Point About Books The Speed of Dark
| Title | : | The Speed of Dark |
| Author | : | Elizabeth Moon |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 369 pages |
| Published | : | June 28th 2005 by Del Rey (first published 2002) |
| Categories | : | Science Fiction. Fiction |
Elizabeth Moon
Paperback | Pages: 369 pages Rating: 4 | 9801 Users | 1169 Reviews
Rendition In Favor Of Books The Speed of Dark
In the near future, disease will be a condition of the past. Most genetic defects will be removed at birth; the remaining during infancy. Unfortunately, there will be a generation left behind. For members of that missed generation, small advances will be made. Through various programs, they will be taught to get along in the world despite their differences. They will be made active and contributing members of society. But they will never be normal.Lou Arrendale is a member of that lost generation, born at the wrong time to reap the awards of medical science. Part of a small group of high-functioning autistic adults, he has a steady job with a pharmaceutical company, a car, friends, and a passion for fencing. Aside from his annual visits to his counselor, he lives a low-key, independent life. He has learned to shake hands and make eye contact. He has taught himself to use “please” and “thank you” and other conventions of conversation because he knows it makes others comfortable. He does his best to be as normal as possible and not to draw attention to himself.
But then his quiet life comes under attack. It starts with an experimental treatment that will reverse the effects of autism in adults. With this treatment Lou would think and act and be just like everyone else. But if he was suddenly free of autism, would he still be himself? Would he still love the same classical music–with its complications and resolutions? Would he still see the same colors and patterns in the world–shades and hues that others cannot see? Most importantly, would he still love Marjory, a woman who may never be able to reciprocate his feelings? Would it be easier for her to return the love of a “normal”?
There are intense pressures coming from the world around him–including an angry supervisor who wants to cut costs by sacrificing the supports necessary to employ autistic workers. Perhaps even more disturbing are the barrage of questions within himself. For Lou must decide if he should submit to a surgery that might completely change the way he views the world . . . and the very essence of who he is.
Thoughtful, provocative, poignant, unforgettable, The Speed of Dark is a gripping exploration into the mind of an autistic person as he struggles with profound questions of humanity and matters of the heart.
From the Hardcover edition.
Present Books Toward The Speed of Dark
| Original Title: | The Speed of Dark |
| ISBN: | 0345481399 (ISBN13: 9780345481399) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Characters: | Lou Arrendale |
| Literary Awards: | Nebula Award for Best Novel (2003), Arthur C. Clarke Award Nominee (2003) |
Rating About Books The Speed of Dark
Ratings: 4 From 9801 Users | 1169 ReviewsEvaluation About Books The Speed of Dark
This is a very interesting book set in the near future when advancements in medical science have made autism curable in child hood. The story revolves around a group of adults with autism who were too old to be treated when the cure was found, making them the last of their kind. Eventually a possible 'cure' is found for the adults and the debate is raised whether they need to be changed or whether they are who they are and should stay the sameThere are lots of similarities between this book andOne of the most brilliant books I've ever read. This novel still haunts me. I hope more people will discover THE SPEED OF DARK.
ORIGINALLY POSTED AT Fantasy Literature.In The Speed of Dark, Elizabeth Moon blends science fiction, neuroscience, and her own experience to speculate about a future in which scientists have nearly eliminated the symptoms of autism. Lou Arrendales cohort is the last of the impaired autistics. Thanks to early intervention programs, Lou and his colleagues are verbal, take care of themselves, and work for a pharmaceutical company that makes use of their savant abilities, yet they lack the social
The last forty pages of this fucking sucked. Up until that point, it was an awesome anti-ableist critique of normalcy and "cure" with what felt to me like a pretty authentic narrative voice. Then, rather inexplicably, the main character does an about-face and decides that in order to truly fulfill his dreams of being an astronaut and be able to date, he needs to be cured. Sick. It totally knocked it down from a 4 star to a 2 star. I'm still giving it 2 stars because this horrible ending was
Writing with a main character on the autism spectrum is a tricky path, one that I feel like I've seen many people stumble off, falling down on amusing or adorable instead of giving their subjects any kind of complexity or autonomy. These characters need to be jolted out of their routines and it's hilarious as they learn to do more. They feel like books written for neurotypical readers, with autism less a different way of thinking than a prop in a comedy. (The more I think about The Rosie
4.5 *s If I were in the mood to buy books just, now, I would purchase it. Definitely a reread, which is unusual for me these days
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