Review: Aldebaran
2179: the fourth planet of the star Aldebaran in the constellation of Taurus is a very Earth-like world which was colonised one hundred years earlier. Since then, all contact with Earth has been lost. Technology from that time has mostly fallen out of use and people live in surroundings closely resembling the Twentieth Century.
Aldebaran the planet is slightly larger than Earth and has two moons, but apart from that it all looks very familiar. Much of the flora is terrestrial: green trees and moss, but with a few unusual native forms here and there. The fauna is very different, however; plenty of bizarre animals are in evidence, particularly in the ocean, which is more vast than that of Earth and hides many secrets...
Aldebaran, originally Les Mondes d'Aldébaran by Brazilian writer/artist Léo (Luiz Eduardo de Oliveira) is a long saga and a masterpiece of worldbuilding that encompasses other planets and the dramas that take place there. The original French version was first published in 1994.
In the first volume two youngsters from a small fishing village are confronted by a series of mysteries when a stranger drops by and tells people that they are in danger and should evacuate. Of course his warnings are ignored and not long afterwards the whole village is destroyed by some inexplicable phenomenon. Seventeen year old Mark and thirteen year old Kim are the only survivors.
We follow their journey as they try to reach the city of Anatolia and uncover the truth behind the fate of their home. They are aided by the stranger who tried to warn everyone, a biologist named Driss, and his associate Alexa. These two scientists are dangerous to know, however: the government of Aldebaran - a tyrannical autocracy in which religion has a strong influence - is hot on their trail for reasons that are not immediately made apparent. It seems that the powers-that-be are not keen for any secrets to be uncovered, regardless of the consequences.
This is as much a human and political drama as it is science fiction, with most of the story viewed from the perspectives of Mark and Kim; their fight for survival unfolding alongside their coming-of-age hurdles. Parallel to this is the enigma of Driss and Alexa, who turn out to be a lot more unusual than they at first appeared to be... plus there is the looming threat of the mysterious creature from the deep that destroyed a whole village and is still lurking somewhere out there beneath the waves.
Aldebaran is a long, intricate narrative laid out at a satisfying pace for the reader. Léo has created a fascinating world in which the familiar and the extraordinary are sharply juxtaposed: his finely-drawn characters and landscapes evoke 1960s European styles and architecture, dotted here and there with alien plants and animals which, despite their odd appearance, are natural parts of the scenery. What looks like a Mediterranean town with stucco houses, cafés and restaurants is also home to something resembling clusters of giant oranges growing at the side of the road. An animal called a caravelle, which resembles a giant balloon with kite-like wings, is a natural source of helium for the airships used by the church-controlled military to patrol the skies.
As events unfold the plot thickens and precious few clues emerge... What is the deadly leviathan and why is the government hunting those who are trying to uncover its true nature? How much is really at stake here? Will our heroes solve the ominous conundrum before it is too late?
Aldebaran en Amazon (en français)
Zak Webber
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