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Book Review: Cybernaut

by Lang Reid

Another novel by Ian Quartermaine, whose works have bombarded the reviewer’s desk in the past few months. This week it is Cybernaut (IQ Inc. ISBN974-830-87-21) originally published almost 20 years ago, but now revamped and re-released.

Quartermaine is a human philosopher who looks inwardly and critically at ourselves, the human creation at the top of the food chain. His previous books, Sleepless in Bangkok, For King and Country and From Other Worlds all have a warning on the back cover that if you are of sensitive disposition or emanate from a sheltered personal background you should not purchase the book. Cybernaut has the same warning.

The book’s central character, Joshua, is a ‘cybernaut’, a genetically engineered combination of man and electronics, with some of the capabilities that that amalgamation could produce. Strength and intellectual powers and a likelihood of immortality.

The year of the setting is 1,000 years hence, and the world as we know it has changed. No longer are there powerful nations and vassal states, but now the world is united, under the captaincy of the Earth Corporation, which in turn, pledges its allegiance to the ‘Voice of God’. Whose will shall be done, and without question.

The struggle of the society and the struggle of the cybernaut to understand society and himself make up the central part of the book, but then this is taken further in Cybernaut II and Cybernaut III, where mankind re-invents itself and history repeats, using once again the Judeo-Christian model.

Quartermaine, in this book, asks the reader to confront him or herself and critically review deeply indoctrinated concepts, tenets and beliefs. For some people this may represent too high a hurdle, and the book will merely become a Sci-Fi rapid read. This would be a great shame, as there is much in this book to review. The concept of ‘deity’ for starters, and the innate good and evil of mankind to closely follow. In this respect, it is a follow up on the book From Other Worlds, and author Quartermaine himself suggests that this be read first (similar to Ayn Rand’s books which have to be read in sequence for best understanding).

Governance and Ordered Domination and its resultant acronym G.O.D. is looked at almost from a Judeo-Christian viewpoint, but with an overpowering fanaticism that could be both far right or ultra left.

Cynicism abounds, where for example, the hero looks back in the computer records and finds year 2020 which has ex-US president Arnold Schwarzenegger as the UN Peace Ambassador, who promotes the cause by stating that fundamentalist groups must be eliminated by their own peoples, or WW III will result!

The shortcomings in this book include, for me, the disparity between the technology 1,000 years on, with electronic encoding in Joshua’s wrist that will unlock doors on one hand (sorry about the pun) and ancient catacombs roughly hewn out of stone on the other. When we can create cybernauts, I hope we don’t have to live in crypts! There is also for me too much Christian symbolism, which becomes repetitive. However, it remains a thought provoking read for all budding sociologists.

  Mott’s CD review: Boston - Walk On

Scattered by Mott The Dog Settled by Ella Crew

3 Stars ***

Boston can lay claim to take the blame - or the credit - for the swathe of stadium rock that washed over America in the late seventies. The release of Boston’s debut album in 1976 paved the way for such bands as Reo Speedwagon, Journey, and Styx, to follow in the masters’ footsteps.

Like ‘em or hate ‘em, you cannot fail to admire them for pure musical skill. Boston was the vehicle for Tom Scholz to become the Godfather of Pomp Rock, in his early years better known for his prowess on the basketball pitch. However, he gave up enough of his time trying to make the hoops to score big time on the field of rock ‘n’ roll.

Boston’s debut album sold over 17 million copies and had a top five single with ‘More Than A Feeling’. The second album ‘Don’t Look Back’ was released two years later, sold 7 million copies and had a top thirty hit with the title track of the album. This was followed six years later by Third Stage (1986), which sold 4 million and did not yield a hit single. The next album, the one under scrutiny here, was a further eight years in the making. ‘Walk On’ sold 1 million copies and none of the singles bothered the Billboard top fifty.

Does anybody notice a pattern developing here? So, what is ‘Walk On’ like? Well, it’s a bit half and half. If you are a first time buyer of Boston and the magical soundscapes made by Tom Scholz and his team, then you would be better off buying the first album, or at a pinch the Greatest Hits collection, but, as Greatest Hits go, that album’s tracks seemed to have been picked with a pin rather than on merit.

‘Walk On’ starts off in fine style with a classy slice of Boston. ‘I Need Your Love’ is a good emotional song that catches you off guard as does the first thrashing chords of Tom Scholz’s multi layered guitar.

New vocalist Fran Cosmo, a sound-alike for previous vocalist Brad Delp, proves he more than adequately fills those boots. Tom Scholz plays all the instruments needed in the studio, only picking up sidemen to go out on the road. That’s pretty impressive considering the standard of musical skills on display, but no wonder it took him so long between albums. The multi layered guitar tracks alone would have tested the patience of any normal mortal. So maybe it was better that perfectionist Scholz did all his own work, only needing a throat to put on the voices.

‘Surrender To Me’ is over five minutes of head bangin’ Boston rock, really showing off the guitar orchestra style patented by Scholz. Next is the album’s obligatory power ballad which Fran Cosmo sings with such pathos, the lyrics just have to come from the heart or Fran is just an old ham.

This is followed by over twelve minutes of the glorious title track, probably the best thing ever done by Boston (including everything on the first album).

Split into four parts, ‘Walk on’ is really just a good old excuse for Tom Scholz to show off his ability on guitar and keyboards, and his feel for writing a good chorus. Part one, ‘Walkin’ By Night’, is a Blitzkrieg power blast on guitar with all the amps turned up to eleven. As Tom Scholz says in the liner notes, “Some people take their dog for a walk at night, some people walk their guitar”.

Part two brings in the chorus - and plain and simple - it just rocks. The stadium hoards would wait for the opening guitar riff before going totally ape (album sales may have dropped in the eighties, but the very name “Boston” would immediately sell out any arena).

Part three, subtitled ‘Get Organ-ized’, is exactly as the title suggests, a frantic workout on keyboards, and suffice to say a Hammond B-3 is a big organ with a big sound.

Part four is more of the same from part two, only louder, harder, and longer. It finishes up with a frantic musical orgasm of sound.

Well worth the eight year wait between products for the first four tracks, but (there’s always a but) the final three tracks see Scholz and his cohorts totally lose the plot. The three tracks take up fifteen minutes of playing time and leave you with a nasty taste in the ears. Just musical fodder to fill up the album. It sounds like Boston playing music in a similar fashion to paint by numbers, or join the dots. Total dross and a very disappointing end to the album. But (there’s sometimes yet another but) turn the CD back to the title track and all is forgiven.

In 2004 the pattern continues, ten years after ‘Walk On’, Boston released their next album ‘Corporate America’. So far sales have not reached 1/2 a million. I doubt they bothered releasing a single.

Boston Walks On

Tom Scholz - Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Piano, Organ, Clavinet, Keyboard Strings, Bass Guitar, Drums, Percussion, Glockenspiel, and Garden Rake. (Just kidding.)

Fran Cosmo, David Sikes, and Tommy Funderburk - Vocals

Five star songs:
I Need Your Love
Surrender to Me
Livin’ For You
Walk On Medley
(a) Walkin’ At Night
(b) Walk On
(c) Get Organ-ized
(d) Walk On (some more)
No stars at all
What’s Your Name
Magdalene
We Can Make It

To contact Mott the Dog email: shenang@ptty2.loxinfo.co.th

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