Behaviour Patterns

[threemonkeys]

Elizabeth Moon is a guest of honour at Conjunction. In preparation for that, I thought I'd read some of her work. Looking at her available work, I had the choice between one of a whole series of military sf or an atypical one-off book that won a Nebula award and got a bunch of critical acclaim. No choice really - I read The Speed of Dark. The sympathetic and strong portrayal of a man with autism who functions in society is engrossing stuff. Then there is the morality issue when this man is faced with the opportunity of a "cure". It is a story of hardships faced and won by the character with the support of those around him - ultimately a very optimistic story.

The only negative I can identify is a one-dimensionality to the surrounding characters and a certain predictability to the mechanical way the story unfolds. It could be because of the way in which the story is being told from the point of view of someone with autism - it may be subtle and brilliant. On the other hand it is a common characteristic of military sf. I can't comment about Moon's work in that area but you have to have your suspicions.

The only other thing to add is that it may not be a good idea to read a book about autism just a few weeks out from a science fiction convention.

Comments

[gillpolack.livejournal.com]

All her books have that feel. I always think of it that the plot and the main character are the pre-emininent factors and that everything is shaped around them. Her other writing has a bit more fun in it than The Speed of Dark. Worth reading one more book (and they're not big or hard going) just to give a sense of it.

I read military SF, but mostly don't collect it and I make an exception for her. Moon is one of the writers I read to unwind when life gets way too much for me.

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

Thanks - "a bit more fun" sounds good, although even The Speed of Dark had a few amusing moments

[beagl.livejournal.com]

I only got through half of one of Moon's other books (and like you I tend to read to the bitter end) and my main complaint was "...a one-dimensionality to the surrounding characters and a certain predictability to the mechanical way the story unfolds."

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

:-) - "subtle and brilliant" now seems very unlikely.

[thoatherder.livejournal.com]

I loved "The Speed of Dark", and hated "hunting Party", it is hard to believe that the same person wrote both books.

"Hunting Party", is the clichéd "Aristocracy in outer space" story, complete with a whole planet in which people hunt genetically created 'foxes'. And of course, there is a secret club that hunts ...

The whole 'hunting fixes is wonderful' tone, got right up my nose, especially as the author glosses over just what happens when the 'fox' is caught. And the writing has a feel of ... teenage amateurism.

I think you've identified the 'paint by numbers' aspect of the writing well.

There is a group of female writers clustered around Andre Norton/Anne McCaffery, who all seem to have this style of 'Norton Light' writing.

Mind you, I haven't read a Norton book for about twenty years ...

[threemonkeys.livejournal.com]

I'm detecting a pattern here. :-)

lobelet warned me that a collaboration between McCaffery and Moon was "awful".