The Crack in Space

infobox Book |
name = The Crack in Space
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = Cover of first edition (paperback)
author = Philip K. Dick
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Science fiction novel
publisher = Ace Books
release_date = 1966
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardcover & Paperback)
pages = 190 pp
isbn = NA
preceded_by =
followed_by = "The Crack in Space" is a 1966 science fiction novel by Philip K. Dick. In the United Kingdom, it has been published under an alternate title, "Cantata 140".

Plot summary

On a future Earth (c2080 CE) overwhelmed with severe difficulties related to overpopulation, a portal is discovered that leads to a parallel world. Jim Briskin, campaigning to be the first black president of the United States, believes that the new "alter-Earth" could be colonized and become a home for the seventy million people that are being kept in cryopreservation. Known as "bibs", these are people - mostly members of ethnic minority groups - who decided to be "put to sleep" until a time when the overpopulation problem is solved.

Briskin is a social conservative, who does not support the Golden Doors of Bliss orbital brothel, and opposes widespread abortion access. There are two dominant US political parties, the "Republican Liberals" and the "States Rights Conservative Democrats" who run CLEAN, a racist frontgroup that opposes Briskin's candidacy, although higher income white American voters support him. Terraforming becomes a pivotal election issue, until a warp drive malfunction results in the discovery of an apparently uninhabited alternate world, an 'alter-Earth' where homo sapiens never evolved, or lost in competition with other early hominids. In this case, the point of divergence appears to have occurred between one to two million years ago, as homo erectus, also known as sinanthropus/pithecanthropus or Peking Man, is the dominant species. In reference to the latter designation, the explorers refer to the indigenous hominids of this world as "Pekes."

At first, there is a colonization attempt. The time period necessary for this is estimated to be twenty years. In order to decrease the time needed, the rift is temporarily closed so a new power supply can be installed, which will theoretically increases the width of the rift. However, when the new power supply is turned on, it is discovered that one hundred years has elapsed in the parallel world. In addition, the siamese twin businessman George Walt, who had run the Golden Doors of Bliss, had emigrated into the parallel world during colonization and had set himself up as a wind god. He had spent the hundred years teaching and filling in technological gaps in the Peke's world, and had assisted them in destroying the colonization effort. He also had set a trap so that if a new rift would open, they could power it from their side, preventing its closing.

The Pekes begin an invasion, but leave when it is revealed that their wind god is just another homo sapien. The colonization attempt is called off, and Briskin, being newly elected, is left to deal with the consequences during his next two presidential terms.