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Summary: Speed of Dark
Review: With her latest book The Speed of Dark, Elizabeth Moon has put the science back into fiction. A consummate weaver of tales, she takes you on a journey of betrayal, intrigue, and the human condition. Set in the not inconceivably distant future The Speed of Dark tackles the morals of scientific experimentation when it meets the corporate world. It is a frightening look at a situation that is totally feasible. The implications and possible uses for the discoveries described here are endless.
The story centers on Lou Arrandale, an autistic man in a world where autism can now be corrected at birth. He must find a way to decide for himself whether or not to chance a new procedure that could make him normal. To do this he must find the understanding of what is normal in his society and decide if it is worth the risks. I found myself on the edge of my seat, (ok so I was in bed) cheering Lou on as he steered his way through problems despite almost paralyzing fears.
From beginning to end Elizabeth Moon delves into many of societies misconceptions and faults pertaining to people who do not fit the accepted parameters and into the other spectrum, those people who can look beyond the surface and find the worth of the person. Her characters are living breathing people, some you are proud to know and others need a swift kick to the butt. A wonderful tale and I don't say this because Elizabeth Moon is one of my favorite authors, (she is!!) but because it is well worth reading.
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Summary: The Type of Book I Never Read--But I Loved It!
Review: I can't remember what made me try this (especially as I am not normally a huge fan of Elizabeth Moon--Kick-tush heroines tend to make me a bit tired after a while): A book about a middle-aged autistic man confronted by the possibility of a new medical procedure that might make him "normal"-or destroy everything he is? That is NOT the sort of book I usually embrace. Sounds...Meaningful, doesn't it? Slightly depressing? Dull? Trust me, it's not. Fascinating is a better word.
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Summary: A fascinating look on people!
Review: "The Speed of Dark" tells a story of an autistic man, Lou, in a near future. The date is not specified, but it should be around 2040. Our protagonist works for a big firm, doing pattern recognition, but a new manager deciedes, that he will be better as a guinea pig for a new method to cure autism. So, this looks like a thriller, a man against the system, that kind of thing.But it's not. This story, told from Lous' point of view, is a tale of his trying to understand 'normal' people. And it's a wonderful look on people, which managed to paint the autistic persons more human, then the 'normal' ones. Lous' attempts to understand human behaviour, to see patterns in it are very interesting, and gave me food for thought for a long time to come. There are several drawbacks to the novel.
One is the black and white colors of the characters, which make the bad guys of the novel more caricatures, then realistic characters. While it can be justified by the overall structure and purpose of the novel, I would liek them, at least, not to be so in-your-face-arrogant-SOBs.
Another drawback for me was the adrupt ending of the book. I won't get into the details, but at one point Lou had to make a very seriouse decision. The results of it are given just a couple of pages, and one of the storylines, which was very important, and a delight to read, got only ONE SENTENCE! Still, this book told me a lot, not only about autistic people, but also about myself. Read it.
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Summary: Nebula award winner!
Review: A moving, and at times very philosophical, look at a possible future where autism is better understood. Mostly told from the point of view of the main character, Lou, who is autistic but has a job and is able to function more or less "normally" in society. But what is "normal"? Does it always have to be "majority rules," or could "normal" encompass a wider tent than some people like to admit? Lou is given the chance to change himself - to become "normal" like other people. But should he? Would he lose his specialness and what makes him Lou if he changed? These are important questions, not only in Lou's world, but in our world, as we think about how mental illness is treated through therapy and drugs. A book well worth reading many times over.
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Summary: Excellent!
Review: Anyone who liked "Flowers for Algernon" would love this book. It takes place in the near future and is narrated by an autistic man named Lou. He lives a fairly normal life and works with a group of people like himself. They look at life a lot differently, noticing patterns and colors to an enormous degree, which makes them very valuable to their employer and thus, they are given special privileges to keep them productive and happy.
Unfortunately for Lou and the others, his group gets a new boss, Mr. Crenshaw, who is one of those corporate types who wants to cut costs with no concern for the people involved or the work that they do. Crenshaw tries to force the autistics to either go through an experimental treatment or be fired.
Lou and the others were happy with their lives and have to make a big moral decision, because by becoming "normal" would mean giving up some of the special abilities they have and make them into the stress-filled illogical people (Lou seems to remind me of Mr. Spock from Star Trek at times) that live around them.
Ms. Moon has done a masterful job giving us a deeper appreciation for those who are different than us!
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Summary: spectacular insightful book
Review: As a professor who teaches child psychopathology, I found Moon's insight into autism incredible. Her characters were believable and her ability to add humanism into significant ethical dilemnas was marvelous. A good read.
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Summary: Raises Questions of Ethical Dilemmas We May Soon Face
Review: Athough Lou Arrendale has the opportunity to erase the traces of his autism and become "normal", he asks himself, "What is normal?" He happens to like his life the way it is. Mid-21st Century advances in science have helped him overcome many of the obstacles people with autism face, but suddenly he has an opportunity to rid himself of autism completely; is that , however, what he really wants?
The Speed of Darkness raises a number of questions society may be asking itself in the upcoming decades: Just because we can cure something, does that mean we should? If the cure changes the person, does that mean the old person has been killed? What is the real difference between a disability and normality?
Elizabeth Moon displays wonderful storytelling power with "The Speed of Dark." Anyone who finds "Flowers for Algernon" intriguing will be touched by Moon's novel. Even those who are not Science Fiction readers will enjoy it. Think "Forrest Gump" or "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time."
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Summary: Quietly powerful
Review: Elizabeth Moon drew on her time in the Marines for her military SF, and she has drawn on her time as a mother of an austist for this astonishing stand-alone novel. The comparison to _Flowers for Algernon_ is inevitable, but I'd rather not make it. Lou is a complex, fascinating character who deserves to be appreciated for who he is, not who he is like or who he is not like. What is normal? What makes you you and me me? Are we the sum of our memories, or our interpretation of those memories? Do you really perceive blue the same way I do? Are you frowning because you are angry or are you just thinking really hard? Do I understand you? Do I understand me? It's easy to describe this book as the story about an autist who is offered the chance to change, but that description ignores one of the book's recurring motifs: change happens to us, all the time, no matter what consent we offer or refuse. The narrative pulls you along swiftly, offering a point of view that is both alien and familiar. Absorbing, provocative, and moving. Highly recommended.
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Summary: I could not finish this book.
Review: I have read other books by Elizabeth Moon (the Deed of Paksenarrion and Legacy of Gird sets) and absolutely loved them. I really, really wanted to like this book. She creates excellent characters as always, and a very compelling world - TOO compelling for me! I felt utterly trapped by the protagonist's point of view. I tried several times to finish this book, but it was so excruciating that I just could not go on.
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Summary: Entertaining read
Review: I just finished THE SPEED OF DARK and found the read an enjoyable one. I genuinely liked Lou Arrendale, in part because I found refreshing his logical and no-nonsense approach to the world. You don't have to be autistic to realize how common it is to say unnecessary things, to perform unnecessary actions during the course of a normal day simply because of habit or to satisfy social custom. On the other hand, his occasional confusion about the meaning of certain phrases, facial expressions, etc. were frustrating to him, and gave me a brief glimpse into the life of a person with autism. As much as I enjoyed this book, I will say that I found many of the characters and their dilemmas one-dimensional. Had Moon chosen to tell the entire story from Lou's point of view, I would have found it easier to believe. But by telling a portion of the story through the eyes of others (in order to sharpen plot points that otherwise might have been a little vague), she was obligated to add a little more texture than she did. Yes, there are single-minded corporate go-getters in the world, but one character in particular made such poor decisions that his actions were nearly cartoonish. His complete lack of compassion toward the challenged individuals under his command seemed a little contrived without more character development on his part. I would also have preferred Moon end the book before Lou began treatment. This is a judgment call on the author's part, but it might have been more interesting had the story not wrapped up so nicely.All told, I definitely recommend this book to anyone who'd like a fiction read a little off the beaten path. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
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