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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
This is a great little book and I'm delighted at myself for actually mostly understanding it.
Solid 3.5-star 1960s science fiction. Some interesting concepts, including people who die and then are resurrected to keep working at jobs (which I'm sure capitalists are always trying to figure out how to do). The way ships travel in space isn't any dumber than the way ships travel in Dune. All the body modification stuff triggers my trans-dar, but it was hard to tell whether the author himself was fine with the body modification or whether he was criticizing it. For myself, I was kind of put off at first, but my core belief is that if we don't have bodily autonomy, we don't have anything, and if you want to remove your shoulder to put a three-dimensional, animated dragon tattoo in its place, that's frankly none of my business.
So, obviously, the biggest beef I have with this book is about linguistics. The whole story is basically about what would happen if the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis were true. A simplified version of it is that the language you speak influences the way you think. Therefore, if whatever language you speak doesn't have a word for something, you can't conceive of it. Well, that's just silly. How do you think new words get invented in the first place? Anyway, this theory has been totally debunked since this book was published, so it's hard to put myself in the mindset of a contemporary reader when I'm mostly snorting derisively at the underpinning thesis. And the scene between Rydra and Butcher is not how people learn or teach language, and it's not how people recover from aphasia and amnesia. I kept reminding myself this book is 60 years old, and, while we have such a long way to go to understand the brain, our understanding has significantly changed since publication, too.
Anyway, I took a LOT of notes to share with my book club later this week, so say a little prayer for the other members to be able to put up with me.
So, obviously, the biggest beef I have with this book is about linguistics. The whole story is basically about what would happen if the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis were true. A simplified version of it is that the language you speak influences the way you think. Therefore, if whatever language you speak doesn't have a word for something, you can't conceive of it. Well, that's just silly. How do you think new words get invented in the first place? Anyway, this theory has been totally debunked since this book was published, so it's hard to put myself in the mindset of a contemporary reader when I'm mostly snorting derisively at the underpinning thesis. And the scene between Rydra and Butcher is not how people learn or teach language, and it's not how people recover from aphasia and amnesia. I kept reminding myself this book is 60 years old, and, while we have such a long way to go to understand the brain, our understanding has significantly changed since publication, too.
Anyway, I took a LOT of notes to share with my book club later this week, so say a little prayer for the other members to be able to put up with me.
He lost me a bunch of times, writing needs to be more clear. Focuses on things others don't. Very original, cool plot.
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
adventurous
challenging
informative
inspiring
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
Language shapes thought which shapes identity. That concept is the basis for this unique, beautifully-written, and entertaining science fiction adventure.
Rydra Wong is a renowned poet with an uncanny ability to perceive the thoughts of others and express them in powerful verse. Her ability also makes her an excellent translator and cryptographer, which is why a general comes to her for help translating "Babel-17" -- a complex code the enemy in a long interstellar war has been using to coordinate acts of sabotage. Rydra quickly realizes that Babel-17 is more than a code, and she sets off on a mission to find its source and the next sabotage targets.
Surprisingly, this poet has starship captain's papers, and her first act is to put together a crew, which introduces the reader to a strikingly original vision of interstellar travel. Pilots are surgically enhanced humans who 'wrestle' with the interstellar tides to guide the ship; a polyamorous trio with the designations Eye, Ear, and Nose act as sensors; and discorporates (ie: the dead) are part of crews.
Throughout the adventure, Delany uses Rydra's unique perceptions of language, especially of Babel-17, to shape the narrative. The reader needs to be nimble to follow along with the shifts of language and accompanying shifts of *being* which propel the plot.
"The Arrival" also uses the central importance of linguistic structure as the basis for a science fiction story. "Babel-17" does it better.
Rydra Wong is a renowned poet with an uncanny ability to perceive the thoughts of others and express them in powerful verse. Her ability also makes her an excellent translator and cryptographer, which is why a general comes to her for help translating "Babel-17" -- a complex code the enemy in a long interstellar war has been using to coordinate acts of sabotage. Rydra quickly realizes that Babel-17 is more than a code, and she sets off on a mission to find its source and the next sabotage targets.
Surprisingly, this poet has starship captain's papers, and her first act is to put together a crew, which introduces the reader to a strikingly original vision of interstellar travel. Pilots are surgically enhanced humans who 'wrestle' with the interstellar tides to guide the ship; a polyamorous trio with the designations Eye, Ear, and Nose act as sensors; and discorporates (ie: the dead) are part of crews.
Throughout the adventure, Delany uses Rydra's unique perceptions of language, especially of Babel-17, to shape the narrative. The reader needs to be nimble to follow along with the shifts of language and accompanying shifts of *being* which propel the plot.
"The Arrival" also uses the central importance of linguistic structure as the basis for a science fiction story. "Babel-17" does it better.
adventurous
challenging
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
awesome! super fun, some really cool and stunning turns! excited to read more of his sci fi