Nor Crystal Tears
Encyclopedia
Nor Crystal Tears is a first contact
novel written by Alan Dean Foster
about the meeting of the insectoid
Thranx and Man
. This sets in motion the creation of the Humanx Commonwealth
; the political body that is the union of human and thranx society which forms the foundation for many of Foster's science-fiction novels.
Nor Crystal Tears is written from the perspective of the Thranx and the cultural lens through which they encounter the monstrous
, fleshy
alien
mammals
known as humans
. A primary theme
is the paranoia
and fear
the two vastly different races naturally have for each other upon first contact, but also how individuals are able to overcome these innate
fears and prejudices
and set in motion the foundation for what would become Foster's Humanx Commonwealth
.
Foster would further expand on this theme, using another (unrelated) alien race, the furry Quozl in their eponymous novel.
Nor Crystal Tears was published August 12, 1982 and is Foster's ninth book set in the Humanx Commonwealth. Given that Foster's first novel, The Tar-Aiym Krang
was also his first novel set in the Humanx Commonwealth, Nor Crystal Tears both celebrates the tenth anniversary of his Humanx Commonwealth and his career as an author.
Thranx military and scientists, by studying the contained humans tendency to fight amongst each other came to the conclusion that the entire species could be insane and would destroy Thranx society if they were to attempt any further contact. Ryo, after spending a good amount of time with the humans decides to aid in their escape from Hivehom. Once they escape they return to a human research station where the reaction to Ryo is worse than anticipated. When the scientists there decide to kill and dissect Ryo the crew he rescued from Hivehom returns the favor and helps him escape his death sentence. It is at this point Ryo and the crew come to the conclusion that they must start a long term program in order to properly integrate human and thranx society.
With the scientists he befriended on Hivehom, Ryo brings a group of human children and researchers to interact with a group of Thranx larvae on his home of Willow-Wane in an attempt to build lasting race relations. The larvae and human children seem to get along well and the compatibility between the two races is confirmed. When an AAnn raiding party attacks Ryo's hive the militant humans take action which results in a formal first contact between both human and Thranx governments.
By his risky actions, Ryo plants the seeds of what would become the Humanx Commonwealth.
First contact (anthropology)
First contact is a term describing the first meeting of two cultures previously unaware of one another. One notable example of first contact is that between the Spanish and the Arawak in 1492....
novel written by Alan Dean Foster
Alan Dean Foster
Alan Dean Foster is an American author of fantasy and science fiction. He currently resides in Prescott, Arizona, with his wife, and is also known for his novelizations of film scripts...
about the meeting of the insectoid
Insectoid
Insectoid denotes any creature or object that shares a similar body or traits with common earth insects and arachnids. The term is a combination of "insect" and "-oid" . Compare "humanoid"....
Thranx and Man
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
. This sets in motion the creation of the Humanx Commonwealth
Humanx Commonwealth
The Humanx Commonwealth is a fictional interstellar ethical/political entity featured in the science fiction novels of Alan Dean Foster. The Commonwealth takes its name from its two major sapient species, who jointly inhabit Commonwealth planets and administer both the political and...
; the political body that is the union of human and thranx society which forms the foundation for many of Foster's science-fiction novels.
Nor Crystal Tears is written from the perspective of the Thranx and the cultural lens through which they encounter the monstrous
Monster
A monster is any fictional creature, usually found in legends or horror fiction, that is somewhat hideous and may produce physical harm or mental fear by either its appearance or its actions...
, fleshy
Flesh
In vertebrate animals, flesh is the colloquial for biological tissue which consists of skeletal muscles and fat as opposed to bones, viscera and integuments. Flesh may be used as food, in which case it is called meat....
alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
mammals
Mammal
Mammals are members of a class of air-breathing vertebrate animals characterised by the possession of endothermy, hair, three middle ear bones, and mammary glands functional in mothers with young...
known as humans
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
. A primary theme
Theme (literature)
A theme is a broad, message, or moral of a story. The message may be about life, society, or human nature. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and are almost always implied rather than stated explicitly. Along with plot, character,...
is the paranoia
Paranoia
Paranoia [] is a thought process believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of conspiracy concerning a perceived threat towards oneself...
and fear
Fear
Fear is a distressing negative sensation induced by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus, such as pain or the threat of danger...
the two vastly different races naturally have for each other upon first contact, but also how individuals are able to overcome these innate
Nature (innate)
Nature is innate behavior , character or essence, especially of a human. This is a way of using the word nature which goes back to its earliest forms in Greek...
fears and prejudices
Prejudice
Prejudice is making a judgment or assumption about someone or something before having enough knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy, or "judging a book by its cover"...
and set in motion the foundation for what would become Foster's Humanx Commonwealth
Humanx Commonwealth
The Humanx Commonwealth is a fictional interstellar ethical/political entity featured in the science fiction novels of Alan Dean Foster. The Commonwealth takes its name from its two major sapient species, who jointly inhabit Commonwealth planets and administer both the political and...
.
Foster would further expand on this theme, using another (unrelated) alien race, the furry Quozl in their eponymous novel.
Nor Crystal Tears was published August 12, 1982 and is Foster's ninth book set in the Humanx Commonwealth. Given that Foster's first novel, The Tar-Aiym Krang
The Tar-Aiym Krang
The Tar-Aiym Krang is a science fiction novel written by Alan Dean Foster. It is Foster’s first published novel and started both his Humanx Commonwealth universe and his two most popular recurring characters, Pip and Philip Lynx...
was also his first novel set in the Humanx Commonwealth, Nor Crystal Tears both celebrates the tenth anniversary of his Humanx Commonwealth and his career as an author.
Plot Summary
The story follows a Thranx, Ryozenzuzex (i.e. Ryo, of Family Zen, clan Zu, Hive Zex) who came from an odd numbered hatching (thranx offspring almost always come in multiples of two) immediately making him somewhat different from his brethren. Setting himself aside as different Ryo decides that he has to know what is the secret of the new space faring race that supposedly wear "their skeletons inside". To accomplish this un-thranxlike task Ryo travels from his home planet, Willow-Wane, to the ice caps of the Thranx home world, Hivehom with the aid of the wealthy Wuuzelansem, a poet in-search of inspiration. Once on Hivehom he is confronted with the "monsters" and comes to the conclusion that they must set them free, believing that an alliance between Thranx and these so-called "humans" is the only way to stop the aggressive advances of the AAnn Empire.Thranx military and scientists, by studying the contained humans tendency to fight amongst each other came to the conclusion that the entire species could be insane and would destroy Thranx society if they were to attempt any further contact. Ryo, after spending a good amount of time with the humans decides to aid in their escape from Hivehom. Once they escape they return to a human research station where the reaction to Ryo is worse than anticipated. When the scientists there decide to kill and dissect Ryo the crew he rescued from Hivehom returns the favor and helps him escape his death sentence. It is at this point Ryo and the crew come to the conclusion that they must start a long term program in order to properly integrate human and thranx society.
With the scientists he befriended on Hivehom, Ryo brings a group of human children and researchers to interact with a group of Thranx larvae on his home of Willow-Wane in an attempt to build lasting race relations. The larvae and human children seem to get along well and the compatibility between the two races is confirmed. When an AAnn raiding party attacks Ryo's hive the militant humans take action which results in a formal first contact between both human and Thranx governments.
By his risky actions, Ryo plants the seeds of what would become the Humanx Commonwealth.
Characters
- Ryozenzuzex - The novel's central protagonist Ryo was hatched from an odd number of eggs on the Thranx colony world of Willow-Wane and from his larva stage was always a voracious learner. He wanted to be able to learn aspects of all subjects, but this was discouraged and he ultimately chose the career path of agriculture, yet he still yearned for something more. When he heard of the potential existence of a strange, fleshy sentient life he left Willow-Wane on a mad quest. In his journey Ryo would form the foundation for the unity between Humans and Thranx that would become the Humanx Commonwealth. His always supportive premate is Falmiensazex.
- Wuuzelansem - One of the most well-known poets in all of Thranx space, and a native of Willow-Wane, Wuu encounters Ryo when the young thranx attempts a failed mugging. Listening to Ryo's explanation of his yearning to seek out this strange new sentient species, Wuu decides to take Ryo in on an adventure, because the poet sees every new experience as a source of inspiration (A quality that carries over to his future student, DesvendapurPhylogenesis (novel)Phylogenesis is a science fiction novel written by Alan Dean Foster. It is the first novel in Foster's Founding of the Commonwealth Trilogy....
, who also plays a crucial role in the foundations of the Humanx Commonwealth).
See also
The following novels form Foster's Founding of the Commonwealth trilogy which further expand upon initial contact between the Thranx and humanity and the events that united the two species.- PhylogenesisPhylogenesis (novel)Phylogenesis is a science fiction novel written by Alan Dean Foster. It is the first novel in Foster's Founding of the Commonwealth Trilogy....
- DirgeDirge (novel)Dirge is a science fiction novel written by Alan Dean Foster. The full title is sometimes shown as Dirge: Book Two of The Founding of the Commonwealth.-Plot summary:...
- Diuturnity's Dawn