The Werewolf Principle by Clifford D. Simak

Classic Simak sci-fi (not really about werewolves)

For the last few years, I have been working my way through the complete works of American science fiction author Clifford D. Simak, and I’ve only got a few books left to go. I have to confess I was kind of avoiding The Werewolf Principle because of it’s title. Simak has a fancy for working mythical monsters from folklore and fantasy into many of his books (The Goblin Reservation, for example), not always successfully. It turns out, however, that The Werewolf Principle isn’t really about a werewolf, and it’s an excellent science fiction novel. The book was first published in 1967.

The story takes place on Earth about five hundred years in the future. Andrew Blake has no memory of his past or his identity. He was found in outer space, sealed inside a capsule, under suspended animation. Interstellar travel is not unusual in this distant future, but finding unidentified John Does in outer space certainly is. Blake is obviously a space traveler from Earth’s past, but how far in the past? He could possibly be centuries old. After a period of observation by doctors, Blake is discharged and granted a house in the suburbs of Washington, DC, complete with robot servants, in hopes that someday he will recover his memories. Instead of improving, however, Blake’s mental health seems to be deteriorating as he starts experiencing blackouts, hears voices in his head, and wakes up miles from home with no recollection of how he got there.

The “werewolf principle” is a phrase of scientific jargon coined by Earth’s Space Administration to describe a project involving the bioengineering of humans for space exploration. Through genetic manipulation, scientists have figured out a way to create human explorers that can transform into alien species in order to adapt to the varying conditions on other worlds—gravity, atmosphere, climate, radiation, etc. This is a concept Simak had explored previously in his novel City. There it is just one futuristic concept among many, but here in The Werewolf Principle it is the main focus of the book. Simak really explores this idea fully, following it to unexpected ramifications that lead to a constantly surprising, entertaining, and thought-provoking sci-fi thriller. I will refrain from further discussion of the book’s interesting plot points, however, so as not to spoil any surprises for the reader.

When Simak is in full-on science fiction mode (not fantasy), his stories have a satisfying logic to them. He has a knack for exploring visionary concepts through down-to-earth stories that render the unbelievable believable. Unlike most of Simak’s fiction, this novel is not set in the American Midwest, but nevertheless Simak does take time for some of his trademark scenes of rural life, treks through wilderness, fishing trips, and the like. His visions of the future may be technologically advanced, but he always stresses man’s relationship to nature as a necessity that must be cherished and protected through the centuries.

In the last couple pages of this novel, there is a surprise twist that I could’ve done without, but this book kept me fascinated for 99.5% of it’s length, so in my opinion it still merits a five-star rating. Amid Simak’s prolific and diverse output of works, The Werewolf Principle is a pleasant surprise and one of his better novels.
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