The Committed Men

The Committed Men is a science fiction novel by M. John Harrison. It is Harrison's debut novel and was originally published in 1971. The book is dedicated to Michael Moorcock and Moorcock's wife Hilary Bailey.

The Committed Men

First edition
Author	M. John Harrison
Cover artist	John Holmes
Language	English
Genre	Science fiction
Published	1971 (Doubleday)
Publication place	Britain
ISBN	978-0575042209

Synopsis

In this speculative fiction narrative, the setting is a dystopian experiencing societal collapse. Survivors face numerous challenges, including widespread skin cancer and the struggle for survival amidst the ruins of what was once known as the Great Society. The landscape is characterized by chromium wastelands and decaying infrastructure, where small communities attempt to maintain some level of organization despite the pervasive desolation.

Within this setting, the story introduces a subgroup of humans who have undergone mutations resulting in reptile-like appearances. These mutated individuals, who are not affected by the cancer impacting the rest of the population, face persecution from the non-mutated humans, derogatorily referred to as 'smooth-skins.' The plot centers on an event where a child, born with mutations to a human mother in a location known as Tin-house, becomes the focus of a mission by a group of humans. This group seeks to find and reconnect the child with the mutant communities, addressing themes of belonging, identity, and the breakdown of traditional societal norms in an apocalyptic context.

The narrative examines societal breakdown, the search for identity and community in a post-apocalyptic world, and the tension between different groups of survivors. It also explores the philosophical questioning of past societal norms through the lens of a radically altered world.

Reception

Writing in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, science fiction specialist John Clute wrote, "[The Committed Men] is an impressive Post-Holocaust story set in a fractured England, centering physically on the ruins of the motorways, and generating a powerful sense of entropic dismantlement."

A Kirkus reviewer wrote, "It erupts into the kind of savagery and grotesquerie that John Christopher used to specialize in, as Wendover, a doctor, finally finds himself trying to save a mutant baby from his kind."

David Pringle called the novel "brief, bleak, derivative - but stylishly written."

Possible film adaptation

In a 2018 interview, Harrison revealed that he had been approached about a film adaption, which he declined. Explaining his decision, he said, "I was less interested in shuffling and dealing than in saying something. I got an offer for the film rights of The Committed Men, but when I saw the treatment, I found they had reversed their conclusions. Books are about meanings, not tropes, so I said no."