Cities In Flight - James Blish

Cities in Flight is a ground breaking book in the Sci-Fi genre, and unlike anything I've read before.
That's a pretty big opening isn't it?
The version that I picked up was the Sci Fi Masterworks version, meaning that I was expecting a book that would take me away from the usual concepts that I'd read previously, but I still wasn't prepared for this.
Cities in Flight is made up of four books, all revolving the central theme ...
...man and it's most productive cities leave Earth, what happens to Earth? And what happens to the cities? Some settle on other planets and make them their own, with their own belief structures and politics. Others travel the stars, landing on the occupied planets to offer services, whereas yet others become pirates, preying on the weak.
Similar questions are raised by the antiagathics. When should a person start taking them? And as there is ... more

Cities in Flight is a ground breaking book in the Sci-Fi genre, and unlike anything I've read before.
That's a pretty big opening isn't it?
The version that I picked up was the Sci Fi Masterworks version, meaning that I was expecting a book that would take me away from the usual concepts that I'd read previously, but I still wasn't prepared for this.
Cities in Flight is made up of four books, all revolving the central theme of two discoveries that change mankind. Firstly, it's the discovery of anti-gravity, or 'spin-dizzies' which form a bubble around something allowing them to travel faster than light, but without effecting gravity. This results in the title, as whole cities, such as New York and Budapest take to space, leaving a stagnating Earth behind.
The second discovery is anti-agathics, drugs that make humans unsuceptible to the ageing process. Humans can still die, accidents do happen after all, but these drugs prevent 'old age' being a problem anymore, meaning that people live centuries.

What makes this book so interesting to read is that it's not a usual 'man flies into space and meets an alien' type of story. It has more layers than that. It looks at these revelations that man has made and it's impact upon the human race.
So, when man and it's most productive cities leave Earth, what happens to Earth? And what happens to the cities? Some settle on other planets and make them their own, with their own belief structures and politics. Others travel the stars, landing on the occupied planets to offer services, whereas yet others become pirates, preying on the weak.
Similar questions are raised by the antiagathics. When should a person start taking them? And as there is a limited supply, who should be given them? Who is to judge whether a person is 'worthy'? And if you live forever, can you fall in love? And what can interest you or challenge you when you already know everything... have seen everything? What will drive you?

I have to admit that I put off writing this review for a while, as I truly felt that I was unable to put into words the vastness of this book. The only word that I've managed to find to describe it is 'epic'. Admittedly it's quite a large book in itself, with over 600 pages, but it's the sheer magnitude of the subject matter that makes it difficult to put into words.

The characters themselves are initially difficult to get on with but gradually you do begin to feel for the characters, and begin to understand why they make decisions that would otherwise seem heartless. You begin to understand their boredom and frustration of a life that will never end. Four Centuries with the same people anyone?

The book does have some pretty hefty ideas, but with the way it's written ideas that usually pass me by, such as the beginning and the end of the universe, almost seem understandable.

Personally, I think that in itself is a comendation of it.

So, to conclude, I would recommend Cities in Flight, but I would warn you not to undertake it lightly. It's not an easy read, but it will be a rewarding one. 

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