Speed Of Dark by Elizabeth Moon

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Speed Of Dark by Elizabeth Moon

Pub: Orbit. 424 page paperback. Price: £ 6.99 (UK). ISBN: 1-84149-141-1.

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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