(Found, with ribbons and bells) Genetically modified bloke with green hair, escalator scene

[Jo Zebedee]

Since we have new people about, including the amazing Victoria.

It was a young adult book when I was about sixteen so mid to late eighties. The front cover of the hard back had a city in the background and a guy with green hair in the foreground, quite a chunky face. I am fairly sure it was a female writer.

The society shown had people who were mostly constrained in their thinking. I remember a scene on an escalator where people didn't have the sense to bypass a pile up at the top and made it worse. I think the constrained thinking was via an implant. Some free-thinkers existed, including our green haired hero who bypassed the escalator incident, but they had to be careful not to be found. I think he fell in love and escaped the regime. Would love to know what it was. My photographic memory thinks the title had at least four words.

 

[Danny McG]

Another guess:-

"Devil on my back"
Monica Hughes

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Another guess:-

"Devil on my back"
Monica Hughes

Afraid not (but very like her stuff ad the right era). Thanks, anyhow.

 

[Danny McG]

Afraid not (but very like her stuff ad the right era). Thanks, anyhow.

Getting closer, right era, similar stuff, female writer and four word title.
Sounds simple enough now (fnar fnar)

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Getting closer, right era, similar stuff, female writer and four word title.
Sounds simple enough now (fnar fnar)

I'm not entirely sure about the 4 word title. Just to make things harder.

 

[Danny McG]

I'm not entirely sure about the 4 word title. Just to make things harder.

Thanks Jo - challenge is my middle name so I'll get cracking on this ( actually my middle name is Geoffrey but that doesn't work for a cliche)

 

[SilentRoamer]

With the constraints and the lift it sounds a lot like E.M. Forsters The Machine Stops, although written by a man and a LOT older than Jo remembers.

Fantastic short if you haven't read it I highly recommend. Also read it first and then check the authored date for a surprise.

 

[Parson]

@SilentRoamer .... The story can be read here: The Machine Stops - Wikisource, the free online library

I would have liked to have read it, only 12,000 words but no time today. Maybe next week? I'm beginning to sound like Popeye's friend "Wimpy."

 

[northernexposure]

Forster's prescient novella is amazingly insightful.

 

[Danny McG]

Trying again

"This time of Darkness" by Helen Mary Hoover

 

[pambaddeley]

Haven't heard of that one. Not a lot of green hair on the cover though -

 

[Danny McG]

Haven't heard of that one. Not a lot of green hair on the cover though

I'm getting in a rut with four word titles!

 

[pambaddeley]

Scratching my head ... sounded like Monica Hughes but not the ones I've read. And can't be Nicholas Fisk if a female writer - he wrote a fair number of YA SF at that time.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Trying again

"This time of Darkness" by Helen Mary Hoover

Bloody hell - I think this is it. Not 100 percent but Axel rings a bell, that they're climbing up levels and I remember an elevator scene so vividly and the end sounds very familiar.

You are the book search superhero, Danny. I will now put my used book superhero husband on the trail for getting it for me!

Yay! Success

 

[Danny McG]

Shrugs modestly
"Aw shucks, missus Zebedee ma'am, tweren't nothin' at all really"

 

[Danny McG]

Well Jo?
Have you had a good look at the story yet?
Was it the one you were seeking?

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Well Jo?
Have you had a good look at the story yet?
Was it the one you were seeking?

Sadly no, although I enjoyed it a lot. I'm fairly sure mine had a male main character and I'm starting to think his name was something like a Garth or Gareth but could be very wrong in that. The themes were very similar, though, and the era feels right.

 

[Danny McG]

Okay. Getting closer, I will have it snared eventually!

 

[Danny McG]

Sadly no, although I enjoyed it a lot. I'm fairly sure mine had a male main character and I'm starting to think his name was something like a Garth or Gareth but could be very wrong in that. The themes were very similar, though, and the era feels right.

There was a book by the same writer with a main character called Gareth but set on an alien planet.
"Another Heaven, Another Earth" or possibly
Another Earth, Another Heaven

I don't think it's theme matches yours

 

[Jo Zebedee]

There was a book by the same writer with a main character called Gareth but set on an alien planet.
"Another Heaven, Another Earth" or possibly
Another Earth, Another Heaven

I don't think it's theme matches yours

I do wonder if that's where I got the name Garth...

Not one of hers, I think. I'm sure about the male POV.

I think this one is lost in the sands of my memory ....