The Edge of the Knife

Description

First published in 1957, The Edge of the Knife is a science fiction novel by H. Beam Piper and part of the author’s Terro-Human Future History series. The series provides a detailed account of six thousand years of human history following the construction of the first nuclear fission reactor in 1942 and a devastating nuclear war that took place in 1973. The story in The Edge of the Knife starts before the war and it features Professor Chalmers who teaches history at Blanley University. The professor starts getting flashes of the future, glimpses of events that have not taken place yet. He teaches the events he sees as historic facts, which leads to conflicts with the dean of his university as well as with the authorities. He predicts assassinations and military operations that happen soon after he foretells them, so he is soon hunted by everyone.

The Edge of the Knife is probably one of the most controversial novels by Piper, being the favorite of some Piper fans and considered to be a work that is dated and of lesser quality by others. The events described as taking place in 1973 never happened, that’s true, but the novel is written in true Piper-style, featuring lively and life-like characters, lots of suspense and action and certainly based on the very interesting and original concept of confusing past and future, the knife’s edge in the title actually referring to the narrow, almost inexistent barrier between past and future.

The novel is not only a pre-history to the Terro-Human series, but also an excellent introduction to Piper’s writings, all complex, imaginative, extraordinary and exciting stories that gives the reader food for thought and entertain with suspenseful stories. The Edge of the Knife is dense and complex, but not very long, so if you are looking for a great afternoon read, it certainly makes an excellent choice.
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