There are exceptions, like one official who was clever, ambitious and resourceful enough to rise from the bottom ranks to the top, Daniel Movius, and the story begins with his downfall, once an abuser of the corrupt system, and now a victim of it. The survey voting system that was supposed to allow everyone an equal say in government has been secretly usurped and is being manipulated by a handful of now high ranking officials or “High-Opps”, the majority of which are now in their current position because of the family they were born into, just like royalty. What was originally intended to be the ultimate of democratic processes where everyone has equal access to resources so that no one is left wanting and no voice is ignored, has become corrupted. Herbert.Īs with the typical format for a dystopian novel, the story begins with an attempt at a utopia gone wrong.
“High-Opp” offers this kind of precognitive insight, a hint of “Future Shock”-esque vision from Mr. It is surprising and fantastic when a dystopian novel written decades ago seems to be in tune with what is currently happening in the world, be it the voyeuristic and controlling government in “1984”, or the entertainment-drugged masses, bred to their social status in “Brave New World”. While this is certainly inspired by 1984, Herbert flexes his skill as a writer by weaving in elements of sociology and psychology, as well as his uncanny ability at minute detail that fans of the Dune series will recognize. In language reminiscent of Herbert’s 1977 novel The Dosadi Experiment, as well as nuanced homages to several SF masters like Poul Anderson and Isaac Asimov, the author describes a future where society is stratified in an hierarchical system based upon opinion poll voting: the higher levels “High Opps” are in positions of power and privilege and the lower vote getters, the “Low Opps” are consigned to the LP, the Labor Pool, and are indicative of the proles in Orwell’s great dystopian work. I liken this book to Rush’s 1975 second album Fly By Night, clearly the work of a young artist, still feeling out his phenomenal powers, but also youthful, energetic and fun. Written sometime between his first book in the late 50s and his masterpiece Dune in 1966, this early dystopian novel was not published until 2012, 30 years after his death.
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