Speed Of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
01/12/2002 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
Pub: Orbit. 424 page paperback. Price: £ 6.99 (UK). ISBN: 1-84149-141-1. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. Check
out website: www.orbitbooks.co.uk
This is the story of the life of autistic
Lou Arrendale. Set in the near future where education has given some
sort of life to autistic people. Unlike today, the brighter autistics
of this United States can drive cars, hold jobs that require their
skills and communicate amongst themselves.
 They
do find crowds and 'normal' people confusing. Lou has developed
a skilled hobby in fencing since he can recognise the patterns in
his opponents. Genetic advancements have ensured that autistics
are now less likely to be born and a new experimental treatment
is preparing for trails to 'cure' or restore communicative skills
to autistics.
The company Lou works for has bought the rights to this experimentation
and their superior is eager to coerce his autistic work-force to take the treatment
to reduce costs to the company.
Much of this story is spent seeing
life through Lou's eyes and his decision as to whether to take the treatment or
not. If anything, this plot is a variation on Daniel Keyes 'Flowers For Algernon'
only with more people and current day skulduggery added to it. Unlike Keyes'
book, Moon's character is far too articulate to draw that much comparison to modern
day autistics. If anything, from Lou's first person perspective there's a tendency
to accept what he sees and feels without question as you accept his reality rather
than think it's that different (are we all becoming so insular?). What
he does with his ability is only hinted at. We don't really see him really solving
things, other than fencing, with it. There are odd occasions when we see events
away from Lou's perspective which might fill in some gaps but could have been
given from his perspective. Just because Lou doesn't fully understand what is
going on doesn't mean it can't be inferred to the reader.
The cut-off
ending is far too abrupt. Almost as though author Moon has decided that is it.
With so much detail leading up to a conclusion, it would have made more sense
to show the aftermath in greater detail than to summarise in a couple pages.
Despite these criticisms, the book is readable and I'm sure different people
will get different things from it. I would also suggest getting a copy of the
Keyes book if you want to have anything to compare it to. GF Willmetts 
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