The Speed of Dark

I adored this book until the last...40 pages or so. The ending made me want to scream and throw things. Why cure him of his autism and take away everything that made Lou him? As an autistic person, the treatment of this as a good thing (because look, now he can be an astronaut! It only requires he give up everything pleasurable and good in his life, and all his relationships!) Ugh. Still 4 stars, because of just how much I loved everything preceding, but just...ugh.

The comparisons to “[b:Flowers for Algernon 18373 Flowers for Algernon Daniel Keyes https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1367141311s/18373.jpg 3337594]” are pretty apt. tl;dr: I think Flowers is a better book. Speed has more to try to say - maybe not at depth, but definitely more - but has some technical flaws that I found difficult to overlook. I waffled between 3 and 4 stars several times - at its best, it's quite good. It's just that when it fails, it brings the entire show down.The biggest problem I've heard elsewhere is that it promotes either "Autism must be cured", or "Treating autism is ablist propaganda!". I've seen both - it was one reason I've put off reading the book for so long. I think it's more complicated than either position, and I have to work myself up to reading position pieces.Fortunately, I... didn't take either away from the book, and frankly, that's the thing I liked best. The main character ends up with his autism treated, but that was after spending most of the book against the idea, struggling with what changes it would make, if it would change who he was. And, best of all, it does change him. Some of his friends chose differently. And, while he got to chase his biggest dream, he lost touch with his friends, and the woman he loved wasn't nearly as interesting afterwards. I think Moon was aiming for it to be more of a mixed bag than it sounded, but after consideration, I think that would have been somewhat difficult, at least with the time allocated. Seriously - what else could you take from him while still leaving it mixed?The biggest failing was pacing. The ending feels very rushed, and Lou's decision to have the operation, his recovery, and the post scene all total 20 pages. I think her decision to have those pieces take very little space are understandable - having a long recovery invites even more comparison to a certain other book, and a long normalcy period has other potential problems.Another problem is that Lou's capabilities seem to change depending on what the plot needed. Several times, I was jerked out of the narrative by a lack of understanding or a "deep" pondering that didn't seem in line with his earlier established capacity.Several minor subplots were introduced, built up, and then conveniently ignored. I think they were attempts to help flesh out the main character and his friends, but they fell flat - to the point that I re-read a significant portion of the book to see if I had missed what happened.The characters, other than Lou, were... fairly two dimensional. I think that works best here, as it gives Lou a chance to shine, and for us to see where his limits are.Overall? Don't read it if you're looking for hard sci-fi, epic fantasy, a lot of action, or even a fast-moving plot. Most of the book is about the interactions of Lou with others, and the remainder his introspection, which is nothing really new in the genre. That said, sometimes, what you want is to approach a well-trodden place from a new path, though, and that's exactly what this book does. Recommended.

I'd heard that The Speed of Dark, by Elizabeth Moon, was a rewrite of Flowers of Algernon by Daniel Keyes, only with an autistic man rather than a mentally handicapped one. In one respect this is true. At the beginning of the novel the protagonist of The Speed of Dark is pressured by his company to be a subject testing a drug ostensibly designed to get rid of autism. But the novel itself is about so much more, to the point that the fear of having to participate in this medical procedure almost takes a back seat to all of the other issues facing Lou Arrendale. Issues like: what is normal? What is the nature of personality (if he has this treatment will he cease to be himself? Will he still like the same things? Will he be able to do the work he enjoys?). What is the speed of Dark? (Is it the absence of light or does it travel faster than light, thereby arriving first?)

Told mostly, but not exclusively, from Lou's point of view, we get a very well researched idea of how autistic people see the world. A point of view that helps to broaden your own as a reader and human being.

It's a great novel. Well written and with an ending you won't see coming.

This was a very good book about autism and how different people react to it. I liked how Lou could explain to his friends how he viewed the world. I also liked the way he learned more about himself in making his decision.

MINI REVIEW:

Every now and then a book comes along that defies all expectations, and transcends genres. THE SPEED OF DARK is one of those books. Though technically science fiction, this certainly doesn't feel like it. It's first and foremost a character-oriented story; so much so that the ‘story' barely applies. Very introspective and enlightening from someone who knows autism intimately (her son is autistic). This is certainly one of those books that make you think and reevaluate your opinions. I highly recommend this book to EVERYONE, not just science fiction readers.

“The Speed of Dark” follows a period in the life of an autistic man, Lou Arrendale, told mostly from his perspective. From the back cover of the book:

“Thoughtful, poignant and unforgettable, The Speed of
Dark is a gripping exploration into the world of Lou
Arrendale, an autistic man who is offered a chance to
try a brand-new experimental “cure” for his condition.
Now 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.”

There is so much more to the story than this implies
though. Lou is a highly functional autistic. He has
a job, drives a car, has his own apartment, and
conducts his own affairs...in many ways better than I
do! He interacts with those considered “normal” on a
regular basis, including the participation in a weekly
fencing group. The conflict over the experimental
cure is much more than a should I/shouldn't I issue.
He has to overcome other challenges during the
book that no one should ever be confronted with.