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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
Pretty good novel to get into the science fiction genre. Maybe it was more interesting to me because of its linguistic aspect as it revolves around how language affects thinking and that topic is quite interesting to me. The entire science fiction part was not that much the center of attention as I expected. All in all, quite a good novel, even though some parts took some serious thinking on my part to get through the bottom of the meanings and topics.
As somebody who studies literature, I had to focus on some things that casual reader probably would not pay attention to, but some parts were not that well connected, at least I felt like that.
As somebody who studies literature, I had to focus on some things that casual reader probably would not pay attention to, but some parts were not that well connected, at least I felt like that.
I AM SO LATE TO THIS VERY EXCELLENT PARTY. Loved Empire Star as a stealth parable, loved Babel-17 while also wanting to look at the research on how language actually affects psychology (it's controversial/not as concrete as Delany posits, as far as I remember).
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
What a difference from my last Delany excursion! Clearly the Future is where this author feels most comfortable. A wildly imaginative space operetta, in which the inconceivable is realised in full Technicolor, with a fun storyline, interesting characters and relationships - all the things that seemed to be lacking in Neveryon. The narrative here, presumably as with much of his writing, is a vehicle for some exploration of Concepts he’s interested in, but the narrative and characters in this instance definitely bear the weight of the ideas. The fuel for the plot is Language, territory he marks out nicely early on, “It’s not a code… it’s a language”, and then threads much of the rest of the story with various ideas about communication, semantics and symbols, all of which build to a plausible and somewhat comprehensible vision of this alien language, Babel-17. I say somewhat comprehensible, because it seems right somehow that it’s not fully comprehensible: even mundane modern languages are never fully “congruent” as he says. There’s a lot here, if you’re interested in that kind of thing. And a lot of fun and fascinating bits around the edges of the futuristic setting. The end felt a little neat, but I suppose the end of something like this inevitably disappoints, but the voyage was definitely worth it.
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read Babel-17 for class.
This was honestly not a good book. Some of it was so corny and cheesy, especially the romantic scenes. Again, it's like dialogue that only occurs if you try think of a movie scene in your head, not one with actual people.
This was honestly not a good book. Some of it was so corny and cheesy, especially the romantic scenes. Again, it's like dialogue that only occurs if you try think of a movie scene in your head, not one with actual people.
4.5 for Babel-17 only. Like a 2 for Empire Star.
Babel-17:
This is classic, classic sci-fi, before even the concept of a Mary Sue, which is why Delany gets away with making his heroine a renowned, galaxy-famous poet who is ALSO a champion cryptographer who is ALSO a brilliant starship captain
Did I mention that she's also hauntingly beautiful??
But something about the book, as flat as the characters can be, just works
Maybe because everyone is drawn with such broad strokes. The polyamorous ghosts #looking for a new third are SHATTERED due to the death of their previous third and ENCHANTED by their new gf
The love interest is a GIGANTIC muscle man with no concept of selfhood!!
It's fun! Like do not expect emotional realism
But there's this like larger than life mythic quality to everything that is very enjoyable I think
I imagined everyone with Roy Lichtenstein expressions and that helped a bunch
Empire Star:
Delany wrote this story in a week to try and get the money for a trip to Europe, and honestly.. it shows!
It's a sort of wacky picaresque time travel/space novel, and you can really see him just kind of improvising all these characters and situations as he goes. Reads kind of like a sci-fi Lewis Carroll, but even more pointless
I honestly love that for him, though. Hope he had a good time
Babel-17:
This is classic, classic sci-fi, before even the concept of a Mary Sue, which is why Delany gets away with making his heroine a renowned, galaxy-famous poet who is ALSO a champion cryptographer who is ALSO a brilliant starship captain
Did I mention that she's also hauntingly beautiful??
But something about the book, as flat as the characters can be, just works
Maybe because everyone is drawn with such broad strokes. The polyamorous ghosts #looking for a new third are SHATTERED due to the death of their previous third and ENCHANTED by their new gf
The love interest is a GIGANTIC muscle man with no concept of selfhood!!
It's fun! Like do not expect emotional realism
But there's this like larger than life mythic quality to everything that is very enjoyable I think
I imagined everyone with Roy Lichtenstein expressions and that helped a bunch
Empire Star:
Delany wrote this story in a week to try and get the money for a trip to Europe, and honestly.. it shows!
It's a sort of wacky picaresque time travel/space novel, and you can really see him just kind of improvising all these characters and situations as he goes. Reads kind of like a sci-fi Lewis Carroll, but even more pointless
I honestly love that for him, though. Hope he had a good time
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm definitely going to have to read more by Delany.