The Rise of Métamorphis

Les Hommes-machines contre Gandahar by Jean-Pierre Andrevon is a classic French science fiction novel set on the peaceful planet of Gandahar, where society lives in harmony with nature and advanced bio-technology. This tranquility is shattered when an army of mysterious, emotionless machine-men begins attacking villages and abducting citizens. Sylvain, a young envoy, is sent to investigate and stop the invasion. During his mission, Sylvain uncovers a chilling truth: the attackers are not aliens but the unintended result of Gandahar’s own past scientific experiments—machines that have gone rogue and now threaten the planet’s future. The novel explores themes of responsibility, technological hubris, and the fragile balance between progress and ethics. The story was later adapted into the 1988 animated film Gandahar (released as Light Years in English), which visualises the tale with striking imagery and a slightly simplified plot.