Andreas Eschbach The Carpet Makers

The Carpet Makers

Andreas Eschbach

Tor, May 2005, $24.95

ISBN: 0765305933

The economy of Planet G-101/2 in the Gheera galaxy is a primogenitary constructed around artisans who stitch carpets one knit at a time from the hair of their spouses. The creation is bone wearying taking a lifetime to complete one carpet that is sold so that the carpet-maker's son can live on the proceeds while stitching his carpet for his son, etc. The finished products are transported by royal ships to the off world Star Palace of the most revered and feared immortal Emperor Alexander.

Word reaches G-101/2 that the Emperor Alexander was deposed and probably dead and that his empire crumbled. On Central World in Alexander's Star Palace the Council of Rebels are stunned to find no hair-based carpets. They are even further shocked when they audit the records in the royal archives to learn that ten thousand plus planets have been stitching hair based carpets for millenniums with the finished products going to a planet that does not appear on the celestial charts. The Council has no idea where this orb is or why Alexander established such a manufacturing hub and spoke system, but they plan to learn why.

THE CARPET MAKERS is a fabulous outer space tale that though written ten years ago satires the global economy with the family based cottage industry that is all over the galaxy through generation after generation. The story line contains two intriguing mysteries of where is the planet that apparently has stored a zillion hairy carpets and why this system. Although no character seems fully developed, readers will appreciate the irony and wonder if the new economy saves social security by not allowing anyone to retire while their oldest offspring inherits the job.

Harriet Klausner