The Inheritors

I read the first chapter, and was bored out of my skull. I started to give up there, but then I read the glowing review just prior to mine in which it was stated that the book is slow in the beginning, but worth the read in the end. So, I tried again. I couldn't bear to read entire chapters, so I started skimming. I got all the way to chapter 17, before I gave up again. I can't see any redeeming qualities in this story whatsoever.

There is no action and no intrigue. It's mostly people talking, and not about interesting topics. Again, boring is the key word.

Although classified as a science fiction novel, this late work of Conrad is probably best thought of as commentary on the British political system of the time. It uses the literary device of all-seeing, semi-omniscient "Fourth Dimensionalists" to forecast and contribute to the downfall of those manipulating the British economic system. In many ways, this novel reads a lot like the commentary on "the system" that is so prevalent in Conrad's "The Secret Agent" or, in a different South American setting, his "Nostromo". Conrad's strength in most of his novels is revealing the inner workings of the minds of his characters. Readers of "The Inheritors" will not be disappointed in that aspect of it. If you like Conrad, you will probably find this novel enjoyable, as I did - but not because of the thin sci-fi overlay. The Inheritors moves a little slowly at first, as is typical of Conrad's work, but is worth the reading time in the end.