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A review by anhedral
Sirius: A Fantasy of Love and Discord by Olaf Stapledon
5.0
'Sirius' is one of those haunting, one-of-a-kind books that will stay with you far longer than it takes to read its 190-odd pages. Sometimes joyful, often searing; through the eyes of his unique protagonist Stapledon takes a scalpel to humanity, and the skill of his dissection is reason enough to recommend this book.
I'd also recommend 'Sirius' to anyone interested in writing sentient, communicative animals while respecting their underlying biology.
Yes, the main character is a bioengineered, talking dog with human-level intelligence, the only one of his kind. Sounds clichéd and awful, right? Wrong. In completely non-emotive, even detached and dry language Stapledon delivers a huge emotional and philosophical punch. This short book is a parable of the destruction of an individual spirit by society, and a terrible indictment of humanity's faults.
"Why did you make only one of me? It's going to be lonely being me."
Sirius can't fit in either as a dog or as a human, though he's driven by impulses from both species. He flips between savagery and tenderness in a heartbeat. He hates not having hands, can't see colour or distinguish shapes very well, but smells and sounds to him communicate a whole world that humans can't touch. In fact, all of the descriptions of his dog-mode existence are totally compelling. At the same time he's capable of strong emotional bonds with humans, loving "as only a dog can", notably the girl with whom he was raised from birth. The relationship between the two of them is disturbing yet beautiful, and is at the core of the book.
For such a short read 'Sirius' is overflowing with themes. The inability of science or religion, taken individually, to satisfy the spirit; the nature of individuality and of self-worth; the joy of empathy - even across species - in contrast with the tragedy of loneliness; the corrosive effects of fear, bigotry and intolerance when society has to deal with the unknown.
'Sirius' was first published in 1944, but don't let the vintage put you off. Stapledon is better known for the epic scope of 'Last and First Men' and 'Star Maker', but 'Sirius' will break your heart.
I'd also recommend 'Sirius' to anyone interested in writing sentient, communicative animals while respecting their underlying biology.
Yes, the main character is a bioengineered, talking dog with human-level intelligence, the only one of his kind. Sounds clichéd and awful, right? Wrong. In completely non-emotive, even detached and dry language Stapledon delivers a huge emotional and philosophical punch. This short book is a parable of the destruction of an individual spirit by society, and a terrible indictment of humanity's faults.
"Why did you make only one of me? It's going to be lonely being me."
Sirius can't fit in either as a dog or as a human, though he's driven by impulses from both species. He flips between savagery and tenderness in a heartbeat. He hates not having hands, can't see colour or distinguish shapes very well, but smells and sounds to him communicate a whole world that humans can't touch. In fact, all of the descriptions of his dog-mode existence are totally compelling. At the same time he's capable of strong emotional bonds with humans, loving "as only a dog can", notably the girl with whom he was raised from birth. The relationship between the two of them is disturbing yet beautiful, and is at the core of the book.
For such a short read 'Sirius' is overflowing with themes. The inability of science or religion, taken individually, to satisfy the spirit; the nature of individuality and of self-worth; the joy of empathy - even across species - in contrast with the tragedy of loneliness; the corrosive effects of fear, bigotry and intolerance when society has to deal with the unknown.
'Sirius' was first published in 1944, but don't let the vintage put you off. Stapledon is better known for the epic scope of 'Last and First Men' and 'Star Maker', but 'Sirius' will break your heart.