Title: Monkey Planet
Author: Pierre Boulle
First published January 1, 1963
174 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Rating: 3.97
Overview
Pierre Boulle’s Monkey Planet is a thrilling and thought-provoking tale that takes the reader on a wild ride through a world turned upside down. In this simian society, apes have become the rulers, while humans have been reduced to the status of speechless, naked animals used for experimentation and entertainment.
When a journalist and a scientist find themselves trapped on this strange planet, they must use all their wits and courage to survive and fight against the appalling scourge that threatens to destroy them. With his trademark wit, irony, and disciplined style, Boulle weaves a harrowing and meaningful story that explores the conflicts and complexities of human nature.
This is a suspenseful and fascinating tale that will leave you pondering the nature of humanity long after you’ve turned the final page.
About the Author
Pierre Boulle was a French novelist who gained recognition for his works, The Bridge over the River Kwai (1952) and Planet of the Apes (1963), both of which were adapted into successful, award-winning films.
Before becoming a novelist, Boulle served as an engineer and worked as a secret agent for the Free French in Singapore. Unfortunately, he was captured and forced to work as a laborer for two years.
These experiences heavily influenced his novel, The Bridge over the River Kwai, which tells the story of the infamous Death Railway and quickly became an international bestseller. The film adaptation, directed by David Lean, received numerous awards, and Boulle was given credit for writing the screenplay due to the original authors being blacklisted.
Boulle’s science-fiction novel, Planet of the Apes, follows a world where intelligent apes have gained control over humans. The novel was adapted into five successful films, inspiring magazine versions and popular themed toys.
Editoral Review
Monkey Planet by Pierre Boulle is a science fiction novel that was first published on January 1, 1963. The book is set in a world where humans are not the superior species, but rather it is a planet controlled by monkeys.
Boulle, the author of Monkey Planet, was a French novelist known for his take on science fiction and adventure genres. The book was later adapted into a film, known as Planet of the Apes, in 1968.
Monkey Planet is a fascinating exploration of humanity’s relationship with nature and animal intelligence. The book tells a riveting story of a French journalist, Ulysse Merou, who, along with two others, travel to a faraway planet that is dominated and ruled by apes.
The journey of the trio brings them face-to-face with a world that they do not understand, where humans are treated as creatures of lesser intelligence and capability. Merou tries to challenge the ape’s worldview that humans can’t be intelligent, and tries to communicate with them to gain their understanding.
The characters in Monkey Planet are well developed, and the book effectively explores the themes of power, hierarchy, and intelligence. The author, in his language, weaves an engrossing tale that imbibes satire and humor.
The pace of the book is gripping, with the story being narrated in a way that keeps the audience hooked. The relevance of Monkey Planet to contemporary societal issues cannot be overemphasized.
The book raises questions about power dynamics, intelligence, and the human relationship with the environment. The author deftly compares the ape-dominated planet to human society, where one race or class dominates the others.
It also raises questions about what constitutes intelligence and how it is distributed among different species. Surely, it is a book that has stood the test of time and still holds relevance in different societies with distinct power structures.
While Monkey Planet is a well-crafted science fiction novel, one weakness was the lack of in-depth exploration into some of the sub-plots. Though the author develops the characters in a way that makes them interesting, it would have helped to dive deeper into some of the backstories.
Overall, Monkey Planet is a highly recommended read for lovers of science fiction literature. The book is an excellent example of how sci-fi can be used to explore critical societal issues.
It is one of those books you should mist read at least once in a lifetime. The book is highly recommendable for science fiction lovers, animal rights activists, and people interested in in-depth societal analysis.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars.
