![]() Book Name: Left hand of darkness Author: Ursala Le Guin Genre: SciFi Goodreads: Link Storygraph: Link Like Mensche: the Lord of time featured in the Left hand of Darkness is an award winning and timeless novel by Ursala Le Guin's which has become a classic within the Science Fiction genre. The authors thoughts relating to society, religion an gender politics shines through in this novel and are very relevant an applicable to Terrans such as us. The duality of the citizens of Gethen due to their androgenous nature is juxtaposed with the unchanging season of cold and ice. The unchanging ha also led to a timelessness aspect of the novel where the main events of the novel are interspersed with even dating generations ago. The sliding timescale used on Gethen adds to the ambiguity this creates. This ha also ked to an interesting mashup of elements drawn from the past such a kings an domains with futuristic elements such as star ships an Ray guns which is a hallmark of good science fiction literature. It's fascinating that while the novel has made a noteworthy contribution to the feminist canon, the story is mainly narrate through the eyes of the envoy Genly Ai; a male who refers to the Gethenians only in the masculine pronoun. While Le Guin May have been reluctant to invent a different word ( surprising considering the world building which has gone into the world that the story occupies) it may also be the author critique of the fact that even feminist literature is trapped within the gender stereotyping which is a result of a patriarchal society. While the reader may at first be disoriented by the ambiguity relating to the imagined language at the start of the novel, it provides a tour de force of the socio political landscape of Gethen in a seamless manner. I highly recommend this book for both fans and non-fans of Science Fiction. Favourite Quotes
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![]() Book name: Piranesi Author: Susanna Clarke Genre: Fantasy, Mystery Goodreads: Link Storygraph: Link One of the most unique novels I have read where Its even hard to place what sort of category this novel falls into which is a mix of fantasy, SciFi and a detective/mystery story. The novel is told from the perspective of an individual who is referred to as Piranesi, who inhabits a vast labyrinthine house of many halls which is periodically subject to flooding and other natural dangers. As the novel progresses you as the reader sense something is off about the world he inhabits and what has brought him here and as you progress you begin to unravel the mystery of this enigmatic place. While it is a relatively short novel, (compared to the 1,000+ page debut novel by the author Dr. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell), the characters of the novel are well fleshed out with interesting personalities, some really interesting world building and also very evocative language flourishes that used to describe what its like to live in this house. The novel also poses a number of questions to the reader an delves into a number of themes including spirituality and faith, nature vs materialism, and what it means to be human. As you start off with the novel, you as the reader are likely to find yourself quite confused about whats going on, but if you stick to the end you are rewarded with a compelling mystery and some interesting questions to ponder over. Overall would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good mystery set in a strange and richly detailed environment. Quotes “The Beauty of the House is immeasurable; its Kindness infinite.” The story is told from the perspective of a mysterious person, Piranesi who resides in a vast labyrinth of halls that are filled with elaborate statues and is affected by the tides and the elements. “Perhaps even people you like and admire immensely can make you see the World in ways you would rather not.” The only other companion of Piranesi in this Labyrinth is 'The Other' whom he looks upto as a knowledgeable figure. However later events prove this not to be the case and the book seems to offer a commentary of the danger of following charismatic figures. “The House is the cause of my forgetting... And if the House has made you forget, then it has done so for good reason... It does not matter that you do not understand the reason. You are the Beloved Child of the House. Be comforted. And I am comforted.” At the same time, the book comes across about the value of spirituality and faith, where Piranesi has a child-like wonder of the world and puts his faith in the house and thinks of its as an omnipotent, benevolent entity that sees him and provides for his needs “I do not see why you say I can only see a representation in this World,’.. You make it sound as if the Statue was somehow inferior to the thing itself... I would argue that the Statue is superior to the thing itself, the Statue being perfect, eternal and not subject to decay.” The books title is a reference to the Renaissance artist Piranesi who was famous for his sketches of famous historical landmarks in Italy such as the Roman Colosseum. In some of these he imagined what these structures would have looked like before they fell into ruin which is what is experienced in the many halls Piranesi wanders in compared to the real world where all things decay “I’ve never been very interested in what you might call morality, but I drew the line at bringing about the collapse of civilisation. Perhaps that was wrong. I don’t know. I do have a rather sentimental streak.’.” The book has an underlying humor to it while also dealing with some deep themes such as a the importance of giving time to reflect on what it means to be human “I can pay for things with money –though I still find the process strange and artificial. .. Piranesi wants to say: But I need the thing you have, so why don’t you just give it to me? And then when I have something you need, I will just give it to you. This would be a simpler system and much better!” Piranesi is someone who is well attuned to his surrounding. Hence we finds things that we take for granted baffling, which if you step back and think about it, is actually quite strange, while things we would normally be repulsed by, he sees it as a natural part of life. “I realised that the search for the Knowledge has encouraged us to think of the House as if it were a sort of riddle to be unravelled, a text to be interpreted, and that if ever we discover the Knowledge, then it will be as if the Value has been wrested from the House and all that remains will be mere scenery.” A key theme of the book is on the importance of giving time for ourselves to take a step back and reflect on what we value in life and what it really means to be human ![]() Key Details Book name: Blade Runner or Do Androids Dream of Sheep Author: Philiip K Dick Genre: Scifi Goodreads Link: Goodreads Publication date: 1968 Like most people, I was introduced to the imagination of Phillp K Dick through the film blade Runner and the more recent Tv Series 'Man in the High Castle'. So imagine my surprise to find out that the plot of the book differs quite abit from the film adaption of it. Even if you have watched the original and the more recent film, the book delves into some of the more philosophical aspects of a world where humans and Androids (Known as Andy's) are indistinguishable from each other Plot Synopsis In a post apocalyptic earth, Rick Deckard is a Bounty Hunter attached to the Police Department that is responsible for hunting down and 'retiring' Androids that have escaped from their servitude. In the process of 'retiring' 6 Nexus-6 model Andy's; a more advanced form of Androids that are capable of empathy, Deckard begins to question his own humanity and what it truly means to be human The Pro's - What I liked about the Novel "It would seem we lack a specific talent you humans possess. I believe its called empathy." - Garland an Android talking to Rick who had stumbled upon the bounty hunting agency that is peopled by Androids The book explores and questions the role of empathy and if that is a defining aspect of humanity. As Rick goes about his job and 'retires' Andy's in cold blood, he begins to question whether it is right to have empathic responses towards Andy's. This comes into focus when he interacts with Rachel; who Rick figures out is one of the advanced Andy's and start developing feelings towards her. His interactions are further complicated when he meets with Phil Resch; another bounty hunter who has no qualms about killing Andy's. The interesting point is that the novel is ambiguous as to whether Phil himself is an Android. At the same time, while their is no empathy towards Androids who for all intents and purposes are indistinguishable from humans, what humans seem to prize above all else in this world is animals who are few in number due to the effects of a nuclear fallout. The interesting aspect though is that for those who cannot afford actual animals can obtain cheaper Android versions of them which are also indistinguishable from the real thing. Humans seem to transfer all of their empathy towards these animals regardless of whether they are the real thing or not. On the subject of Empathy, an interesting technology that is presented in the book is the Empathy Boxes which is tied to the Pseudo religion of the story known as Mercerism. The people with empathy boxes connect to others through a process known as fusion where they can experience the empathy of other which is usually in the context of empathy towards animals. Something that is suggested by the novel is that people seem to be more empathic with people they never meet in person through this process, compared to the people around them as is the case between Rick and his wife. This could be a critique of modern technology and its role in weakening the empathic bonds. Another aspect I found really interesting was that when it comes to the android versions of animals, the humans are not looking for animals which are 'perfect'. i.e Don't break down and fall 'sick'. Instead the animals are Disease circuits built into the false animals where hen a primary circuit misfired, the whole thing appeared not broken but organically ill. This seeming 'imperfection' may in fact be the reason why emphatic bonds can be formed with even the fake animals. "I tell you what we trust that fouls us up, its our goddamn superior intelligence" - Irmgard to Roy Baty Towards the end of the novel, this aspect of empathy is also questioned by the Andy's who are in hiding in an abandoned building where they are sheltered by John Isidore, a human of low IQ as a consequence of the nuclear fallout. One of the Andy's argues with Roy Baty; the leader of the Andy's and who plays a much more central role in the film as the main antagonist to spare Isidore's life. The Con's The 1980's film is regarded as a groundbreaking movie in the Scifi genre particularly due to its popularization of the 'Steam Punk' genre and the distinct look of it that makes it a defining film of its era. In contrast, the novel is very sparse in its descriptions of the world and instead invokes a much more bleak environment. In addition, the action is very limited and any violence is limited to a few sentences. While this maybe the authors intent in order to convey the lack of empathy being exhibited in these confrontations between Rick, Resch and the Andy's, it seems less effective and evocative than the film. Another aspect that is not fully dealt with in the book is the role of Mercerism and the strange supernatural occurences that takes place towards the end of the novel. As a result of it, the novel in my view has a less than satisfactory ending. Verdict If you are a fan of philosophical questions raised in a Scifi context then this is definitely something worth checking out. If however are looking for something with more action and a bit less confusion, then watching the movie might be the better option. Regardless of this even if you have already seen the film and enjoy it more, I believe the book is a good supplement to it at exploring some of the deeper philosophical questions raised by the film. Bonus: Trivia Did you know that the term 'Blade Runner' is something that was introduced by the movie and has no mention in the books? The director Ridley Scott borrowed the title from another Scifi author. Read more about this here and how such a seminal part of the film Franchise was an afterthought. ![]() Key Details Title: Frankenstein Writer: Mary Wolstonecraft Shelley Year of Publication: 1818 Goodreads - Link Mary Wolstonecraft Shelley’s Frankenstein regarded as the pioneering work of science fiction is a product of its time and is influenced by the Gothic horror and Romance movements of the time. As most people know, Frankenstein refers to Victor Frankenstein, the creator rather than the creature of the novel and most of the novel is retold directly or indirectly from his perspective. The character of Frankenstein is clearly meant to be a cautionary tale on the danger of human hubris. While you may think you know the story of Victor Frankenstein and the creature he brings to life given the countless Hollywood depictions of it, the book has a number of surprising elements and explores a number of themes dealing with the hubris of humans and the dangers of Science without consequence which seems very relevant and resonates with our current technological age. Victor Frankenstein = The modern Prometheus I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet. - Victor about to begin his experiment to reanimate the creature The alternative title of the book is the 'The Modern Prometheus' and like the Greek titan Prometheus who stole fire from the Gods and bestowed it on humans, Victor Frankenstein the main focal point of the novel engages in a similar endeavor by attempting to discover the secret of life by reanimating a creature of his creation. The novel follows his obsessive journey towards achieving this goal and like Prometheus who was later chained to a rock and tormented at the behest of Zeus, had to face the consequences of his action. Victor: The Serial Entrepreneur I would sacrifice my fortune, my existence, my every hope, to the furtherance of my enterprise. One man's life or death were but a small price to pay for the acquirement of the knowledge which I sought, for the dominion I should acquire and transmit over the elemental foes of our race. The central theme of the novel is about the hubris of humans and the and dangers of obsessive knowledge. Victor lusts after knowledge and pursues it with a single minded determination foresaking his friends, family and health. The way he dismisses the learnings of the past and the fact that he is not satisfied with settling for reanimating an animal or a human but rather a giant is a testament to the hubris he demonstrates. In the pursuit of this knowledge, Victor has no scruples about violating the dead in Charnel houses and graveyards in the dead of night in the pursuit of this knowledge. The curious thing though is after having surrounded himself with the 'Instruments of life' and completed his creation, his reaction is described as: I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body. For this I had deprived myself of rest and health. I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart. - Victor’s reaction to seeing the creature for the first time While at first glance, this seems a very strange reaction, in my opinion I believe this demonstrates Mary Shelley acute understanding of the human Psyche. Victor attitude upon seeing his creation while may have been joyous, is also mixed with sadness as he knows that he has completed what it is he has been working towards. I believe that the 'Horror and disgust' that he experiences is not merely due to the appearance of the creature, but due to the realization that his journey has come to an end. The attitude of Victor who loses interest upon completion of his creation seems to me to be echoed in alot of autobiographies of those who call themselves serial entrepreneurs. Victor seems to display alot of the attributes such as curiosity, restless and obsessive nature with which they pursue the gaining knowledge or solving a problem. Frankenstein: the hero? But the interesting thing is did Frankenstein actually save humanity by not creating another companion for the creature?. This has scary parallels for current developments in A.I, Stem cells research etc of blindly pursuing things while ignoring the warning signs. This is quite similar to the scientists who were behind the Manhattan project becoming the most vociferous opponents of the proliferation of Atom Bombs. But it is quite clear that Frankenstein did this not out of some sudden revelation as to the danger of what he was doing but rather was purely and act as spite as well as being a demonstration of the power he had over the creature and it. Later the same passion that fuels Victor to create the creature enables him to pursue him across the frozen wasteland and eventually to his doom. But even as he laid dying on the ship in the company of Captain Robert Walton, his main concern is about maintaining his righteousness in his actions. So on the whole there is very little redeeming qualities about Victor and far more so that his creation, he is clearly the monster of this tale. The Creature: Who is the monster and who is the man? I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel, whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed. Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded. I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous." - The creature bringing Victor to task for forsaking him While I have never actually seen a single Hollywood depiction of Frankenstein (Except perhaps in a Scooby Doo episode!). The ubiquity of Frankenstein's creature is such that you have a very specific image of Frankenstein of being a tall, shambling creature with a square head with pins coming out of his neck. This was probably influenced by Boris Karloff's 1931 depiction in Frankenstein the movie and that image seems to have struck ever since. Another important aspect of the creatures depiction in a lot of popular depictions is that he seems to be mute and can’t managing anything beyond a few animalistic groans. So imagine my surprise to discover that not only is the creature not mute he also is the most eloquent of all characters. The creature seems to be a typical renaissance/ enlightened man where he quotes Shakespeare, devours texts of Marcus Aurelius and is even a vegetarian to boot! The creature who is abandoned by his creator at the point of his creation needs to fend for himself and learns by emulating others. The family he observes and the books he reads provides the knowledge he requires to survive. It is clear that the creatures deepest longing is for affection and acceptance by his creator and in the absence of that, his plea to Frankenstein was to create a creature who would be accepting of him. I find it quite interesting that the only condition the creature asks of Frankenstein is that he makes his female companion as hideous as him. To me this seems to speak to the fact that society has shaped Frankenstein's self worth and his perception of himself where in the absence of any other validation has taken that to be the known. Remember, thou hast made me more powerful than thyself; my height is superior to thine, my joints more supple. But I will not be tempted to set myself in opposition to thee. I am thy creature, and I will be even mild and docile to my natural lord and king if thou wilt also perform thy part, the which thou owest me. – The creature describing his nature to Frankenstein This brings up another point that the creature in the absence of any guidance purely relies on the reactions of society which shapes his nature. Despite all the attempts he makes to gain the acceptance of society he is rejected at every turn. Interestingly, he even seems to gain the obsessive nature of his creator by doggedly pursuing Victor throughout Europe. I see alot of parallels between this and the current debates over the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI). While AI itself is neither good or bad, but because it learns to emulate humans with all its prejudices and shortcomings it essentially becomes what society wants it to be., and hence this aspect should be taken into account. I had cast off all feelings, subdued all anguish, to riot in the excess of my despair. Evil thenceforth became my good. Urged thus far, I had no choice but to adapt my nature to an element which I had willingly chosen. The completion of my demoniacal design became an insatiable passion. By the end of the novel, there is no hope for the creature who has come to accept the role society wants him to play and becomes the monster of the Hollywood films. Science vs Nature In other studies you go as far as others have gone before you, and there is nothing more to know; but in a scientific pursuit there is continual food for discovery and wonder. - Victor on Scientific knowledge The alternative title of the book is 'The modern day Prometheus' may have partly been inspired by 'prometheus Unbound'; a drama written Percy Bishey Shelley where he praises Prometheus's selfless act of bringing the knowledge of the Gods to humans. While the author herself seems to have a positive view on learning and the pursuit of knowledge, what she seems to warn against is the pursuit of knowledge without consequence or that which is to the detriment of society This is evident in victor who seems to have no vision as to why he is attempting to create the creature accept to fuel his own ego. This seems to be the attitude with alot of tech people have with regard to AI, stem cell research etc. where their view is that they should be given the freedom to do what they want, damn the consequences. But having said that some of the biggest developments in tech seemed to have happened been because of pursuing unrealistic and seemingly fruitless objectives. Ex: Going to the Moon or Race to the North Pole as Robert Walton who appears in the novel and whose character is very similar to that of Frankenstein seems to be doing. The author seems to pit the pursuit of science against nature through vivid displays of the awesome power of nature in the form of lightning, waterfalls and mountain peaks that make up the Swiss landscape. These displays of beauty which can be experienced in the wide outdoors is contrasted in commune with nature is contrasted with the secretive experiments taking place in the Charnel houses and Frankenstein's labs which only bring death and disease. Frankenstein himself more often than not succumbs to. which humbled even a man of science like Victor Taking this into account, the solution the author seems to be advocating is one filled with varied experiences which are in collaboration with society and nature. This is the approach that by Frankenstein's friend Henry who has a great curiosity for knowledge but never lets it override his duty to his friends and the wider community. The Mantra that Mary Shelly seems to advocate is: If the study to which you apply yourself has a tendency to weaken your affections and to destroy your taste for those simple pleasures in which no alloy can possibly mix, then that study is certainly unlawful, that is to say, not befitting the human mind. By the end of the novel, it is too late for victor to go back on his attitude Learn from me, if not by my precepts, at least by my example, how dangerous is the acquirement of knowledge and how much happier that man is who believes his native town to be the world, than he who aspires to become greater than his nature will allow. A note on the Narrative Structure 'concerning his history; he asked to see them and then himself corrected and augmented them in many places, but principally in giving the life and spirit to the conversations he held with his enemy' - Robert Walton recording Victor’s story The novel is written in the first person perspective where what each character said is retold through the eyes of another in the form of reading their correspondence or through them narrating stories. Correspondence is used heavily in the novel, similar to Bram Stoker's Dracula which was written over 80 years after the publication of Frankenstein and shares many similar troupes with the novel. This structure also makes for an interesting read as the events and depictions of the characters are filtered and distorted by the views of the narrator. As a result one is not really sure whether one is telling the truth or not. For example: Frankenstein describes the creature as getting sadistic pleasure when he kills William and Henry but when the creature relates his tale he is clearly remorseful of what he did. Another example is the character of Elizabeth Lavenza who doesn't get her own voice in the novel and hence through the eyes of Frankenstein is portrayed in the novel as a very demure and passive character and is most likely due to the fact that we see her character through the eyes of Frankenstein who looks upon her as an object that is his by right. Hence the reader is never really sure to what extent the narration is being filtered through Victor’s ego which makes for an interesting and thought provoking read. Verdict Overall this is one of my favourite classic novels and given the timely nature of some of its themes, I would highly recommend it. ![]() Key Details Title: Ready player One Writer: Ernest Cline Year of Publication: 2011www.goodreads.com/book/show/9969571-ready-player-one Goodreads - Link I confess that I only heard about this book after having seen the 2018 film version of it which i thought was extremely enjoyable and was infused with that pure Spielberg magic that we come to know and love. Hence I was quite excited to pick up Ernest Cline's book which is part ode to 80's Pop culture Nostalgia and part a description of a very real future where most people spend their waking moments removed from the goings on in the real world and in a virtual world. While I overall think the movie is superior in terms of its narrative structure, storyline and character development, I do believe that the novel takes a more radical stance with regard to the exploration of some scifi themes which makes it worth picking up and reading. The world of Ready Player One The world that the teenage protagonist Wade Watts Inhabits is a dreary/dystopian world marked by mass unemployment, poverty and environmental degradation where the only respite is the OASIS; an online immersive virtual world created by James Halliday. In this world Wade Watts goes as Parzival and like the knight of Arthurian legend goes on a quest created by the recently diseased Halliday which involves finding clues and solving a number of challenges in order to gain control of his company and hence the OASIS. Naturally, he is not the only one keen on winning this prize and is soon joined by a host of other players and IOI; a mega corporation bend on world domination through control of the OASIS. The world building aspect is one of the strongest aspects of the novel and is one of the best I have seen when it comes to Scifi novels. The world that Ernest Cline paints of the virtual world is a very vivid and immersive world which keeps you hooked on it. The novel is littered with references to 80's pop culture references with a particular emphasis on Arcade Video games. In the novel you would find references to games like 'joust' as well as movies like Monty Python's King Arthur & the Holy Grail which was the final challenge of Halliday's quest. Entire blogs have been dedicated to cataloging the various references in both the book and movie. However, at times the descriptions and 80's pop culture references feels like an info dump and it calls into question as to what sort of audience the novel is actually catering to (if you are actually into 80's pop culture you wouldn't need this much exposition). At the same time the authors intent seems to have been to pack in as many references as possible without any consideration given to continuity or how the different games and puzzles fit into the wider narrative as was done brilliantly in the case of the Movie. For example, as pointed out by Movieslinger Reviews the movie incorporated Stanley Kubrick's Shining which was a film adoption that the author Stephen King hated, much like Halliday who grew to loathe his creation. When it comes to describing the real world, the descriptions are much more grim and sparce which underlies the fact that citizens are disinterested with the problems of the real world and choose to instead take the Blue pill of ignorance by spending time in the OASIS where life seems more exciting and purposeful. While the real world of the novel is more dystopian than what is depicted in the film adaption, In some aspects though the real world of the novel seems less believable. For example, the Bus that Wade travels in is Armor plated and has armed guards. It also needs to charge several times along the trip. But as long as the bus provides an uninterrupted high speed link to access the OASIS everyone seems to be happy (They don't really explain what the power source is coming from for all of this energy consumption!) The Writing Style If the world building is the books strongest suit, I feel that the narrative style is its main weak point. The book is written from a first person perspective and hence the action is from Parzival's perspective where he spends most of his waking moments alone researching and solving the puzzles required to complete Halliday's challenge. While this kind of behaviour is true in most video games which tend to be a solitary pursuit, when it comes to a virtual world like the OASIS, a central tenant of such a world and the main appeal should be the ability to cooperate. While this is because of the chosen narrative style, I felt that it didn't fit as well with the type of world that was being portrayed and I feel this is one of the books biggest weaknesses. As a result of this constraint, Parzival is portrayed as this almost Superhuman individual who at times is a Sherlock Holmes having a deep knowledge of the lore that is required to solve Halliday's puzzle, a master tactician at the final battle, an in the real world is even a master hacker to boot which allowed him to hack in to one of the largest corporation in the world despite their being no such indication early on that he possesses such a skill! I find It particularly strange that Wade believes that there is no way the IOI corporation and its army of players known as the sixer's could have solved any of the puzzles without cheating despite so many resources being devoted to it. In contrast, I felt like the movie captured the sense of cooperation much better where the characters had to work together and where each character was able to bring their specific expertise to overcome the challenge posed by the rival groups. Another weakness of the novel style is that by seeing things only from the Portagonists point of view we only view the world from one teenage boys perspective. This is in contrast to what most video games offers which is to experience things from different characters perspectives. For Example, as part of the 'Film sync' parts of Halliday's Challenges where characters need to replay characters in a film, Art3mis is able to only take the challenge from the Male actors point of view. However in fairness to the author, this could be a critique of the video game industry which tends to be male dominated and it has only been more recently that some steps are being taken to rectify this. On identity Parzival: "This is the OASIS, We exist as nothing but raw personality here." Art3mis: "I beg to differ. Everything about our Online personas is filtered through our avatars, which allows us to control how we look and sound to others. The OASIS lets you be whoever you want to be. That's why everyone's addicted to it. The underlying appeal of a virtual anonymous environment is the freedom it offers by allowing people to take on any persona that you wish to be. The freedom that is offered in online chat rooms and online games is taken to the next level in the OASIS where you can be whatever you want to be, human or otherwise. , although as Art3mis pointed out above in her exchange with Parzival that it all could just be an illusion. The novel also points out the downside of this personality centric culture that is promoted by the Virtual World which has seeped into the real world where as Wade describes it has meant that "only Movie stars, reality tv personalities or radical televangelists can get elected" which is scarily prescient in the current context. At the same time though, for someone like Wade who spends almost all of his waking moments in the OASIS feels more real and relatable in the virtual than in the real world. In the real world Wade drinks energy supplements to counteract the Vitamin deficiencies he faces by not being exposed to sunlight, and he uses a non toxic hair removing solution that completely removed hair and body hair including his eyebrows in order to enhance the feel of the virtual world which makes him look less human than his online persona Parzival. In short, Wade feels more real as his virtual avatar than himself. On relationships in a virtual world "You don't live in the real world Z. You're like me. You live inside the illusion." .. "You can't possibly no what real love is" - Art3mis Another interesting thought experiment that is brought up by the novel is whether intense emotional attachments are possible in a purely virtual world. While even in the present context where online platforms have connected people together which have turned into relationships in the real world, the novel seems to argue that such intense and lasting relationships can be formed in a purely virtual environment. One case in support of it is Parzival who for a good part of the novel is pining after Artemis to such a degree that he even forgets about Halliday's quest. At the very end of the novel Parzival is rewarded where he meets Art3mis in real life which supports the books claim, although we don't get to see if the same feeling is shared by Art3mis. But a more interesting relationship is that between Daito & Shoto who despite having never met in real life share such a strong bond with each other in the virtual world. In the case of the film, this argument brought up by the novel is less visible as the characters interact alot in both the real and the virtual world and hence the distinction between the two is less clearcut. Hence with regard to this aspect I believe that the novel takes a more radical and interesting viewpoint. On lonliness in an interconnected world "Capitalism would inch forward, without my actually having to interact face-to-face with another human being. Which was exactly how I preferred it, Thank you." - Wade on their not even being a need to go to the door for a Pizza delivery "It had become a Self Imposed Prison for Humanity" - Ogden Morrow on the OASIS when he split with Halliday The novel also highlights that despite this seemingly endless possibilities offered by a virtual world to collaborate and interact, it is still possible to end up alone as Parzival was after breaking up with his team. The world is also no different to the real world where spaces for interaction can become echo chambers of your own beliefs while rejecting those of others which is particularly easy in the OASIS where they can mute their emotions as well as mute someones responses, thus you. no longer a need to be bothered to hear what others have to say. A more meritocractic world? The OASIS was the best thing that had ever happened to both women and people of colour. - Aech relating her tale and why she created a Male Caucasian Avatar Apart from highlighting the potential of using Virtual Reality for education which is already being explored by Google Arts & culture Virtual Reality tours, another point that is brought forward in the novel is the potential for a more meritocratic society to develop where in the virtual world individuals can break free of prejudices imposed by society due to gender, race, religion etc. As illustrated by the story told by Aech about her mother who had used the online world to her advantage in order to overcome the sexism and racism that you have to deal with the real world, there is a sense that the virtual world can potentially be a more meritocratic place. But having said that, the world of OASIS can be subject to the same sort of prejudices as in the real world, where money is the determining factor which determines your ability to buy and play with the coolest gadgets on offer and which has contributed to the domination of the online world by IOI a global conglomerate. Conclusion Overall, while I did enjoy the film adaption more than the book, I feel that the world building aspect of the book and some of the themes that were explored was interesting and if you are a fan of 80's pop culture references and video gaming, it is worth checking out. ![]() Key Details Title: Dune Author: Frank Herbert Year of Publication: 1965 Goodreads - Link I recently discovered this book from a friend and was simply blown away by the story and its themes. While on the surface, it may seem like a simple adventure story with many classic tropes of a Sci-fi novel that follows the typical Heroes journey/ Coming-of-age story, it's underlying themes of the Humans Hubris when it comes to technology, danger of mixing religion & politics, loyalty and the dangers of hero worship etc. are rich and intricate. If your unfamiliar with the book, the first few pages seem a bit daunting with its peculiar terms, Esoteric dreams etc. but quite soon the novel picks up the pace and is hard to put down. The book ends a bit abruptly, but it definitely leaves you wanting more which is amply supplies by the myriad of sequels, prequels and spinoffs! Space Opera? The novel depicts a universe where different families (Refers to as Houses) hold different planets as their Fiefdoms with each vying for power. This backdrop of the novel with its mix of power struggles, political intrigue, assassinations seems more akin to GRRM’s Game of Thrones than a Space Opera. The novel bears similarities to the fall of the Roman/ Byzantine Empire where the increasing decadence of the Emperor and overconfidence of his elite troops leads to them disregarding the threat posed by the Fremen: The desert people of Araakis who they dismiss as unsophisticated and primitive. The role of Paul; the main protagonist of the novel who goes among the Fremen and the role he plays in rallying them under a common banner seems to echo the actions of T.E ('Lawrence of Arabia') in the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire. Unlike more mainstream books in the genre, the focus of the is very much on the interactions between various characters and their motives which reminds me of Ursala Le Guin's Hainish cycle novels like the left hand of darkness. The novel is written in a third person perspective while also providing a glimse into the thoughts of different characters which shapes and changes the readers views on different characters as the novel progresses. However, having said that, the novel does have grand themes such as destiny, the heroes's struggle and its ensemble cast etc. has clearly influenced more popular works of Sci-fi such as Star Wars and Star trek. Arrakis - Dune - Desert Planet At the centre of the novel, is the desert planet of Arrakis which is home to the Spice; the most valuable resource in the Galaxy. With it's treacherous sand dunes, sandstorms that reach speeds of 700 km's and Giant Sandworms the planet is a character unto itself and poses a formidable challenge. But no difficulty is a as fearful and ever present as the shortage of water. The novel manages to capture this aspect very vividly with some of the customs that are followed by the natives of the planet. A particularly poignant scene is when Paul; the protagonist of the novel sheds tears for the person he slew and the people are in awe that "He gives moisture to the dead" This focus on ecology is something that makes the novel unique and remains a pressing problem for our own world more than half a century own since the publication of the novel. This reflects the author, Frank Herberts admiration for the work of Ecologists and the work of such people. The author holds up the hope that rather than accepting the harsh reality of the Desert Planet, that there is hope for the future which while difficult can be achieved through a change in attitude. "The Historical system of mutual pillage and extortion stops here on Arrakis. You cannot go on forever stealing what you need without regard to those who come after" - Pardot Kynes, First Planetologist of Arrakis Technology 'Thou shalt not make a machine in the likeness of the human mind' - O.C Bible While the novel is hopeful that humans can bring about change to better the world, as a Sci-fi novel, it has its fare share of technology and warns of the Hubris of humans with respect to it. The novel is particularly unique as the typical technologies we associate with works in this genre such as Laser guns (Referred to as Lasguns), 'Thinking Computers' (A.I) and 'conscious Machines' (Robots) are a thing of the past due to the war that occurred between Humans and Machines. Instead the novel describes unique technologies which are human centric such as Mentats who are 'Human' computers, and the Space Guild's 'Navigators'. Other technologies invented by the Fremen such as Stillsuits are described very vividly and feel more grounded in reality and add colour to the novel. Religion "When religion and politics travel in the same cart, the riders believe nothing can stand in their way. Their movement becomes headlong - faster and faster. They put aside all thoughts of obstacles and forget that a precipice does not show itself to the man in a blind rush until it's too rush" - Bene Gesserit proverb The novel also warns of the dangers of mixing religion with politics. While on the one hand Religion is seen as a strength as in the case of the Fremen who demonstrate loyalty, feelings of community and a rejection of corruption which makes them a force to be reckoned with, the blind loyalty and fanaticism is viewed as a negative aspect of it. While Paul is able to attain his goals with a mix of strategic cunning and loyalty from his followers who believe him to be their Messiah, he is saddened by the fact that mixing of religion and politics seem inevitable and unavoidable as revealed to him in prescient visions of the future. He also laments the loss of a close friend who changes from a friend to a blind follower & worshipper. The author also shows how this aspect changes Paul himself who as he embraces his messianic role increasingly becomes more remote and difficult to relate to as he sheds his humanity to take on the role he chooses to become. The Bottom line Overall with its mix of politics, religion, technology, Ecological concerns and the heroes struggle, Dune makes for a compelling novel to read as a stand-alone novel or as the first step in exploring the world of Dune further in the many novels, tv-shows and games its has spawned. I would highly recommend this novel. The Spice must flow! Quotes "We are here to remove a primary weapon from the hands of disputant religions. That weapon - the claim to possession of the one and only revelation". - Ecumenical meetings "A leader, you see, is one of the things that distinguishes a mob from a people. He maintains the level of individuals. Too few individuals, and a people revert to a mob" - Stilgar on Leadership "The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future." - from "collected sayings of Muad'Dib" by the Princess Irulan "Beyond a critical point within a finite space, freedom diminishes as numbers increase... The human questions is not how many can possibly survive within the system, but what kind of system is possible for those who do survive" - Pardot Kynes “I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.” - The Litany Against Fear ![]() Like the double shadows cast by the twin moons that dawn on the red planet, Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury is a novel concerning the dual aspect of technology and its consequences. On the one hand, the novel is a cautionary tale regarding the excesses of technology which if misused can lead to dire consequences. At the same time the novel is one of hope and a wish for a better future as technology enables more enlightened individuals to escape the gravitational pull of Earth to start afresh upon the red planet. Hence looking back, the novel takes place in a dystopian setting where humans come to mars to escape the nuclear horrors of earth. At the same time the novel is also Utopian in that it dreams of a better future. The final two chapters of the book; "There will come soft rain" and "The million year picnic" aptly captures the dual themes of this novel. The prose of the novel is as stark and minimalist as the Martian Landscape, while the author is able to effectively communicate the sense of loneliness and stillness of life on Mars. The fact that the novel was first written as a Serial and then collated into a book means that a reader has the choice to view each chapter as an independent episode or as a coherent story bound by a common theme. Despite the stark themes such as environmental pollution, homogeneity of beliefs, violence, entropy depicted in the novel, Ray Bradbury is an optimist and encourages the reader to never stop pursuing ones dreams to live and to shape a better world. Overall, an excellent novel Favourite Quotes "All down the way the pursued and the pursuing, the dream and the dreamers, the quarry and the hounds." - The Martian Book Details The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury - Good Reads ![]() A princess of Mars introduce us to Edward rice Burroughs's iconic character John Carter and the culture and landscape of Mars which is known within the universe of the novel as Barsoom. While the novel is definitely grounded in the pulp fiction genre with all the related gender stereotyping that goes with it, the protagonists view and acceptance of alien cultures underlies the subtleties of the novel an presents a more egalitarian view of the world when compared with the works of Verne & Swift. Burroughs clearly has a deep respect for the native Americans and is the basis for the red Martians who prove themselves to be noble when pitted against the war-like and expansionist Tharks. This respect and ready acceptance of foreign cultures is in spite of the protagonist being a cavalry officer of the confederate army. In fact John Carter at one point is even willing to change his skin complexion to be better integrated with the community. The novel is in the tradition of the "scientific expedition" subgenre and the reader is treated to a tour de force of Barsooms traditions, marriage customs, economy and population control. The seamless integration if this into the main plot of the novel underlies the skill of Burroughs writing. An interesting concept put forth by the novel is the author's rejection of a communal style of living( which according to the popular imagination is not common in indigenous communities and is something to be admired) as opposed to a culture based on the primacy of the individual. While in the novel, this communal culture amongst the green Martians is a result of the limitations of the planet's ability to sustain life in a harsh climate. This in turn led to the creation of voluntary population control where reading of offspring is irresponsibility of the community. While this ideal seems appealing and a utopian, the author's view is that this lack of self identity has fostered bitterness and made them more prone to violence , which ironically is exactly what is require by nature for the community to survive given the harsh climate. This fact is aptly captured by Dejah Thoris's words who is brought up with a strong send of identity "by owning everything in common,..has resulted in your owning nothing in common". While the science fiction elements of the novel may seem unremarkable to a modern reader, it is clear that the novel has been instrumental in inspiring a number of film based science fiction franchises. Overall an entertaining read. Book Details https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40395.A_Princess_of_Mars |
AuthorAvid reader of Historical fiction, High fantasy novels, Comics & Graphic Novels. Passionate about teaching & the future of education in general. Categories
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