Jem was written in 1980. In context, the 1980s were the later stages of the cold war, which saw the two dominant super-powers: America and the Soviet Union square off against each other in covert operations and subterfuge. The Soviet war in Afghanistan happened in 1979, and the People's Republic of China was starting to make themselves known on the world stage.

On the back of this, Pohl wrote Jem, a future novel where the world has consolidated into three political blocs: Food, Fuel and People. Each block is rich in one resource, but poor in others. Earth politics are a delicate game of co-operation without benevolence between the blocs, made by shadowy individuals with games of cloak and dagger.

The novel opens with a scientist's desire to travel to another world. Not unsual, and at this point, space travel is a relatively common occurrence. But their target is a world which could be colonised, a new idea. As the story progresses, a race develops and we see the politics, manipulation and cost necessary for the mission to go ahead.

On the planet we find three sentient species of life forms. As each bloc arrives, they each form a relationship to a species, and the delicate balance of the planet is upset as politics and colonial motives overtake the ecology of the planet.

The original idea that mankind could go and colonise a new planet and give humanity a fresh start is explored here in a sobering light, with a good explanation of why humanity may not be ready yet and what may very well happen when we do. The conclusion to the book is not a major leap; but the story, the political wrangling and the motivations of the individuals, as well as the clearly apparent changes to Jem, are an excellent counter-point to the typical "Utopia" story.