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Mockeymen by Ian Watson
01/03/2004 . Source: Pauline Morgan 
pub: Golden Gryphon Press. 324 page hardback. Price: $26.95 (US). ISBN: 1-930846-21-5. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.goldengryphon.com
From the ages when story-telling first began, people have been fascinated by alien encounters. In ancient times, the aliens were the gods and demons of mythology - beings ascribed supernatural powers.
Even Beowulf's battles with Grendel was a kind of alien encounter. Then their powers were magic, now we would call it advanced technology. Once we began to realise that there were other planets circling distant stars, we have wondered whether we are alone in the universe and writers began to populate space with aliens.
In the early days, many were humanoid and managed to acquire an excellent understanding of English. There have been evil aliens, good ones inviting us to join their federation and ones so strange we don't really understand them or even recognise their sentience. In the majority of cases, the human race has gone out to the stars to meet the aliens.
Occasionally, they come to us, for example in Arthur C. Clarke's 'Childhood's End' where they conceal their appearance for years, as more recently in Sherri Tepper's novel 'Fresco' where arrival was more clandestine. Some genuinely want to help, others have less salutary motives. This isn't the first time that Ian Watson has flirted with aliens, but he always does it with panache.
His reasons always seem to be to give us a greater insight into human nature. In 'Mockeymen', he asks the reader to think and question truth, the gullibility of human nature and what we mean by personality. Are mind and body separate entities and transferable or are they inextricably entwined? There are two principle parts to this novel which initially seem divorced from one another.
The first section, labelled 'Past', originally appeared in 'Interzone' in October 1997. Chrissy Clarke and her partner, Steve Bryant, make jigsaw puzzles at a craft centre and are approached by an elderly gentleman with a peculiar request. He wants four photographs taken by Chrissy and Steve in an Oslo park. He is very specific that they must be taken by moonlight and with them pressed naked against four of the statues there. The photographs must be converted into jigsaws with very tiny pieces.
It transpires that he worked with the Nazis during their occupation of Norway and they had attempted to create a safe haven using magic. Frisvold believed that with these puzzles he would be able to reincarnate with all his memories as a member of the next generation. The second part, 'Present', is a near-future world. As the planet spiralled into destruction, saviours appeared from space.
The aliens came, offering to fix the Earth's problems. All they wanted in return was a lot of marine worms. They also needed a loan of a few bodies. With a new hallucinogenic drug called Bliss, heroin addicts and other junkies could get the high were seeking, continuously.
It would wipe out drug crime instantly. After a year of Bliss, the users became vegetables, the perfect host for the aliens which were dubbed 'Mockeymen'. The Mockeymen also needed couriers to carry them as mind passengers between Earth and the other worlds they were helping. The problem was that transit was excruciatingly painful and Mockeymen can't stand pain. Zandra and Barnabas were ideal couriers having indulged in self-mutilation for many years. Zandra had taken in Jamie, the only Bliss user to ever recover from the vegetative state.
Jamie is therefore being watched to find out why. Jamie is also the son of Chrissy Clarke and the reincarnation of Frisvold. Not everyone believes that the aliens are as all encompassingly benevolent as they seem. Anna Sharman is part of the very small team that is trying to find an answer.
The Frisvold conundrum is a part of the information that could help them find out. Both sections are told in first person, the first by Chrissy, the second by Anna.
Watson writes in a convincing female voice and is able to hook and carry along the reader, even where information has to be imparted. A very enjoyable read.
Pauline Morgan
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