Christian  Chavassieux

Christian Chavassieux's novel 'Les Nefs de Pangée' has been on my TBR-list since 2016, but I never got around to reading it. Furthermore, the man's writing style does require one to be proficient in French. Then came 2022 and the announcement of a new, though shorter story in the same world: 'Je suis le rêve des autres'. I bought the little thing earlier in 2023, as I was in need of such a kind of story, something more philosophical.

As 2023 is drawing to a close, I was looking for something small to further grow my already reached goal of 30 books this year and finish the story before the 1st of January 2024. Yes, reading should be fun, not work, not a competition. But when one's TBR-pile is exceeds a handful, then some pressure does lurk around the corner.

'Je suis le rêve des autres' is set in the same world as 'Les Nefs de Pangée', but a thousand years after the events in the preceding novel, as the author himself clearly states in his interview with ActuSF in March 2022: "Or, Les Nefs de Pangée s’achève par l’effacement d’un monde au profit de l’avènement d’un autre. Pour faire bonne mesure, et que les transformations soient actées (définitivement ?), j’ai placé le récit de Je suis le rêve des autres mille ans après les événements racontés dans Les Nefs."

This also means that one can read this new story without having read the preceding novel: "D’abord, disons tout de suite qu’il n’est pas nécessaire d’avoir lu Les Nefs pour apprécier Je suis le rêve des autres." Always good news, this.

----------

It's the story of a boy who lives in a simple village and has had a beautiful, almost divine dream. He tells his parents about this, who inform the village's council of wise. As other villages have each had their share of "réliants" (people who are in connexion with the divine world), the wise are thrilled that their village has finally been blessed with their own (potential) candidate. However, to be really sure, each child that has such a dream must go to the Council of Councils, very far removed from each village. One must travel for several months before reaching the place.

Being only eight years of age and having never travelled, the boy (Malou) is presented with a guide, Foladj. Foladj, not of the youngest or quickest any more, has travelled the world many times, knows how to travel to the Council. He's given the task to guide and prepare Malou for the journey, to write down what the boy has learnt each day and thus present a file/document to the Council. In addition, he would teach the child about the history of mankind, of a certain people who had vanished from the face of Pangée a very long time ago.

Travelling occurs by caravan, ship, on foot, ... While Foladj was given a budget from the village's wise, he must spend it wisely on food, transportation, ... On their journey to the faraway location, Foladj and Malou will meet all kinds of people, experience all sorts of happenings. For everything he experiences, he'll learn a lesson, even if something bad happened to him or his guide, Falodj. Fortunately, not everyone has evil thoughts or purposes. Foladj and Malou would not have to lose their faith in humanity. Falodj would also have to console Malou in times of homesickness, though Falodj did sent regular reports to the boy's parents.

To be acknowledged and confirmed as "réliant", one must await one's turn, as many other children experienced a similar kind of dream. The Council, after having read each child's file, will ask each child to tell what happened, will try to find out if the dream was truly divine or not. After careful consideration, a child is either sent back or may remain as a pupil to learn other and develop other skills. It wouldn't be a good story if all went well. The Council's members' long-time experience would allow for them to dissect Malou's replies and realise that no divine influence was involved regarding his dream, but rather his parents having sung and the light in the room having been on when they woke him.

The test would prove positive for the girl Malou met and supported during the journey, despite her not remembering anything about what she had dreamt so long ago. Again, travelling to the Council of councils takes quite some time to arrive at the destination, which impacts one memory. Hence Falodj having written down everything and keeping notes along the way.

In the end, all would be well for all involved. Malou would not have made the journey in vain (The Council would remark Malou's skills and propose him a post at the Council's archives), neither would Falodj for that matter. He too would have a great deal to learn about himself and how his past, for which he tried to rectify his errors, continued to haunt him.

'Je suis le rêve des autres' is a philosophical story about one's fate, divine or otherwise, steered by the gods or willed by one's family/culture. But ultimately, it's up to the person in question to find his proper destination via various experiences and encounters. Also worth noticing: the contrast between the innocence, curiosity and untainted views of the child vs the old man who has lived through many things and now applies a more cautious stance towards strangers and possible dangers. And quite often apologises to the child for his impulsive behaviour in certain situations.

A highly recommended read, no question about that.

----------

Similar stories, in themes or events:

* Claire Duvivier - Un long voyage (my review)
* Hans Bemmann - Stein und Flöte und das ist noch nicht alles (my review)
* Andrus Kivirähk - De man die de taal van de slangen sprak (my review)
* Nnedi Okorafor - La Fille aux mains magiques (my review)
* Olaf Stapledon - Last and First Men (my review)
* Thomas C. Durand - Les énigmes de l'Aube (still 3 volumes to be written and/or published, if I correctly heard the author say in one of his videos on YouTube)
--> Premier Souffle (#1) (my review)
--> Les Quatre Vérités (#2) (my review)
--> Le Rebord du monde (stand-alone) (my review)… (mer)

> Babelio : https://www.babelio.com/livres/Chavassieux-Laffaire-des-vivants/628279

> L'AFFAIRE DES VIVANTS, par Christian Chavassieux (Libretto, 2017, Broché, 368 pages). — « Charlemagne venait d’avoir vingt ans. La République proclamée demandait un nouvel effort aux citoyens. Napoléon III était allé chercher la mort à Sedan et n’avait trouvé qu’une honteuse capture. Le décret du 14 octobre mobilisait les célibataires de son âge et les veufs sans enfants, jusqu’à quarante ans. En quatre mois, après Sedan, le pays qui n’avait plus d’armée réussit à organiser la mise en marche d’un million d’hommes. La guerre était dans l’ordre des choses　 : chaque génération en avait connu une ; à l’exemple de ses aïeux, Charlemagne fit ses bagages, pansa les bêtes comme à son habitude, et prit le chemin de Mérives avant l’aube, tandis que la ferme sommeillait encore. »
Né dans une ferme pauvre des environs de Lyon, Charlemagne va connaître le destin exceptionnel d’un enfant de la République littéralement brûlé par l’ambition. Puissant, dur au mal et sans grande considération pour les obstacles, cette force de la nature fera des sillons maigres de la terre de France le socle d’une industrie naissante. Se savoir obéi dès le plus jeune âge et porter cet étrange patronyme détermine-t-il la place d’un homme dans le monde ? Mais que reste-il d’un empire, une fois le tyran tombé ?
Vaste saga historique et familiale, L’Affaire des vivants, premier roman de Christian Chavassieux à paraître aux Éditions Phébus, est aussi le portrait épique d’un pays au carrefour de son histoire.
—Johnny Gimenez (Culturebox)… (mer)