Space Demons

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Space Demons

Author	Gillian Rubinstein
Country	Australia
Language	English
Genre	Young adult
Publisher	Scholastic
Publication date	1985
ISBN	978-1-86291-287-8
OCLC	38379783

Space Demons is a young adult novel written by Gillian Rubinstein, first published in 1986. Subsequent publications include a hardcover edition, several paperbacks, and an eBook.

The novel details the story of Ben, Andrew, John, Elaine and Mario who each experience a new prototype game called Space Demons. The game takes them into an alternate reality where they have to shoot space demons to progress. Entry to the game and progression within the game depends on the children's ability to hate either themselves or someone else they are playing with. Progression in the game has terrifying side effects such as becoming trapped in this alternate reality and the alternate reality seeping into actuality. Eventually, the children realise the cost of hate and discover that to truly defeat the game they have to learn to love others. The story concludes with the brave rescue of Mario - the antagonist - by showing him love.

The novel is used in education in Australia, in the New South Wales syllabus^[1] for example.

The novel was written as a trilogy, and is followed by Skymaze, which was published in 1989, and finally Shinkei, which was published in 1996.

The novel was adapted as a play, composed by Richard Tullough, published in 1990.

Title[]

Space Demons is the name of the video game that the characters engage with. It is also a metaphor for the thematic content of the novel.^[1] In the novel, the characters must learn to face their own personal demons, and the demons they create by demonising their friends, to progress in the game.

Synopsis[]

Introductions[]

The novel commences with best friends Ben and Andrew playing games together on a rainy day. The two boys get bored, and Ben goes home. Andrew and his mother, Marjorie discuss how unpopular Ben is. They then talk about how Andrew does not see his father often, whilst they eat dinner. Andrew's Dad arrives home and presents him with a new Japanese videogame. Andrew is excited about the game because it is unique and will spark the envy of his friends. Andrews parents have a fight about Marjorie's smoking. Andrew goes to his room to determine how the game works. He works it out and is excited to keep playing it.

The following day, Elaine Taylor is introduced. She does some stretching in her room, reflecting on her father David's austerity. Elaine has tea with her dad and reflects on how she'd like to disappear like her mother did, suddenly, two years ago. Elaine also reflects on how self-conscious she is of her dad's hefty and hairy appearance. Elaine walks to school. On her way she meets her neighbour John Ferrone, another student at her new school, Kingsgate School. John correctly guesses that Elaine's dad is a carpenter and that they both travelled with the circus. John tells Elaine about his family and his slightly older brother Mario, who he respects, but is slightly afraid of. John tells Elaine that his father is builder, and his mother is a nurse.

They reach the school, and Elaine is greeted by Mr Russell, who introduces her to the school. Mr Russell introduces Elaine to Linda Schulz, who will become her chaperone for the first week of school. Linda Schulz pronounces that she is Andrew Hayford's boyfriend.

Playing the new game[]

Andrew arrives at school with 5 dollars in his pocket, keen to show Ben his new game. Andrew finds the other kids, who are busy watching Elaine do handstands. He tells Ben about his new game. Mr Russell introduces her to the class, and they commence work. Ben and Andrew pass notes about whether Ben can work out Space Demons. Ben finishes his maths problem before Andrew, and the praise the teacher gives Ben irritates Andrew.

Elaine meets her dad after school. John guides them to the school office. While there, Elaine is given a second-hand school uniform, and David offers to fill in for the injured cleaner. While David is completing a small job, Elaine and John go to the playground. John sees his brother, who reminds him that they were going to play games that afternoon. Deferring to his brother Mario, John leaves Elaine to play on her own. Elaine encounters Linda, who has just finished her piano lesson. Linda makes snide remarks about Elaine's dad.

Andrew and Ben meet up to play Space Demons. Ben works out how to play it. They progress further in the game than Andrew had before. Some space demons appear on the screen. Andrew learns to vanquish the demons, but they eventually defeat him. Ben has a go and does increasingly well. To Andrew's surprise Ben momentarily disappears, but the game keeps progressing. Ben arrives back in the room, distressed and still depressing his fingers. He tells Andrew that he feels like he went into the game and it felt like he was shooting the space demons and being shot at. Ben goes home- then after dinner Andrew has the same experience and is sucked into the game. The computer starts talking to Andrew about conquering the game. Andrew eventually loses. He finds himself back in reality and is hungry and exhausted. He walks in on his parents fighting and is sent to bed. Just before he falls asleep, he reflects on how he misses holding the gun he used in the game.

Elaine and Ben meet as everyone gathers before school. They dance to a song they both know. Andrew notices and gets jealous. Linda remarks about Elaine's second-hand uniform and acrobatic skills. Ben and Andrew fight, because Andrew wants Ben to play Space Demons again, but Ben refuses. Andrew and Linda talk briefly on the way to the car. Ben talks to Elaine about her time in the circus while she is waiting for her dad to finish. They head to the gym, so Elaine can show Ben some tricks.

A couple weeks later, John discovers Elaine and Ben in the gym after school. John turns up with a bruise on his face. John explains that his brother had a fight with some boys at the library over a video game. John says that Mario hit him after he got thrown out of the library. Ben suggests that Elaine teaches John self-defence so that this does not happen again. Everyone goes home. When Ben gets home, he talks to his brother, Darren, who says Andrew called. Ben calls Andrew back to arrange a catch-up after school.

Alternate reality blends with actuality[]

Ben and Andrew meet up after school. Andrew reveals that a gun from the game came back into reality with him.  Andrew reveals the new form the game take- a vortex that gives the screen depth. Ben investigates the screen and hears the phrase respond to hate. Andrew asks Ben to play, but he refuses. Andrew and Ben have a big fight over the game and Ben's newfound friendship with Elaine. Andrew tells Ben that he hates him. This initiates the next stage of the game, and Ben is swept into the console. Ben seems to be in trouble, but Andrew cannot work out how to enter the game to help.

Andrew cycles to school after witnessing a fight between his parents over a broken-down car. Andrew lies about Ben's absence when Mr Russell asks him why Ben is not there. Elaine notices, and stares at Andrew spitefully. Andrew conspires to use Elaine's hate to progress in the game and save Ben. After convincing Elaine to come over, Andrew explains that Ben is trapped in the game. Andrew chastises Elaine, surfacing her feelings of hatred toward him. She points the gun at him, and he is sucked into the game. Inside the game, Andrew feels very disorientated. Eventually he finds Ben, who is angry at him for landing them both in the game. Ben explains that the game feeds on hate, and that its complexity increases the more hatred it detects. Ben explains that to leave the game, the cliff top must be revealed- but this does not occur until many more demons are killed. Outside the game, Elaine reflects on Andrew's hateful words. She feels such strong self-hatred, that she too is sucked into the game. Elaine drops into the game with the gun. The others try to take the gun from her, and this results in each of them being granted their own gun. A battle ensues with the space demons. They are ultimately victorious and find themselves on the floor of Andrew's room.

Mario enters the fray[]

After exiting the game Andrew is elated, but Ben and Elaine are angry and tired. They ride to the school. They meet Mario and John at the front gate. Mario and Andrew get into a fight after both Ben and Elaine leave. David and Elaine arrive at the gate in the ute as the fight is getting heated. David offers to take them into town for a meal. Mario flees on his bike. John gets in the ute with David and Elaine. Andrew declines to go into town. After assessing his injuries, Andrew realises the gun that was in his pocket is now gone.

Ben has a terrible nightmare and does not feel well. Nevertheless, Ben attends school. Ben has visual artifacts from the game that he cannot shake. Ben learns that Elaine can also see black cracks and also had a terrible nightmare. After school finishes John, Ben and Elaine notice Mario and Andrew cycling towards Andrew's house. The trio go to the gym to try and alleviate their stress.

Andrew discusses the gun with Mario, convinced that Mario's discovery of the gun was part of the games’ plan. Mario did not need much persuading to come to Andrew's house and play the game as he had been carrying the addicting gun with him all day. Mario talks himself into self-hatred and shoots himself, affording him entrance to the game. They play a couple of rounds and agree to meet up after school tomorrow to play some more. Andrew and Marjorie have a conversation about Andrew's troubled state, but nothing comes of it as Andrew avoids it by bolting upstairs to do his homework.

Mario and Andrew play Space Demons frequently. Andrew suffers terrible nightmares where he feels powerless to move and speak. Marjorie tries to talk to him about it, but they largely avoid the conversation as Marjorie assumes his strange behaviour is a result of his parents strained relationship. Mario and Andrew continue to play the game. They get better at it as their hatred and contempt for each-other strengthens. While at school, a strange figure, resembling a space demon appears outside the classroom window. Ben, Andrew, and Elaine can see it. Andrew reacts strongly and stands up in class, screaming. Mr Russell expresses his concern but insists Andrew must stay at school for the sake of maintaining his usual routine.

Andrew meets with Mario to play the game. Mario blasts Andrew into the game. Mario does not blast himself in for a few minutes, leaving Andrew to panic and contemplate how Ben must have felt when he was trapped in the game. Mario mocks Andrew for panicking when he arrives in the game. Andrew experiences extreme hatred for Mario and the game encourages this feeling.  Andrew intentionally misses a covering shot and Mario is shot by a space demon. Mario disappears from the game. Andrew feels satisfied. The game is harder without Mario, but Andrew eventually devises as strategy to defeat it and arrives back in his room. When he arrives, Mario is not there. He is apathetic about this and goes to bed, falling asleep immediately.

Mr Russell goes to visit Elaine and Ben in the gym. Mr Russell suggests that Elaine puts on a show for the class at the end of term. Elaine does a flip and sees a space demon again. Elaine and Ben reflect on how strange Mario and Andrew's behaviour has been. Elaine and Ben fret about the possibility of the space demons becoming more real, the more Andrew and Mario generate hate in the game. The two boys go home, and Elaine goes to Mrs Fields office to wait for her dad to finish cleaning. She chats to Mrs Fields and discovers that Andrew's parents have split up. Elaine is happy that this has happened and compares it to her own experience.

Hatred pervades[]

David picks up Elaine and reveals that the house is finished. He tells Elaine that they will be moving next month. Elaine is furious. Elaine and David have a massive fight about Elaine's upbringing. David reveals that her mother never cared for her and left because she wanted to be free. David consoles Elaine and reminds her that he will do everything he can to support her. Elaine's anger does not abate, and she feels a strong resentment towards her father's destabilisation of her life. Elaine sees another space demon. She gets angry and says she feels like murdering Andrew for introducing this force into her world. Elaine lays awake in bed reflecting on and enhancing the hatred she feels. She falls asleep and has a dreadful dream about Andrew mocking her and then drowning in darkness.

Andrew has the same dream, and he imagines drowning Elaine, Ben and John with a darkness that emanates from the gun. Andrew continues imagining his mum, his dad and Mr Russell- painting them all black with the gun. Andrew wakes up to his mother tidying his room. Marjorie tells him that she's concerned for him, and that he will be going to see a psychiatrist that morning.  Andrew reflects on what happened to Mario and questions why he feels bad. Andrew looks at his diminished reflection and sees space demons in the mirror. Andrew and Marjorie notice that Mario's bike is still in the yard. Andrew goes to see Dr. Freeman. Andrew tells Dr. Freeman about Space Demons and how he plays with Mario. He tells Dr. Freeman that he does not like Mario but respects his gaming ability. Suddenly the shock of what has happened to Mario hits Andrew. Andrew realises he needs to go and finish the game. Dr. Freeman gives Andrew some pills to take and arranges for an appointment the following week. Andrew protests and insists he will not take them. Andrew pretends to go to sleep when they arrive home and replays the game. At first it is very hard – because all the hatred has made the space demons stronger. Andrew realises that if he refuses to hate and reminds himself that it is just a game – he can beat the game.

Love prevails[]

Elaine wakes from her dream with feelings of anger toward Andrew. Elaine meets John on the way to school and he tells her that Mario did not come home last night and was not at the high school. John and Elaine decide they should talk to Ben, as perhaps Mario is trapped in the game- like Ben was. Elaine has a fight with Linda before class. Elaine goes to see Ben at lunch. Ben initially thinks Elaine is a space demon and cannot tell it is her until she speaks. Ben tells Elaine that hating Andrew is what makes her fade into a space demon, so Elaine tries to calm down. Ben and Elaine do some gymnastics to take their mind off the situation. They resolve to go and see Andrew to find out what has happened to Mario.

Andrew progresses enough in the game to recover the gun. Andrew goes to have a snack to improve his energy levels for another session. Marjorie comes downstairs to talk to Andrew but is interrupted by Ben and Elaine. Andrew explains what happened to Mario and Elaine gets angry. Elaine's anger causes a space demon to appear. Andrew shoots Elaine and she disappears with the Demon back into the game. To Andrew and Ben's surprise, they see that the space demons have been replaced by clones of Mario. Andrew zaps himself into the game and manages to hide from the space demons in one of the caves.

Andrew sits in the cave contemplating and realises his parents have separated. He considers trying to defeat the game on his own in a fit of anger but decides against it. Elsewhere, Elaine decides that the reason she feels anger towards Linda and Andrew is because of her Mum's disappearance. Andrew and Elaine eventually meet. Andrew apologises to Elaine for the mean things he has done and said. Andrew also tells Elaine that he is not going to let his parent's separation ruin his life, because it is beyond his control. Elaine realises, that she too cannot control her parent's actions and should not feel as if it is her fault. Andrew and Elaine realise that the Mario clones can move in three dimensions like they can. Elaine sees a message that says the game can be ended by returning the gun. They both return the guns. Andrew realises that something is happening outside. Andrew realises that paying Mario compliments, loving Mario, kills the demons.

Ben is alone in Andrew's room watching the game. Marjorie enters the room and Ben stalls her, so she does not turn off the game. Marjorie tries to talk about her separation and its impact on Andrew, but Ben cannot talk as he is captivated by the destruction of the space demons in the game.

Elaine and Andrew witness the destruction of all the space demons. They encounter Mario near the cliff face – still holding a gun. Elaine tells Mario he has to put the gun back, but he does not want to. Elaine and Andrew compliment Mario to get him to return the gun. Elaine holds Mario's hand and leads him to the place where the gun is returned. Reluctantly, Mario returns the gun. The game ends and Andrew, Ben, Mario and Elaine end up back on the floor of Andrew's bedroom.

The game provides an address they can send it to receive the next game in the series. Marjorie enters the bedroom and asks where they went. Andrew says they were just playing a game. Mario leaves to go home with his brother John. While on their way-out Andrew, Ben and Elaine discuss making the show Mr Russell requested about space demons. David picks up Elaine. David reveals he feels guilty about moving around constantly. David reveals that Elaine can stay as a foster child with Mrs Fields if she wants, while he goes up the coast to do work. Elated, Elaine smiles at her father- happy she has the choice to stay.

Characters[]

Chapter 1[]

Andrew Hayford: is the central protagonist as the recipient of the Space Demons game. Andrew is known for his good looks and charm. Andrew gets his friend Ben Challis involved with the game. Andrew struggles with the hatred of the game and his morality. Eventually he comes to accept that his addiction to the game, and the hatred it encourages is not healthy and learns to love himself and others.

Ben Challis: is Andrew's best friend and a protagonist. Ben is known for his intelligence and good nature. Their relationship struggles as Andrew becomes enraptured by the game. As Ben moves away from Andrew, he forms a friendship with Elaine and Jon. This friendship leads Elaine and Jon's involvement in the game.

Marjorie Hayford: is Andrew's mother. Marjorie and her husband Robert Hayford fight a lot. This is a source of distress for Andrew. They hide their relationship issues from Andrew to try and protect him, but this ultimately leads to a monumental shock, when their divorce is revealed to Andrew.

Robert Hayford: is Andrew's father. He is a Doctor. He purchases the Space Demons game for Andrew.

Chapter 2[]

Elaine Taylor: is a protagonist and friend of John Ferrone and Ben Challis. Elaine is known for her acrobatic skill. Elaine has travelled all over the country with her dad, David Taylor, in the circus and as David repairs old houses. Elaine meets John Ferrone and later, Ben Challis –who all become good friends, hanging out after school and at the school gym.

David Taylor: is Elaine's father and a carpenter. He does home renovations all over the country. He volunteers at Elaine's school as a cleaner.

John Ferrone: is a protagonist and friend of Elaine Taylor and Ben Challis. John is Mario Ferrone's brother and Elaine's neighbour. John known for being very friendly and talkative.

Mario Ferrone: is the central antagonist. He is known for his non-conformity and aggression. Mario serves a key role in driving conflict in the later stages of the novel.

Chapter 3[]

Mr Russell: is the children's teacher. Mr Russell encourages and supports the children while on their life journey.

Linda Schulz: is a pupil at the children's school. She likes Andrew Hayford and dislikes Elaine Taylor.

Publication history[]

The following table details the publication history of the novel.

Critical reception and reviews[]

The novel was received with contemporary critical acclaim at its time of publication. This table details the awards the novel was shortlisted for or won.

The novel is currently a suggested text in the syllabus for K-10 in NSW, Australia.^[1] Lower explains that its critical reception is not surprising, given her class "wouldn’t let her put it down".^[8]

Yvonne Frey says of the novel: "The story is more complex, with well-rounded characters and conflicts that are not simply drawn".^[9]

Citing Rubinstein, Morris provides the author's commentary on literary review in general, disagreeing with the sentiment that the book was ‘moralistic and heavy-handed and didactic’.^[10]

Themes[]

"Broken homes" is a theme raised by the book according to Morris^[10] and Butler.^[11] Foster re-iterates that in the novel, the protagonist Andrew lives in a home with divorced parents who are barely present, and a brother who treats him poorly.^[12] The other characters, Ben and Mario also live-in dysfunctional homes with absent parents and abusive siblings.^[12] Foster provides further Rubinstein commentary, sharing that she wrote about dysfunctional families, because "family is where we have the most pain and the most pleasure and the most intense emotions".^[12]

Foster opines that the dominant thematic concern of the novel is friendship, with the evolution of Andrew's friendships with Elaine, Ben and Mario being the central development.^[12]

Butler focuses on the violence of the game – "responding with hate".^[13] Butler says that the counter to violence in the novel is love – the mechanism for defeating the game.^[13] This mechanism parallels the path of the characters and their relationships as they transition between love and hate.^[11] Butler believes that the ultimate purpose of the program is to force the player to confront hate, and in doing so, reduce their tendency toward it.^[11] There is some evidence that this relationship between love and hate was not intended by the author to be a dominant theme. Citing Rubinstein, Morris provides the author's input on the theme of love, making it clear that Rubinstein merely used it as a means of ending the game.^[14]

Lower comments that the book discusses modern society's "pre-occupation with television"^[8] – suggesting this might be a factor in the crime and immorality of the time.

Sequels[]

Space Demons was the first of a three-part series. The second entry in the trilogy was Skymaze which was first published in 1989.^[15] The final entry in the series was Shinkei which was published in 1996.^[15]

Play adaptation[]

Space Demons was adapted in a play – "Space Demons, The Play – Adapted for the stage by Richard Tulloch" in 1990. According to Foster, the play received similar critical acclaim to that of the novel.^[16]

References[]

External links[]

• Gillian Rubinstein Official website
• Austlit – Rubinstein, Gillian