cover image Dayworld Breakup

Dayworld Breakup

Philip Jose Farmer. Tor Books, $18.95 (324pp) ISBN 978-0-312-85035-7

William St. George Duncan successfully takes over his grandfather's secret organization and uses it to start a rebellion against the world government. As a political statement, he allows himself to be captured and put on trial--and then creates a new persona to escape the consequences. In this last installment of the Dayworld trilogy, the novelty of the guiding SF conceit (that overpopulation is controlled by allowing only one-seventh of the people out of stasis at any one time) has grown threadbare--as has, perhaps, Farmer's own enthusiasm. The conflicts here are developed without inspiration; the conquerors earn their victory chiefly because of the opposition's bumbling. Plot elements combine without achieving momentum, as if Farmer had strung together a series of short escapades. (June)