it once had in the past. What will always remain, however, if the connections we form with other human beings. Siblings will always fight, but will do everything in their power to protect one another when they are threatened. Parents separated from their children will long to reunite, and for their children to remain safe in the mean time. People will fall in love, even when society tells them they cannot, and will fight to pursue their affections, no matter the price they have to pay. The way that this book explores relationships, I would even argue, is one of its strongest features. Leerit, Maren, and Kushim's joined and separate journeys throughout the book (view spoiler) examines the importance of both biological and found families, Meanwhile, Cyrus struggles with how his love for Ashtair conflicts directly with both his responsibility to his family's future, as well as with the laws and expectations of the society he lives in, forcing him to question how much he is willing to risk for his own happiness (and, I would argue, sets the groundwork for his other struggles with trusting authority and the accepted narrative of the Empire later in the book). And, through it all the story never feels predictable. I was never quite sure what would happen next, or how a certain conflict would resolve, and was excited for each new chapter to learn more about this world, its characters, and the story it told.
I highly recommend this novel for anyone that wonders about what the future may hold for us, especially in our era where manmade climate change has accelerated the natural warming of the planet far past what is natural. Although there is no way to be sure what will happen in the future, this book does offer one interesting possibility, one that is some ways more hopeful than many current predictions tend to be. However, I would caution that it is probably best suited for older readers (high school or above) due to some discussion of adult themes, including some (minimally detailed) descriptions of sexual situations, both within consensual relationship and in instances of assault. All in all, though, I believe that this is an excellent novel, and look forward to Larison's next project.
In the distant future, all of our current knowledge as a society has been forgotten. Much of the population has returned to lifestyles found in the past, the technology and science of our time now only relics and legend. Now, the world is going through another cycle of climate change, and the future is uncertain as everyone searches for a guarantee that they will have the opportunity to survive. Three siblings have been left behind after fish and elk have become scarce in their village, and now must journey across the mountains in search of their community after their parents suddenly disappear one night, and are presumed dead. Meanwhile, in a city of vast class division, an ark is being built to bring the rich to a distant, green land that none of them know for sure to exist. A young man is thrust into the role of patriarch of his family after his father's death, and is trying desperately to produce enough wool to satisfy his and his mother's place in the new world, while also dealing with forbidden feelings for a married peer of a lower class. Time is limited. However, these are familiar stories. They have happened once, and they will happen again, for as long as human beings persist.
The Ancients by John Larison is a thought-provoking novel about human relationships, the nature of society, and the persistence of natural cycles. I have also read Larison's first novel, Whiskey When We're Dry, so I had high hopes for his novel, but The Ancients still exceeded my expectations. The world in which our protagonists live is rich in detail, and every character is developed to the point that they feel as if they might jump off of the page at any moment. As I read, I often had to stop and remind myself that this was a story that is based on our hypothetical future, rather than a story pulled from our past, until the moment that one of the characters comes across some object or structure that remains from our own time, though its original purpose has been long lost, just as so many things that had been used by past civilizations are now only artifacts with their stories lost to time. It really helps to drive home how history always repeats itself, and will always repeat itself. Whole empires will come and go with time, animals will continue to migrate to wherever they can find food and shelter, and even the climate distribution of our planet may someday change entirely, just as it once had in the past. What will always remain, however, if the connections we form with other human beings. Siblings will always fight, but will do everything in their power to protect one another when they are threatened. Parents separated from their children will long to reunite, and for their children to remain safe in the mean time. People will fall in love, even when society tells them they cannot, and will fight to pursue their affections, no matter the price they have to pay. The way that this book explores relationships, I would even argue, is one of its strongest features. Leerit, Maren, and Kushim's joined and separate journeys throughout the book (view spoiler) examines the importance of both biological and found families, Meanwhile, Cyrus struggles with how his love for Ashtair conflicts directly with both his responsibility to his family's future, as well as with the laws and expectations of the society he lives in, forcing him to question how much he is willing to risk for his own happiness (and, I would argue, sets the groundwork for his other struggles with trusting authority and the accepted narrative of the Empire later in the book). And, through it all the story never feels predictable. I was never quite sure what would happen next, or how a certain conflict would resolve, and was excited for each new chapter to learn more about this world, its characters, and the story it told.
I highly recommend this novel for anyone that wonders about what the future may hold for us, especially in our era where manmade climate change has accelerated the natural warming of the planet far past what is natural. Although there is no way to be sure what will happen in the future, this book does offer one interesting possibility, one that is some ways more hopeful than many current predictions tend to be. However, I would caution that it is probably best suited for older readers (high school or above) due to some discussion of adult themes, including some (minimally detailed) descriptions of sexual situations, both within consensual relationship and in instances of assault. All in all, though, I believe that this is an excellent novel, and look forward to Larison's next project.
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