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The Speed of Dark - Elizabeth Moon
The Speed of Dark
by: (author)
4.16 230
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... show more
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.
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Format: paperback
ISBN: 9780345481399 (0345481399)
Publisher: Del Rey Books
Pages no: 369
Edition language: English
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Community Reviews
Libromancer's Apprentice
Libromancer's Apprentice rated it
4.0 [Book Review] The Speed of Dark
Lou Arrendale is a brilliant man, with a regular job and hobbies. He also happens to be the last of a generation left behind of medical advances used to treat neurological deviations pre-birth. The world around him sees his diagnosis before they see the man or the mind that he possesses, and the c...
traciloudin
traciloudin rated it
0.0 The Speed of Dark
This is a fantastic book where the primary POV character is an autistic man. It's set in the near future, where most autism (and other diseases, etc.) have been cured at birth or in infancy. The main character, Lou, is part of the last generation of autistics, born too late to be cured in infancy, b...
Book Ramblings
Book Ramblings rated it
5.0 The Speed of Dark
Amazon's e-book samples are too short, only about 18 pages in length, good luck applying that ol’ “50 pages rule” here. Fortunately The Speed of Dark (2003 Nebula Award winner) is immediately intriguing and I was sold on it by the end of the short sample. I keep hearing good things about [a: Elizabe...
Hello Book, So Long Sleep...
Hello Book, So Long Sleep... rated it
3.0 The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
The spine says sci-fi fantasy, it's not. Well, I guess it's sci-fi because it takes places in the near future? But there's no flying cars, no robots doing all our work..it's just like it is now except a few small changes. Anyways, the story is about Lou, a person with autism. You follow him around s...
Hol
Hol rated it
It's hard to know what to say about this novel. From one perspective I really enjoyed it; it was different, and I really liked the main character Lou. The novels I enjoy most are the ones where the character’s (good or bad) go through some sort of a transition or process in a novel. I don’t even car...
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