“This was, I would later realise, a planet of things wrapped inside things. Food inside wrappers. Bodies inside clothes. Contempt inside smile
“This was, I would later realise, a planet of things wrapped inside things. Food inside wrappers. Bodies inside clothes. Contempt inside smiles. Everything was hidden away.”
This book made me laugh out loud, and that doesn’t happen very often. I wasn’t expecting it to be quite this good. The plot is a bit of a joke, the characters are all a bit ordinary and boring, but it is the irony and the dry wit that makes it all so brilliant.
Perspective can be an extraordinary humorous thing when the world is viewed through the eyes of an emotionless and uncaring alien. He arrives on earth and takes over the body of a maths professor, Andrew Martin. The alien is unaware of human social rules and basic etiquette and walks around campus completely naked at Cambridge University. He is quickly arrested, taken away, and finds himself having to explain his actions to the authorities. He doesn’t understand the world and is all a bit lost.
Ironically, the family of Andrew begins to prefer the alien to the original version. He is far more interesting and attentive to their needs in his efforts to conform to human social norms. He was sent to Earth to erase a big mathematical discovery that the original Andrew made, to halt the progress of humanity and to restore balance to their development. His mission is to also erase everyone who may also know about Andrew’s discovery, so it remains a permanent secret. However, the alien begins to like his newfound humanity and struggles with his task. He quite likes having a wife and a son and seeks an alternative life, a human life.
“Make sure, as often as possible, you are doing something you’d be happy to die doing.”
And that’s important advice and the book is full of it. Matt Haig is a self-help author as well as a novelist, and that does shine through the narrative. I feel like his books are always written with the intention of helping people in some way shape or form. This is the first novel I’ve read in several months because my reading time has been taken up by academic books, so I’m glad I chose wisely and had so much fun reading this. I hope you do too.
On another important note about the author and the book, I recently realised he’s a vegan. I didn’t know going into this but came across this quote:
“A cow is an Earth-dwelling animal, a domesticated and multi-purpose ungulate, which humans treat as a one-stop shop for food, liquid refreshment, fertiliser and designer footwear. The humans farm it and cut its throat and then cut it up and package it and refrigerate it and sell it and cook it. By doing this, apparently they have earned the right to change its name to beef, which is the monosyllable furthest away from cow, because the last thing a human wants to think about when eating cow is an actual cow.”
The alien is horrified by the ways in which we treat animals, and how we hide behind this façade of renaming them to make the notion more attractive to us. Things are hidden from the human eye behind wrappers, false names and distance. And this is certainly a great point to take away from this book and to close my book review with.
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The Children of Time is a fantastic piece of science fiction that addresses ecological concerns and explores terraforming on aMy top read of 2023!
The Children of Time is a fantastic piece of science fiction that addresses ecological concerns and explores terraforming on alien worlds. It considers the problems of colonization, empire, and the destruction of the natural world. All in all, it’s the absolute pinnacle of the genre and up there with science fiction greats such as Ursula Le Guin and Issac Asimov. I cannot recommend this book more highly or give it higher praise. It’s simply spectacular.
“Earth had been green in her day, though colors had faded since. Perhaps never as green as this new world though, where even the oceans glittered emerald.”
The imagination behind this book is incredible because the scale behind the story is so vast. It reminds me of a cross between Interstellar and Star Trek with giant spiders thrown into the mix. It’s a brilliant combination that weighs up societal progress with human folly. And it demonstrates that the human approach is not always the best one.
Indeed, the society the genetically modified spiders have created is far superior. Their society has learnt to be compassionate and would rather work with others than destroy them, and this is one of the main motifs of the book. We need to learn to get along rather than becoming tyrannical dictators or colonists. We must work together if we are not to repeat the mistakes of history. Earth in this universe has a bloody history that led to the destruction of its people and empire. The remainders became space explorers to find a new planet to live on whist the remnants of the old empire’s tech is scattered across the stars.
“Who knows what we might have achieved, had we not been so keen to recreate all their follies, he thought now. Could we have saved the earth? Would we be living there now on our own green planet?”
Naturally, this book has a strong environmental message as it demonstrates what excessive consumerism and war wreak on a planet. The survivors of humanity seek a new home across the stars as theirs has collapsed, and the novel focuses on their exploration across time. As the centuries pass, most of the race is asleep in chambers that preserve their age whilst a crew of key members wakes up during intermittent periods to keep the ship functioning. Centuries pass by and over time one of the key crew members makes a bid for control, to create a means to set himself up as the leader of humanity to dictate its progress (or lack thereof.)
“A life lived entirely at the whim of another is no life at all.”
Meanwhile an old empire experiment to breed a new race of humanoids goes wrong with the result being a colony of giant, yet intelligent and developed, spiders. The cultural clash and value clash between them and the remainder of humanity is fascinating to watch. And I can’t quite express how developed and well written this new species is. Tchaikovsky has a true talent for anthropomorphizing spiders and giving them a distinct character and culture. It’s brilliant! It works far better than it sounds. And I look forward to reading more of his books to see how he handles it with other animals as this seems to be a frequent theme throughout his work.
I’ve tried very hard not give any spoilers here, though this is a hard book to talk about without mentioning its ending and the future it sets up. So, I won’t say anymore on that, other than I’m very excited to read the rest of the series to see where this goes. I’m going to end here by saying this is a fantastic book that I think you should go read.
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I’ve been listening to the audio book version of this for a couple of weeks on my drive to work, and it certainly has made the journey more exciting. I’ve been listening to the audio book version of this for a couple of weeks on my drive to work, and it certainly has made the journey more exciting.
I do love a good adventure book and this one if full of enthusiasm for the unknown. The plot is a basic quest like narrative in which the narrator, and his uncle, seek passage to the center of the earth via an Icelandic volcano. The descriptions surrounding the geology and natural history of Iceland were superb. Plot-wise the book is very straightforward, but it is this sense of adventure that keeps the story alive.
Some books age like fine wine, and although the science surrounding this has become quite dated, it hasn’t lost any of its charm. I do wonder, thought, how great this would have been to read in the nineteenth century without any of our current cultural and scientific imagination. It would have been splendid! The prehistoric humanoid and primitive vegetation would have captured the minds of its readers much more so. When reading old science fiction, considering how much the genre has grown and developed in both film and literature, it can be a little lackluster.
I did enjoy this though. And I liked how in the end the power of nature prevailed.
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I’m so very disappointed with this one. The Drowned World has such a dark tone, and the post-apocalyptic imagery of a sunken world is hauntingly eery,I’m so very disappointed with this one. The Drowned World has such a dark tone, and the post-apocalyptic imagery of a sunken world is hauntingly eery, but the novel suffers because of a lack of plot and direction.
Indeed, there’s something off about The Drowned World. It should be a good book. Most of the vital parts are here, though it fails to come together. The prose is heavily descriptive and almost poetic at points. The setting is certainly the book’s strongest point, and the way it’s so vividly captured is striking. The images will stay with me because they have a dream like quality to them: they’re almost haunting in effect. However, the book just didn’t seem to go anywhere.
And that’s the problem because it so easily could have been sorted out through a process of revision. There just needed to be a little more direction in the beginning, and an idea of where the story might go, for the novel to be a success. Frustrating is the word that comes to mind because this really could have been a great book. I realised around halfway through that the book was just layering descriptive setting on descriptive setting without any sense of movement forward. It became repetitive and dull. A plot did eventually emerge, but it was rushed and shoved into the final few chapters of the book.
On the surface, I don’t think this is a very well written novel at all. However, what makes it worthy of note is its anticipation of the modern climate crisis. It’s what drew me to it. Sure, in the book man hasn’t caused the problems, solar radiation has caused a global warming here, but the effects are the same: a rise in sea levels and a sunken world. It’s a speculative future and it’s quite visionary. Though it must be noted that Ballard wrote numerous novels like this where he created future scenarios, some anticipate modern concern and others are wildly off the mark. So, it would be remiss to hail him as a writer greatly concerned with ecology and the future. He got lucky here.
The world-building is undeniably clever. The setting is good, but without any real sense of plot the characters failed to distinguish themselves and become interesting. Reading this was a real effort, I was not drawn in and I was immensely glad to finish. For a short novel, it’s quite a chore to get through. Ultimately, it’s worth a read but don’t expect much from it.
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I really liked The Martian. It’s such a great survival story.
This book really does have a great deal going for it. The conversational tone is certainI really liked The Martian. It’s such a great survival story.
This book really does have a great deal going for it. The conversational tone is certainly one of its strengths. It’s told primarily through log entries and the writing has energy and it's fun to read. Despite how bleak the situation appears to be, astronaut Mark Watney still manages to retain his sense of enthusiasm for life. He is an optimist and he needed to be to survive.
“I guess you could call it a "failure", but I prefer the term "learning experience".”
The plot is quite simple. One man is left on Mars, and he must survive long enough for rescuers to come. His main obstacles are food, water, maintaining equipment and boredom. There are scientific explanations for what he does without it becoming too factual. The balance is just right. He keeps himself busy and manages to rig his equipment to provide everything he needs, though he understands that its only a temporary solution. His main goal is short term survival in the hope that another expedition to Mars becomes his salvation.
Attitude is everything. And Mark Watney has the exact combination of characteristics and expertise to give him a decent shot for survival in this situation. He sits down and works out everything he needs per day and how long his supplies will last him. He knows his death could be just around the corner and he doesn’t fear it. He’s going to give survival his best short, and sometimes our best is just enough to get through another day.
“He’s stuck out there. He thinks he’s totally alone and that we all gave up on him. What kind of effect does that have on a man’s psychology?” He turned back to Venkat. “I wonder what he’s thinking right now.”
LOG ENTRY: SOL 61 How come Aquaman can control whales? They’re mammals! Makes no sense.”
I find the history of the book quite intriguing. Originally, it was available for free on the author’s website. After several refusals from publishers for previous projects, he uploaded this one as a serial. Eventually it became an e-book because of its popularity, and it was from there that the publishers jumped on it when they saw its potential to sell millions of copies. For me this says two things: never give up as a writer and repeat refusals do not mean that your writing won’t get its chance. I see a bit of Mark Watney in this dogged determination to carry on.
I have a lot of praise for this book, and I really would recommend it to anyone. It is totally worthy of its hype and the film does it a great deal of justice.
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Sometimes one book is enough. Sometimes less is more. Sometimes a story needs to be left alone.
I have never been more disappointed with a sequel in mySometimes one book is enough. Sometimes less is more. Sometimes a story needs to be left alone.
I have never been more disappointed with a sequel in my entire life. It’s that bad I wish I never read it and I also wish that the author never wrote it because it adds absolutely nothing to the franchise. I’m so surprised at how poor it is. I’ve heard that the series gets worse with each book, and I can’t imagine how it could get any worse than this. So, I’m going to stop right here and save myself writing anymore negative reviews and wasting my time with bad writing.
The main problem is that nothing really happens. The plot is non-existent, which is surprising considering just how intricate the first book is. The world is huge, and Herbert could have done so much with it. Instead, he extended the story further than it should have been and the consequences are dire. The only point of interest, a resurrected character from the first book, fails to deliver the drama and tension he appears to bring with his presence.
Ultimately, because the first book is just so fantastic, the sequels will only ever be compared to it. It’s how these things work. A series needs to be consistent in its imaginative power and it needs to be consistent in its drive and quality. This is so weak compared to the first book that I could only ever be disappointed. Whilst there are some interesting aspects, they suffer because the plot stays so stationery and frets over the ethics of religious jihad and Paul’s impassivity in the face of his destiny.
I also found the mention of real-world historical figures a little odd considering there was no mention of anything like this in the first novel. There is a comparison between Paul and Hitler, as Herbert considers who has killed more people during the act of conquest. And this threw me totally off because the series seemed very self-contained. It’s like Richard III being mentioned in a Star Wars novel when the universe wasn’t built on ours initially. This totally destroyed any sense of immersion in the plot.
Herbert should have just stuck to one book or, better yet, actually wrote a decent sequel or something new.
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Planet of the Apes is an extraordinary book; it does wonders at questioning and reversing human to animal relations: it is a powerful statement againsPlanet of the Apes is an extraordinary book; it does wonders at questioning and reversing human to animal relations: it is a powerful statement against anthropocentrism.
Firstly, I want to talk about the films. Although they have all captured the basic idea of the book, a planet ruled by apes where humans are primitive, they have all failed tremendously to capture the essence of the novel. This is about reversal and its also about writing a story from the animal’s perspective. It highlights the injustice of treating primates in such awful ways; it captures the brutality of vivisection, the inauthentic and inhumane nature of zoos and the heartlessness of a world driven by scientific progress (at the cost of the liberty of creatures deemed lesser.)
Again, it’s all about perspective. It’s about putting a human in an animal’s situation, giving them the opportunity to experience exactly what an animal feels and think. They are powerless, dominated and utterly at the mercy of man. Rather than directly presenting a case for animal rights, Boulle has created a subversive sci-fi horror which questions the normative treatment of animals. And it’s certainly a book that gets you thinking, thinking about how awful it would be to be treated how humans treat animals. The writing also breaks down barriers between human and animal; it shows that under certain circumstances they are not too far from each other. And this is a really important point.
What strikes me as most unusual is how relatively unread this work is when considering the success of the films. There have been numerous versions made, all of which have been quite successful. I feel like the source material has been somewhat overlooked and neglected, which is a huge shame considering how intelligent the writing is and how challenging the subject matter is. The films stay true to some of the themes, but they just don’t quite capture the essence of the book. The most recent version really plays with the source material and adapts it into something quite different, and along the way this original story has become a bit lost and overshadowed.
My point here is that this is a very good book indeed and I think you should go read it. The ending, although I knew it was coming because of the movie, is perhaps one of the finest and strongest I have ever read.
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Environmentalism in fiction is nothing new. Green ideas have been represented in literature for a very long time, and I often feel like this is overloEnvironmentalism in fiction is nothing new. Green ideas have been represented in literature for a very long time, and I often feel like this is overlooked.
Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring is often attributed with kickstarting the environmental movement in the twentieth century. As seminal as the book is, these ideas have been around for a very long time. This collection of short stories understands this key fact, and it celebrates it. There are a whole bunch of short stories here that discuss ecological ideas before these ideas became popular and formed a movement. And this is important because it shows that to an extent, humankind has always been concerned with its impact on the natural world in some form or another.
These stories come from the first half of the twentieth century, from the classic age of science fiction. And they are very much typical science fiction in their scope and content. Naturally, some are better than others. Phillip K. Dick’s short story “Survey Team” is by far the best. I don’t want to discuss it in too much depth because I don’t want to spoil the plot particulars, but it offers a compelling reveal that highlights how destructive man’s behaviour is. It was powerful and genuinely very shocking. And I think more of these themes will appear across his body of work, so I’m intrigued to see what else he has to say.
There are some very strong stories here, but they don’t all quite live up to their potential. Major authors are put next to minor authors, and there is a stark contrast in quality hence my relative tepid rating and review. They are all linked by a discussion of ecology, in some form or another, though not all engage with the theme with the same level of importance.
I’m going through a bit of an eco-fiction and ecology stage right now. Anything that talks about nature or green ideas, I seem to be drawn to. And I was really excited to read this and to discover new writers who talk about these themes in the context of science fiction. Overall though, it's a mixed bag but worth a read. ___________________________________
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The Blind Assassin is a bloated monster of a book.
To put it plainly: it was slow, dull and padded out. In my estimation this is a 400 page story wrapThe Blind Assassin is a bloated monster of a book.
To put it plainly: it was slow, dull and padded out. In my estimation this is a 400 page story wrapped-up in a 650 page package. There is so much material here that adds absolutely nothing to the story, themes or characters. It is full of pointless inane details that were excruciating to read through. It is loaded with unnecessary day to day things that did nothing but drag the book out. So much needed chopping away to make the novel more precise and readable.
Despite this though, there is still a good book here buried beneath the excessive prose.
"Last night I watched the weather channel, as is my habit. Elsewhere in the world there are floods: roiling brown water, bloated cows floating by, survivors huddled on rooftops. Thousands have drowned. Global warming is held accountable: people must stop burning things up, it is said. Gasoline, oil, whole forests. But they won’t stop. Greed and hunger lash them on, as usual."
There’s something powerful and exacting about a retrospective narrator, one who looks back and analyses all the mistakes that have been made over the course of a lifetime. Whilst this isn’t a book focused on climate change, it is a book about regret and coming to terms with the greed of human behaviour and this idea is captured perfectly with this passage. As Iris watches the devastating effects of war and greed, she realises that the people in her own life embody some of the worst traits known to man.
Unusually, this is a book where we have the ending right from the start. We know how its all going to finish and slowly, ever so slowly, Atwood begins to reveal how everything happened. This kept the novel moving forward, but at a snail pace. There are quite a few surprises along the way and a big reversal during the final few pages, which, for me, completely saved the book.
What else did I like?
The novel is undeniably very clever. There are stories within stories within stories and it’s the reason Atwood won the man book prize in 2000. It’s creative and intelligent. There is no other novel, to my knowledge, that is put together quite like this. It is told through retrospective narration, newspaper clippings and a novel Laura Chase (the narrator’s sister) has written. There’s a book within the book! It’s a great idea but if experience has taught me anything, the judges of the booker prize always place literary originality over literary quality. And that can be a great thing, but not always. This story had no momentum and it dragged and dragged and dragged and dragged.
I was so close to giving up on a couple of occasions, but I was determined to finish this because I know how great Atwood can be. And there were glimpses of her skill here, in a watered-down form. Don’t get me wrong, I think The Blind Assassin is a good book but the sad thing is, it truly could have been a great book had it been shorter and more to the point. I felt bored when I was reading, the same way you might feel bored when an octogenarian tells you a forty-five minute story that could have been wrapped up in ten. And that's the problem: this is simply too big for the amount of story it actually contained.
I liked the critique on capitalism. I liked how the villain of the novel (yes there is one and no names mentioned) was the walking embodiment of it, along with destructive consumerism and expansion. I liked how subtle the manipulation tactics used by various characters were, to the point where the narrator has no clue she was being played by multiple people at the time. When she got older, she learnt her mistakes, and that’s important. Most of all I liked the ending. I liked what was kept hidden until the final few pages.
“The best way of keeping a secret is to pretend there isn't one.”
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The Day of the Triffids is an intelligent novel with many notable themes, but it's let down by its bland characters.
It discusses ecology, the importaThe Day of the Triffids is an intelligent novel with many notable themes, but it's let down by its bland characters.
It discusses ecology, the importance of environmental circumstances in the formation of differing societies and the corruptibility of humans. At the heart of things though, it is a novel of survival in a world overrun with deadly and murderous plants (the Triffids.) It’s an iconic piece of writing, and it has a lot going for it; however, it fails to deliver a certain sense of feeling within the story.
It all feels rather cold. Now I’m not talking about the more cunning characters who have set up their own post-apocalyptic society upon the labour of the impoverished and the blind, but the central cast: the protagonist especially. I found Bill to be rather detached from the events that were happening, and at times he felt like a bystander. Sure, he is a rather ordinary person though he drifts from group to group, and situation to situation, as a matter of circumstance. He certainly does not drive the story forward and I found it rather difficult to invest in him or to care about his actual fate.
This is a common criticism of mine for science-fiction of the era; it just lacks this vital ingredient that makes effective storytelling so compelling. The balance is often off between great ideas and well written characters. Indeed, it’s the narration on the follies of humans and the collapse of society that made the novel engaging. And it’s why the book is so famous. The Triffids are the immediate and obvious threat to the survival of mankind, but the real enemy lurks within because it is humans that are the real threat to their own survival. They were unprepared for something so monumental, and if history teaches us anything, they will fight each other for just about any reason.
“It must be, I thought, one of the race's most persistent and comforting hallucinations to trust that "it can't happen here" -- that one's own time and place is beyond cataclysm.”
There is a certain sense of realism within this with its feudal societies and distinct personalities that establish ideas of how man would actually behave in such an apocalypse. And I think this idea has been copied (or at least mirrored) by consequential works that clearly have drawn inspiration from this story. I see a lot of this book in survival horrors such as The Road,The Death of Grass and even in The Walking Dead. It clearly is an important piece of writing that has been crucial in helping establish a genre.
It's an interesting read and I am glad I finally did read it, but there is something important missing within its pages. And although I enjoyed reading about the themes and ideas it discusses, I know I would have enjoyed it more had the protagonist been a little bit more compelling.
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Cytonic is the third book in a very ambitious series written by a master storyteller at the height of his craft. It just all seems so effortless, the Cytonic is the third book in a very ambitious series written by a master storyteller at the height of his craft. It just all seems so effortless, the way it all comes together.
Part of me wonders if Brandon Sanderson has ghost writers, simply because his output is so high, and the quality is always very high. The number of books he releases, and the number of series he writes simultaneously, trumps what any other writer in the genre is doing. And these aren’t little books either. They’re great big stories that are huge in their scope with a large cast of characters. They’re also strikingly unique: they could be written by different people. I’m just speculating here because I do genuinely wonder how he manages it all.
That being said, this is a good novel and one that moves the series smoothly forward ready for its conclusion. I like the characters and the constant inclusion of new ones as Spensa explores the nowhere (a region of space that can only be accessed via cytonic mental powers.) She’s trapped there for the duration of this one, as she looks for a way out so she can aid her home planet of Detritus in their war against the ominous Superiority. And although it took a little while to get there, the big reveal at the end of the book makes it worth sticking with even if it felt like filler material in places.
“All people must accept that we have the potential to do terrible things. It is part of seeing our place in the universe, our heritage, and our natures. But in that acceptance, we gain strength, for potential can be refused."
For me this quote is quite powerful. Taken out of the context of the book, it can be applied to real life and many situations. Taken in the context of the book, it helps establish where the series is going. Without giving away major plot spoilers, I think there is much more at play here than it seems. Labels are not always what they seem, and identity is not fixed when people and alien races can develop or unlock hidden abilities. Artificial intelligence can also evolve to gain sentience and become something new. I think the end may be a little surprising and I look forward to finally reading it.
Although I have a largely positive opinion of this book, it’s by far the weakest in the series so far. I’ve already mentioned the word “filler” because that’s exactly what some of it felt like; it’s almost like a side quest getting in the way of the main narrative, which is what we really care about. And whilst it was a good and worthwhile quest, with a battle for control between space pirates, I do wonder how much it added to the story. I’m hoping the conclusion is a bit stronger.
Sometimes I feel like there’s pressure in the reading community to side with the written word, to defend it over The film is WAY better than the book.
Sometimes I feel like there’s pressure in the reading community to side with the written word, to defend it over cinema because it’s supposed to be our preferred medium for storytelling. This isn’t always the case. And if I’m honest, I prefer theatre over anything. More importantly though, and what I’m trying to suggest here, is that the phrase “the book is always better” is simply incorrect.
Film comparisons aside, 2001 was not the book I was expecting. It’s divided into three narratives, the first two setting up the third. The third is the main part and it’s what the book is really about, but it just took far too long to get there. I was bored. The book is dull and overly descriptive yet also remarkably brilliant in its scope and conclusion. Ultimately, it’s a book with a great idea, but one that takes a very long time to convey its meaning and demonstrate the connectedness of the narratives.
In some ways its like a long journey, the destination is worthwhile but getting there can be a little bit tedious. And this book was so very tedious in places. So much superfluous material could have been edited out. It so desperately needed more plot and a little bit more excitement with characters that were engaging. Sure, it discussed some interesting ideas but first two thirds of the novel were completely flat.
The strongest element this book has is its depiction of evolution being an ever moving, ever developing, phenomenon. This alongside considerations over the danger of technology (that also had the power to evolve) made the book engaging and even tense in parts, but this energy was never consistent. It just needed more life.
As such, two stars seems like a fair rating for a book that is intellectually challenging but hindered by its dry tone and lack of action.
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“My world, my Earth, is a ruin. A planet spoiled by the human species. We multiplied and gobbled and fought until there was nothing left, and then
“My world, my Earth, is a ruin. A planet spoiled by the human species. We multiplied and gobbled and fought until there was nothing left, and then we died. We controlled neither appetite nor violence; we did not adapt. We destroyed ourselves. But we destroyed ourselves first. There are no forests left on my Earth.”
The Dispossessed is a phenomenal novel and there are many important aspects of it that warrant a thorough discussion; however, the above quote really stood out to me and will become the focus of my review.
It is important because it shows Le Guin’s preoccupation with ecological thought. And this is a constant theme through her work. The character in question has witnessed environmental collapse and understands exactly why it has happened; it has happened because there were no restrictions placed on appetite, indulgence, and violence. Resources became a commodity, and all the forests were destroyed. Humans did not adapt, learn or grow. They continued down their destructive path and it led to their demise. (I think she's trying to tell us something here, don't you?)
Le Guin establishes this by demonstrating that humanity is doomed to fail because of the divisions we have. She portrays two worlds diametrically opposed in their values. Urras is the crux of consumerist and destructive capitalism, and Anarres is an anarchist utopia in which no government reigns and every person is born equal. The former is driven by ideas of wealth and expansion, the latter by ideas of socialism. And although the alternative appears attractive to each counterpart, both have their own limitations because they cannot quite be reached in their pure state.
Shevek, the protagonist and a brilliant physicist, comes to terms with the unattainableness of true freedom due to the fickleness of human nature: it is an impossible goal. He, the only man to witness the limitations of both political ideologies, understands that neither are enough to save or to benefit humankind by themselves. The ideology of Annares and its emphasis on universal survival, through altruism, is certainly the most attractive to me (and to him), but its system is the easiest to exploit by the corrupt minded. This idea, for example:
“We don’t count relatives much; we are all relatives, you see.”
This is a great concept because it extends the notion of family to every single person. Blood does not matter. Relation does not matter as we should look out for every single person regardless of our connection to them. This basic notion is innate and a moral principle for those born on Anarres. It is a simple requirement of society and it is there to ensure the survival of humanity. Everybody is here together, and they should work together. The ideology pushes universal altruism over individual aggrandisement, but if one deviates from this there are no repercussions. Trust is the key, but not everyone is trustworthy in life.
And this is where the story begins to become complex. The freedom discussed here pertains to the notion of individual expression and argument. Both planets believe that their system is best and will benefit human advancement if all embraced it. They close themselves off. They close their minds off. Shevek, as a scientist, wants his idea to benefit all. It’s not about political ideology: it’s about benefiting humans, all humans, as a whole and not taking sides.
The undercurrent of ecological concerns articulates this perfectly: we're all in this together and we must adapt, change and grow together so that we do not spoil our planet(s). We must not destroy our own humanity first because if we do then we will destroy our world, our forest.
Two years later, these ecological concepts would be expanded upon in the equally as phenomenal The Word for World is Forest (note the title and its link with the quote here.) And it's after reading these two works that I consider Ursula K. Le Guin not only one of my favourite novelists, but also one of the most important writers of the late twentieth century.
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progriss riport 1 I reed this book and I liked it and I should rite down what I think. Its a story about how a boy got smart. I dont remembir I should progriss riport 1 I reed this book and I liked it and I should rite down what I think. Its a story about how a boy got smart. I dont remembir I should reed it again.
progriss riport 2 So the boy got smart and then went stupid and its important cause it was about how we shouldn’t mess with nature and test on people because it effects other things we don’t get yet. It also had a mouse in it. I dont remembir much more I should reed it again.
Progress Report 3 Its easier to understand each time. I learnt how to spell better because the book has lots of big words that sound all sciency though the book doesnt quite read like other sciency books I tried to read. Its more like a case study that questions what it is to be human in a world that demands we be smart when not all of us are but we are still people no matter how we think. I dont remembir much more I should reed it again.
Progress Report 4 I remember much more this time. This book is very clever and I like it more and more each time I read it. I remember all the characters that affect the boy’s life and a mouse called Algernon that mirrors his own journey through the narrative. It’s almost like the writer is trying to tell us something but I can’t quite say what it is just yet. I should read it again and pay closer attention to the themes and how the boy failed to develop emotionally despite his intellectual growth.
Progress Report 5 It’s all starting to fall into place, the sexual themes, the deep rooted psychological trauma, the questions about how we treat other people with disabilities: it is all making perfect sense. This book is brilliant and it has made me feel so smart. I even wrote a full paper about it that I am going to submit to a university journal. I showed it to my mother and she was amazed that I had written it. From here, I am going to read so many books so I can analyse them properly and make full use of my transformation.
Progress Report 6 I rested today then I got drunk because the book left me feeling sad and I feel sorry for Alergonon and the boy. The alcohol stops me from feeling anything and it makes my mind go slow again for a short while. I had sex with a stranger I met because she made me feel relaxed and I could forget about the book for a little while.
Progress Report 7 Becoming absent minded. I haven’t read for a while and I forget what it is I am supposed to do with my life. I wander the streets thinking about Algernon’s story and I know I should keep reading to try and keep my mind sharp. But is becoming harder again and I can't remember the book much or all that it taught me.
Progress Report 8 I read through my earlier reports today and my paper but I couldn’t quite understand everything I said about the book. I want to read the book again but I cant keep focused on it.
progriss report 9 I tried to rite about the book today but I havent red it in a while and words are hard again and make my head hurt and I feel angry when I cant remembir the book.
progriss riport 10 I should post my riports on goodreeds so I don’t forget about a mouse called Algernon and a boy who got smart....more
This is a hard book for me to rate. On one hand it’s a gritty and harrowing exploration into the mentality of extreme loneliness and isolation but on This is a hard book for me to rate. On one hand it’s a gritty and harrowing exploration into the mentality of extreme loneliness and isolation but on the other it’s an almost cartoonish horror that actually made me laugh when it was supposed to be haunting.
Now let me try to explain a little: there’s just something overwhelmingly ridiculous about naked vampires lurking outside Robert Neville’s house trying to lure him outside with the prospect of sex. They try to tempt him with their bodies, so they can drink his blood when he has left the safety of his home. It just seemed too comical. And to be honest, it is quite a clever move on behalf of the otherwise moronic vampires. It shows that they are cunning and manipulative; yet they still cannot figure out how to get into his house by force. It makes little sense.
Realistically it is not that hard to break into someone’s home. So, this did not sit well with me considering how ordinary and dull Neville is. His house is not fortified with any real defences. He frequently goes outside to tackle a mob of vampires with nothing but a basic pistol and somehow survives some insanely close encounters. It just took way some of the realism. And that is one of the key concepts behind the book: it is supposed to feel real.
This is not some Hollywood blockbuster. It is not about the action. It is about survival. And it’s about a degrading and miserable mind faced with the complete annihilation of society. These elements were powerful and even moving. I felt for Neville because he was so ordinary. He’s just a normal guy in a terrible situation and his skillset is very limited. He has somehow managed to survive like this for months when everyone else seems to be dead. As the book begins it is clear he is unhinged and this only gets worse, but the vampires themselves let the story down.
For me, this is one of those books made popular because it has a fantastic concept behind it, but for the horror elements need a bit of work. ___________________________________
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“There must be something in books, something we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay “There must be something in books, something we can’t imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there. You don’t stay for nothing.”
The burning of books is such an effective tool for controlling the population, so the message of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 is scarily real. If society’s wisdom could be taken away, then so could their freedom. If knowledge was burnt, then the people would be left in a complete state of utter innocent ignorance. There would be no room for free thought, that way they could be told anything about history and themselves. If all books were burnt, then they are just sheep to be led into a future dictated by the government. To make it worse the men who do it enjoy it.
Books have become illegal; thus, owning them is a form of disobedience against the state and a violation of the law. The books are burnt by a special group of firefighters, yes firefighters, which hunt readers mercilessly. When they find them, they burn their beloved collection and leave them to die. One woman burns with her books by her own choosing rather than submit to ignorance. The firefighters don’t know exactly why they do it, they rarely question it, they just do it unflinchingly because that is what they are told to do. And they cannot understand why somebody would fight to the death to defend the written word.
Guy Montag is one such firefighter. He lives a mundane life with an equally mundane partner. He’s miserable. He carries out the book burnings, like the others, without a second thought until one day an innocent young girl changes his life forever. She is his next-door neighbour and she is a closet book reader; she asks him a series of questions that makes him realise how stupid and worthless his existence is. He takes solace in a collection of books he has stolen whilst on the job, a symbol that he and the world could one day be free. The knowledge he gains changes his perception of the world forever.
Books have fallen out of favour as other mediums have taken priority over them. People have become hostile to books because they feel inferior when faced with an educated reader; thus, if they are removed forever everyone will be the same and minorities will be removed. Individuality would die. Consequently, when Guy begins reading, he does not know what to do anymore; he has been conditioned to act in a certain way, and when liberty presents itself, he is reluctant and confused by his new knowledge. He is a reluctant hero but a hero, nonetheless. He has stolen one of the last surviving copies of the Bible but doesn’t know what it is. However, a professor of the bygone age does and what comes after is one of the most powerful and symbolic endings I’ve ever read in science-fiction.
This really is required reading for anyone who is serious about science fiction and dystopian fiction because it really is one of the best in both genres.
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The Lathe of Heaven is a very good book with a very important message, though it lacks a certain human element to it which is largely uncharacteristicThe Lathe of Heaven is a very good book with a very important message, though it lacks a certain human element to it which is largely uncharacteristic of Le Guin’s fiction.
Let me explain: this is a book of ideas and idealisms. It is deeply philosophical and intelligent, exploring themes that question the nature of human morality and progress. Its main concern is consequences, the consequences of actions that are driven by a desire change the world into a better place but are unrealistic in their dreams of perfectibility.
Indeed, idealism is extremely dangerous because it is also extremely unrealistic when applied to reality. And this is exactly what Le Guin demonstrates here; she suggests that even the purest of dreams can become corrupt, distorted, and problematic. The dreams here are exactly that, dreams, taken from the unconscious mind of George Orr who has the power to alter reality with his sleeping mind. He can change anything and everything, a fact his therapist becomes aware of and through George wields a power to reform and reshape the world as he sees fit.
As countless books and films have told us, whenever anyone plays their hand at being God things never end well. The story is clever, and it made me think, though it felt cold and the characters were not as developed as they could be. It lacked a certain emotional side to it, and I have found this is often the case with hard science fiction but Le Guin usually transcends this.
My inability to connect with any of the characters here impeded my overall enjoyment. Despite how clever this book is, I could never rate it higher than three stars.
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As ever, in strikingly basic prose, Ursula K. Le Guin profoundly questions the meaning of human existence and the costs that come with it.
At its coreAs ever, in strikingly basic prose, Ursula K. Le Guin profoundly questions the meaning of human existence and the costs that come with it.
At its core, this short story is a powerful moral allegory about modern life and the foundations from which it has been built. It is a story that extends drastically beyond the limitations of it’s basic setting to create an image that is potent and haunting. And all the way through the narrator is entirely aware of the restrictions of writing, but that does not matter because it is a device that has been used to capture something exceedingly thought provoking. It's very clever indeed.
I can think of no other short story that carries with it such power and authority: the ability to make the reader think and question the truth behind society’s luxury and wealth. Everything comes at a cost, at the happiness, time, and suffering of another. And here it evokes an important moral question we are all facing in this very moment: is my happiness worth the suffering of another?
I want to keep this review relatively short, and not go on massive tangents about what this story means to me because this story and its meaning can be applied to many situations, but I urge you to read it and I urge you to ask yourself the important question: “would you walk away from Omelas?”
Would you chose to walk away from a society that is comfortable, affluent and wonderful because it only exists through the perpetual suffering of another?
It's an exceedingly potent question and this is a story that will remain with me for a very long time.
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I’ve been looking for a book like this for a very long time, a book that – at its very core – tackles the environmental destruction associated with syI’ve been looking for a book like this for a very long time, a book that – at its very core – tackles the environmental destruction associated with systematic imperialism.
Now let me try to unpack that a little. I write these words as my own home (my planet) is being destroyed by mass scale consumerism, as our ever-growing appetites and population continues to decimate our own forests and natural land. This is not a new phenomenon, but as we advance technologically, we have become more adept at destroying ourselves. We continue to expand without any thought of the consequences. Time is ticking and Earth is in a sorry state.
The humans in The Word for World for Forrest have already destroyed their planet’s natural world, so they look outward and attempt to colonise other worlds to harvest their natural resources (namely wood.) Again, these humans have not a thought of consequences and by extension care little for the indigenous populations of their colonies.
And this is where the novel gets real interesting because one thing that really stood out to me – perhaps because of my own reading and background as an animal rights activist – is the association of animals with the “primitive” population. For the invading humans to morally justify enslaving them and to destroy their world (or habitat), they are considered less than human. They are associated with cows and rats and monkeys to make it easier for the colonisers to brutalise their planet. Their forests are cut down and harvested without a second thought, like we destroy the amazon rainforest because it only affects animal life and not us directly (in the present.)
For me, there is much to discuss here. Without going into too much depth about this distorted and destructive viewpoint, the novel brings out strikingly important themes about the nature of imperialism, colony, and slavery. Arguments for environmental justice are irrevocably linked with how we treat other humans and their cultures, and how we view the notion of what is "animal" and how it should be treated.
And because of this, I argue that it is an extremely important work of science-fiction because we could learn from it as a society. And this is why art is so radically essential. We have a distant future, and a distant alien world, we are dealing with intergalactic politics and racism across humanoid species, but the allegory is not too far from today.
And that's truly terrifying.
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Sean Barrs
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