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A review by liviajelliot
Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany
5.0
Babel-17 is an excellent book around the theme of language and how it affects our perception of the world. It is definitely something to read if you want to think beyond the plot -- it is not written under the modern (i.e., 2023-2024) parameters of "every event must push the plot" or "motivation has to be extremely clear". This book will take you on a journey, especially because oftentimes, the characters themselves are not privy to everything that happens -- and thus, some events become clearer after the book has ended.
Something to consider is that I wouldn't classify this as science fiction only, but more as sci-fantasy. Let me elaborate.
There is a large component of space travel, but it is not your usual, navy-inspired, highly-tactical travel either -- it is completely unique and fantastical. For example, pilots are plugged into the piloting seat (the most comparable thing is how pilots are plugged into the gundams in Gundams:Orphans), and the sensors of a ship are used only by "discorporate" people. "Discorporate" are people who lost their bodies (dead? Unclear, who cares!), and part of the machinery is operated/cleaned by a platoon of under 17yo. You will not get much of the space-travelling mechanics spelled out; the "science" is on the language, not on the mechanics.
Moreover, people can undergo some cosmetic surgery that alters the body (but there is no body horror), which is akin to going for a walk-in tattoo... so there are humans with paws and fangs, dragons inserted in their joints, etc. It's quite curious, and you won't find any terribly descriptive scenes about someone undergoing a mod. The only remark here is that some of the modifications are unique and original, but the narrator (most of the time, Rydra) presents it as common... leading to fleeting descriptions that leave you to imagine these people as best as you can.
Likewise, something to note is that it is classical SF, but you will not find sexism nor racism, albeit some people look modded-people as odd -- but nothing too jarring. However, some words are a bit outdated (e.g., a character is described as "Oriental" once); there is quite a positive outlook on mental health, and on polyamorous relationships. Then again, neither of these topics is the point of the book, and mentions are very scarce and quick. The main character is a woman, a linguist, and she is very interesting to follow.
The writing is outright amazing, but something to be aware of is how the writing is used. Without giving much away from the plot, Babel-17 is a language that has very unconventional rules and allowances. Therefore, when the protagonist (Rydra) thinks in Babel-17 the text is written very differently (e.g., the punctuation is different).
More interesting is when Rydra is thinking in Babel-17 and translates her thoughts to English speach... the words are weird. If you are bilingual or polyglot, you know what I mean -- some words do not have a "perfect match" across languages, and then you end up with "good enough" approximations. This happens quite a lot in the book, so be flexible and keep that in mind, especially if you only speak a single language.
Overall, it is honestly a refreshing read, even if it is old. It is different, it is nuanced, and in many parts you'll need to re-read them and give yourself time to reflect on them. You shouldn't be reading this as much for the plot or the characters (this is definitely not character-driven), but more to see how the theme (language) creates a conflict and solves it.
Overall, I'd say it is a comfortable read, in the sense that nothing too terrible will happen, nothing too dark or grim. But it is definitely a story worth mulling over.
Something to consider is that I wouldn't classify this as science fiction only, but more as sci-fantasy. Let me elaborate.
There is a large component of space travel, but it is not your usual, navy-inspired, highly-tactical travel either -- it is completely unique and fantastical. For example, pilots are plugged into the piloting seat (the most comparable thing is how pilots are plugged into the gundams in Gundams:Orphans), and the sensors of a ship are used only by "discorporate" people. "Discorporate" are people who lost their bodies (dead? Unclear, who cares!), and part of the machinery is operated/cleaned by a platoon of under 17yo. You will not get much of the space-travelling mechanics spelled out; the "science" is on the language, not on the mechanics.
Moreover, people can undergo some cosmetic surgery that alters the body (but there is no body horror), which is akin to going for a walk-in tattoo... so there are humans with paws and fangs, dragons inserted in their joints, etc. It's quite curious, and you won't find any terribly descriptive scenes about someone undergoing a mod. The only remark here is that some of the modifications are unique and original, but the narrator (most of the time, Rydra) presents it as common... leading to fleeting descriptions that leave you to imagine these people as best as you can.
Likewise, something to note is that it is classical SF, but you will not find sexism nor racism, albeit some people look modded-people as odd -- but nothing too jarring. However, some words are a bit outdated (e.g., a character is described as "Oriental" once); there is quite a positive outlook on mental health, and on polyamorous relationships. Then again, neither of these topics is the point of the book, and mentions are very scarce and quick. The main character is a woman, a linguist, and she is very interesting to follow.
The writing is outright amazing, but something to be aware of is how the writing is used. Without giving much away from the plot, Babel-17 is a language that has very unconventional rules and allowances. Therefore, when the protagonist (Rydra) thinks in Babel-17 the text is written very differently (e.g., the punctuation is different).
More interesting is when Rydra is thinking in Babel-17 and translates her thoughts to English speach... the words are weird. If you are bilingual or polyglot, you know what I mean -- some words do not have a "perfect match" across languages, and then you end up with "good enough" approximations. This happens quite a lot in the book, so be flexible and keep that in mind, especially if you only speak a single language.
Overall, it is honestly a refreshing read, even if it is old. It is different, it is nuanced, and in many parts you'll need to re-read them and give yourself time to reflect on them. You shouldn't be reading this as much for the plot or the characters (this is definitely not character-driven), but more to see how the theme (language) creates a conflict and solves it.
Overall, I'd say it is a comfortable read, in the sense that nothing too terrible will happen, nothing too dark or grim. But it is definitely a story worth mulling over.