Oms en série

Lore & Background

The story, set in the far future, deals with Oms (a play on the French word 'hommes', meaning 'men'), tiny people from Terre (French for 'Earth'), who have been brought by the giant Draags to their home planet, Ygam. Some Oms are domesticated as pets, but others run wild in parks, and are exterminated every two Draag years (one Draag year being roughly equivalent to 45 Earth years). The Draags' treatment of the Oms is ironically contrasted with their high level of technological and spiritual development.

The protagonist is a domesticated Om named Terr (again, playing on the French word for Earth) who runs away and joins a group of wild Oms. He has learned some of the Draags' scientific knowledge while in captivity, and uses this to forge a new, equal relationship with the Draags.

Reader's Guide

Oms en série is significant as a French science fiction novel that explores themes of oppression, knowledge, and liberation through the lens of a species hierarchy. Its 1973 animated adaptation, Fantastic Planet, brought the story to a wider international audience and is noted for its surreal visual style. The novel's delayed English translation, published over 50 years after its original release, highlights its enduring cult status and the growing interest in non-Anglophone speculative fiction. The work remains a key example of mid-20th-century French SF, blending social commentary with imaginative world-building.

Did You Know?

• The title Oms en série is a play on the French word 'hommes', meaning 'men'.
• The protagonist's name, Terr, is a play on the French word for Earth.
• One Draag year is roughly equivalent to 45 Earth years.
• The novel was first published in 1957 as part of the Fleuve Noir 'Anticipation' series.