People of the Crater

By: Andre Norton

Narrated by: Mark Douglas Nelson

Length: 1 hr and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

A flight to a lost world of Antarctica. Garin Featherstone has been sent to explore a mysterious blue haze that was spotted in the polar region. There he discovers a lost civilization and a strange environment of vivid green lands, crimson tree trunks, and golden rivers. He must save Thrala of the light against the lizard men.

This is Andre Norton's first professional published story from 1947. Even the Grand Dame of science fiction had to have her first sale. And she shows her strengths in her first fantastic adventure story.

Public Domain (P)2010 Wonder Audiobooks

Norton's earliest SciFi, a relict of the pulp mags

This novella was Andre Norton's first science fiction, published in the pulp magazine "Fantasy" in 1947. It definitely reads like pulp sci-fi of the day, with an intrepid explorer discovering a strange, possibly alien civilization hidden deep in the Antarctic, warmed by volcanic vents. So far, not bad, with many Norton-esque touches, like an affectionate cat-creature who bonds with the explorer and helps him out, and mutant rat creatures who serve as spies for the bad guys. The aristocratic characters speak in a stuffy formal way typical of Norton's later work. "Out of his own mouth is he condemned!"

Of course there is a beautiful woman being held captive, whom the hero falls in love with at first sight, though he feels unworthy (like many of Norton's protagonists) and whom he is required to rescue. There is a battle between the good guys and the bad guys, with a predictable outcome. It's almost pulp sci-fi by the numbers.

I enjoyed seeing the earliest roots of Norton's style. She is creative with strange creatures, like giant bees that build wax skyscrapers, and weird landscapes, like pits of boiling mud that are scalding deathtraps. The hero becomes buddies with another stalwart young man, a more interesting relationship than his distant yearning for the captive lady. There is the suggestion of reincarnation, and old souls recreating ancient conflicts and alliances. Norton had a love of gemstones, herbs, and strange insects, all of which make key contributions to the plot.

Unfortunately, the overall story reads very much like an aspiring writer's first work. Even putting aside the one-dimensional characters and conventional plot points of pulp fiction, the story is uneven and confusing. Major characters suddenly appear without introduction or foreshadowing, exit without warning, and reappear suddenly again. I often wondered, "How did he just show up there? Wasn't he in another place? Aren't there any guards to stop the bad guy from wandering into the caves to taunt the good guys? Transitions in general are abrupt and I was often unsure in which location the events were happening.

It's only a short story, with enough world-building elements to fill an epic novel, but it was hard to listen to in one sitting. I kept getting confused, and having to back up and replay scenes to be sure what the heck was going on. I'm glad Norton honed her skills and went on to much better works. This is primarily of interest for it's historic place in her evolution as the Grand Dame of Science Fiction.

Author's first published work from 1947

Andre Norton’s People of the Crater is her first published work from 1947. This short story (technically a novelette) concerns a pilot who flies over Antarctica to follow-up some initial anomalies. He ends up crashing and finds himself among an alien race that has been surviving there. He must battle some evil elements to save a girl and fulfil an ancient prophecy.

Norton does a respectable yeoman’s effort with a traditional theme that is typically played out with primitive savages. The writing is tight, and the plot is well executed. The narration is quite good with reasonable character distinction. Pacing is brisk making for a quick listen.

Horrible reading

Am I crazy or is the reader on this one a computer voice...??? I never thought Audible would do that.