The Speed of Dark

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Yes, it is a joyous celebration of differences in humanity, but more than that, this novel is also a great story.

I totally recommend it for anyone, anywhere. Even those of us who already "think differently". Oct 03, J. Grice rated it it was amazing Shelves: One of the most brilliant books I've ever read. This novel still haunts me. View all 7 comments. May 20, Apatt rated it it was amazing Shelves: Fortunately The Speed of Dark Nebula Award winner is immediately intriguing and I was sold on it by the end of the short sample.

I keep hearing good things about Elizabeth Moon and Elizabeth Bear in sci-fi websites and forums, I get them mixed up a lot as I have not read either one until now. Elizabeth Moon surpasses my expectations with this book, hopefully Elizabeth Bear can do likewise very soon. The title The Speed of Dark has a very sci-fi ring to it, it is actually a phrase to contrast the speed of light. The idea is that there is always darkness before light, therefore darkness must somehow travel faster than light because it is always ahead.

This is a metaphor the author is employing to represent knowledge illuminating ignorance, so it not some kind of crazy bad science. The book is set in the near future, the protagonist Lou Arrendale is an autistic man working in a department of a company that exclusively employs autistic people for their superior concentration, greater pattern recognition or other cognitive abilities. Lou copes admirably with his autism and is generally happy — if not quite content — with his life, then one day he is informed that there is a cure for autism and his life immediately changes even without before the cure becomes available to him.

The Speed of Dark is often compared to the classic Flowers for Algernon as both books deal with improvement of the brain through neuroscience. Both books are also poignant, brimming with compassion and tug at the heartstrings. Prior to reading this book I knew next to nothing about autism, not having met any autistic person. I can not claim to know a lot about it now as this is a work of fiction but Ms.

In any case her portrayal of autistic characters has the feel of verisimilitude. This is the first book I have ever read that take me inside the head of an autistic person. The very clever first person narrative of Lou is fascinating in and of itself. Here is an example: Normal people say things like this, changing the meaning of words without warning, and they understand it. If someone is a bad person and you want to say that he is a bad person, why not just say it? If you say something is real, it should be real. Social nuances or cues are entirely beyond his ken, as are voice intonations and most facial expressions.

He is also hopeless with colloquial terms, idioms and metaphors. All the characters in this book are very believable, the autistic characters are particularly vivid and sympathetic. Most of the book reads more like contemporary mainstream fiction than science fiction, the sci-fi component of it only comes into play well into the second half of the book.

This is not a sci-fi thriller, this is not a page turner, I did not want to turn the pages quickly to find out what happen next, I wanted absorb the story page by page and hope that Lou will be alright. From what I have heard Elizabeth Moon generally writes action packed military sci-fi or fantasy so I guess this book is atypical of her works. It appears to be a heartfelt story based on her own experiences with her son that she wants to share with us. I feel privileged to have read it, it is a beautiful book that I will never forget.

View all 8 comments. May 23, Spider the Doof Warrior rated it did not like it Shelves: For some reason I couldn't like this book. The good things about it was the main character and how his autism was portrayed, but other than that, it just bothered me. The main thing that bugged me is, what is normal in the first place? This book takes place in the future, how far it takes place, I don't know, but I would think that by the future we'd understand autism better and wouldn't just dismiss it as abnormal but would try to empathize with people with autism and to understand their point o For some reason I couldn't like this book.

This book takes place in the future, how far it takes place, I don't know, but I would think that by the future we'd understand autism better and wouldn't just dismiss it as abnormal but would try to empathize with people with autism and to understand their point of view. In this book you have a man with a life that's already rich and full of fencing, people who like him and respect him and one enemy, but you get to that later.

He has a good job, sure he has to do things like bounce and have pinwheels around, but why is that a big deal? It's hard for him to appreciate himself with this concept of normal hanging over his head. Could the world in the future expand to except other concepts of normal? Or will differences and variations be "cured" instead of taking care of the more difficult symptoms? This main character, after all, was incredibly intelligent, able to understand information about the brain the "normal" folks around him couldn't understand totally.

But the main frustrating thing about this book is simply, even in the future, there's no way something like this would even be allowed. No way can a corporation FORCE a person to accept a cure or experiment on their brain because that sort of thing is just not ethical. So too many things about this book frustrated me. Rereading Flowers for Algernon makes me realize just how frustrating this book is compared to that book.

And it makes me take away a star. For one thing, the character in Flowers for Algernon was more impaired than this main character in this book. As I said up there, he was autistic, but that's not the same thing as an intellectual disability. This character could function, think, remember. His brain functioned differently, but he could understand all sorts of books about neurology. So why did he have to be cured? Is this just wishful thinking on the part of someone who has a child with autism?

That they find a cure and they become normal which doesn't really exist? Why can't you be an astronaut even WITH autism? Why can't folks learn more about autism rather than trying to wipe it out to the point that all you have are people who are normal when it doesn't exist? The spectrum must expand. Much as sexuality is narrowed in the minds of so many people to only encompass heterosexuality when you have a spectrum that goes from asexuality to bisexuality, normal must be expanded to include other people whose minds do not work the same way because there's really nothing wrong with that!

Also, too many of my reviews, especially negative ones turn into rants. I also must add, what is wrong with Lou? He seems like a nice guy, he has cool hobbies like fencing. I'd hang out with him. I just didn't see that there was something wrong with him that needed to be cured. Maybe I am biased, but there really was nothing wrong with this guy. Now I could see if this was interfering with his life, his job and making it difficult, but there was nothing like this at all. The ending is satisfying for people who see autism as a horrible affliction you need to get rid of as soon as possible, but not for people who see autism as more of a human variation than a tragedy.

View all 11 comments. This book started out incredibly promising. The autistic first-person narrator is believable and authentic, and when an experimental cure for autism is acquired by the company he works for, the ethical ramifications are gripping and frightening. I mean, when people see autism as an illness, something to be cured, then resisting treatment is obvious grounds for firing someone. So I really wanted to see where the writer would take this. A friend he's known for years turns out to not be so friendly after all, but the narrator's reaction to that rings true: However, all the crap about extremely literal thinking is just too much, and it gets worse and worse.

The ending is what forced me to give this book one star. I can understand the narrator's motivation to try the experimental cure, as a way to learn new things about himself. And how he needs to relearn how to handle all sensory input, just like a newborn, makes sense as well. And it's intimated that because his sensory processing is different now, he doesn't recognise patterns in the way he used to So it makes absolutely zero sense that without that learning style, without those pattern recognition skills that enabled him to learn about organic chemistry and neuroscience in a couple of weeks, he's still able to become an astronaut and fulfill his dream and live happily ever after.

Internal logic would dictate that in the process of becoming non-autistic, he would find that the one dream that he had as an autistic person would be forever beyond his reach, because that dream was a product of his autistic mind. Instead, the author lets her own wishes about a cure for autism spoil the entire book. May 24, Colin rated it it was ok Shelves: The last forty pages of this fucking sucked. Up until that point, it was an awesome anti-ableist critique of normalcy and "cure" with what felt to me like a pretty authentic narrative voice. Then, rather inexplicably, the main character does an about-face and decides that in order to truly fulfill his dreams of being an astronaut and be able to date, he needs to be cured.

It totally knocked it down from a 4 star to a 2 star. I'm still giving it 2 stars because this horrible ending was tack The last forty pages of this fucking sucked. I'm still giving it 2 stars because this horrible ending was tacked onto the end of what otherwise was a pretty amazing book. Moon, the parent of an autistic son, totally let her "parental fantasy of cure" win out in the end. I'd actually still recommend it to people with a serious caveat about the last 40 pages.

The rest of it rocks though. Jun 06, Phrynne rated it really liked it.

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This is a very interesting book set in the near future when advancements in medical science have made autism curable in child hood. The story revolves around a group of adults with autism who were too old to be treated when the cure was found, making them the last of their kind.

Eventually a possible 'cure' is found for the adults and the debate is raised whether they need to be changed or whether they are who they are and should stay the same There are lots of similarities between this book and This is a very interesting book set in the near future when advancements in medical science have made autism curable in child hood. Eventually a possible 'cure' is found for the adults and the debate is raised whether they need to be changed or whether they are who they are and should stay the same There are lots of similarities between this book and the wonderful Flowers for Algernon.

Lou actually holds this book together. For much of the time he is the narrator so the reader gets to view the world from his often very unusual stand point. It is an interesting, informative and often entertaining book and I enjoyed it very much. I was very impressed by The Speed of Dark. Lou Arrendale is autistic and employed by a large company that requires his special skill of recognizing patterns that can't be seen by other people or computers. Despite the fact that he is gainfully employed and a brilliant fencer, autistics have a different way of interacting socially and perceiving the world.

The author has written about autism with a lot of knowledge and sensitivity. Oct 05, Stephen rated it it was amazing Shelves: This is an incredible novel and one that I highly recommend to anyone one liked Flowers for Algernon. Emotionally powerful science fiction at its best. Superb writing, excellent plot and an unforgetable main character. What does it mean to be normal?

This book explores this concept much more than it tells a sci-fi story. It's interesting to me that we spend the early part of our lives rebelling against normality Why be normal, right? Lou is born autistic, and even with the advantages of a future where more is known about the illness, there is still an enormous amount of prejudice towards people with autism. I have strong objectio What does it mean to be normal? I have strong objections to the word "normal" anyway.

Is there a speed of darkness?

Watching what Lou went through throughout this book was heartbreaking. First the forced pressure to be cured and, on the other side, does he want to be? It's very difficult to watch this struggle and to see how he's been made to feel less and other all of his life. I loved that author allowed Lou to do research throughout the book that allowed us to better understand autism. I wouldn't really consider this to be a sci-fi story so much as a study of what makes a person who they are and what would happen if that could change.

Would it change who they are? And how much would a desire to be normal shape this decision? View all 4 comments. Apr 09, Kelly H. Maybedog rated it it was amazing Shelves: This book is outstanding. Moon's believable hero is a genius trapped in an autistic shell. The characterization was vivid and touching, I grew to love the man and feel very strongly about the things he dealt with.

I even found myself getting angry with the bad things people were doing thinking, "they can't do that! It was outrageous and yet believable. I loved how the author didn't relegate the autistic man to being stupid or unable to comprehend big words This book is outstanding. I loved how the author didn't relegate the autistic man to being stupid or unable to comprehend big words.

She clarified the difference, making me think about the how we think intelligence means being able to think and process quickly when capacity is even more important.

The only problem I had with the book was the ending which I felt was rushed and unsatisfying. While I didn't agree with all the choices the characters made, that wasn't the problem. I just felt that the ending was too pat, too cut and dried and it left me discombobulated. It wasn't enough to dissuade me from giving the book five stars. I really loved the book and wish there were a whole series based on this character. Of course, the nature of the issue in the book is necessarily a one-book plot. May 15, Jim rated it really liked it.

Moon has an autistic son, which clearly informed her writing of this book. The Speed of Dark tells the story of Lou Arrendale, an autistic man living in a near future very similar to our own time.

Shadow Racing

The back of the book blurb focuses on: Now Lou must decide if he should submit to a surgery that may change the way he views the world—and the very essence of who he is. It is hard to drive safely in the hot afternoon, with the wrong music in my head. Light flashed off windshields, bumpers, trim; there are too many flashing lights. I take the pillows off my couch into the bedroom, closing all the shades tightly and then the door. I lie down, piling the pillow on top of me, then turn off the light.

This is something else I never tell Dr. Lou works with other autistics, doing pattern-analysis for a large corporation, and Moon does a very good job of showing Lou and the other characters as individuals. Moon shows many of the challenges Lou faces, both the internal and the external.

What about someone we define as low-functioning? How many of the challenges autistic people face are inherent to the condition, and how many of those challenges are externally created? The Speed of Dark is a book that makes you think. Lou is a wonderful, sympathetic, beautiful protagonist. May 08, Kaethe rated it did not like it Shelves: I thought the author did a great job of presenting a character with autism, but the idea of a cure is weird to me.

View all 16 comments. Sep 16, Alex rated it really liked it Recommends it for: The Speed of Dark is an eloquently written examination of the internal life of an autistic man, as he considers whether or not to try an experimental cure for his condition. It is told from the first person point of view of Lou Arrendale, and his voice is so strong and unique that I found myself becoming personally involved in his dilemma.

I didn't want to loose his voice, or any of his uniqueness. Through the window of Lou's experience, the novel examines the consequences of the medicalization The Speed of Dark is an eloquently written examination of the internal life of an autistic man, as he considers whether or not to try an experimental cure for his condition. Through the window of Lou's experience, the novel examines the consequences of the medicalization of human difference and the increasing ability of modern medicine to treat or cure neurological and psychiatric conditions.

The novel has plenty of flaws, however. It's more speculative fiction than true science fiction, a sort of Flowers for Algernon for autism. The narrator is obviously very high functioning, and doesn't represent the reality of most autistic people's experience. Many of Lou's limitations and abilities ring completely true, but some fall far outside the usual autism spectrum.

The ending is less than satisfactory, and could be taken to imply an easy solution to what is, in reality, a very complex problem. But, The Speed of Dark presents us with many questions that are worth answering. I am glad to have read it, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the genre or the subject. Congoers had varying opinions—some touted it as the Best Writing About Autism Ever, while others said it was unrealistic.

Tiene reflexiones y puntos de vista que te llevan mirar el mundo con otros ojos. Mar 04, Libby rated it really liked it. I was very interested in Lou as a main character; my grandson having Williams Syndrome may have something to do with that. Lou works in an office, has a car, and takes part in a fencing community. In this novel nowever, normal seemed to do a better job of drawing contrasts between Lou and others, but increasingly I wonder what is normal and who gets to decide and why do they get to decide.

Would he be the same person if he was no longer autistic? I've been interested in questions of neuroplasticity, attention control, and consciousness for some time, so I felt like I was in partnership with Lou on his journey. I enjoyed this book very much. I know what it's like to have loved ones who are devastated by a diagnosis that alters every aspect of what is considered normal life. My grandson's first year of life must have felt at times to my son and daughter-in-law like a waking nightmare. It's not that you don't come to grips with it; it's just a lot of dark days before you do.

While they were trying to deal with their adjusted view of life, there was a cranky newborn who couldn't be soothed who also had a heart defect as well as neurological compromise. The lack of elastin caused by a genetic deletion affected his heart, his brain, muscle tone, and had many other consequences. All that in one little not so typical package.

My little grandson is nothing like Lou, but somehow I felt his echo in all Lou's travails. Like Lou, my grandson has his own distinct personality. And I must confess to at times wondering who he would be if he didn't have Williams Syndrome. Just as Lou wonders who he would be if he wasn't autistic. Most of the time, I just love my grandson for who he is. It's like there was a trajectory, and suddenly someone said, no not that way, here is your path.

Should Lou decide to take the risk of becoming normal? Should science be able to make these kinds of changes in people? Moon attempts to tackle the question of what Lou stands to lose and what he gains. Having an autistic son gives her a unique perspective. Perhaps autism is just a wee bit romanticized in this novel, but I enjoyed the character very much. View all 5 comments. The main character in this book has autism, but it takes place in the future where he has received better early intervention and treatment than exist today.

The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon

It is speculative fiction that takes place in a not too distant futuristic world but this story is one hundred percent character driven so it was easy to forget the science fiction aspects. The science fiction aspects are somewhat subtle: I found this story very moving and I really loved the main character and all the characters are well drawn. The author tells a very engrossing story. I loved the main character's musings on various pieces of classical music; it was fascinating.

This book reminded me to never judge or underestimate anyone based on their disability or appearance, and it did make me think what exactly makes someone who they are and what makes a human being valuable. It also said a lot about change and about risk. I thought that the story very nearly fell apart at the end, but then it ended ok, I guess, but I did not like the end; I did not like the end much at all, and it also felt kind of rushed. However, it was still a remarkable achievement. I loved this book so much that I recommended it to two friends when I was still in the early pages.

While it did go a bit downhill at the end, I would still recommend this book. Oct 08, The Captain rated it it was amazing Shelves: Ahoy there me mateys! Apparently this one won the Nebula Award for Best Novel in I can certainly see why. This novel was heart-warming, thought-provoking, and superb. Set in our close future, genetic testing and treatment has cured most diseases including autism.

But what about those born too late for treatment? This book follows Lou, a high-functioning autistic man who is part of Ahoy there me mateys! He works for a corporation that is promoting a trial of a drug that might cure adult autism. Lou has a good job, friends who care about him, and successfully lives on his own. This book is a fantastic look into self-awareness, medical ethics, societal norms, and what makes a person human. It is so well-written. By the end, I just wanted Lou to thrive. At all times, I was engaged and cheering for him and sympathizing with him. Lou was just an exemplary human being.

Doctors vary in their understanding of autism; some may be reluctant to make the diagnosis early because when they went to school it was a very bad one. But most family practitioners and pediatricians are at least familiar with the diagnostic criteria, and can help families determine if autism is a possibility.

Lou Arrendale is an extraordinarily vivid creation. I know you have an autistic son; how much of Lou is based on your son and your experiences in raising him? In addition, I had read books by Oliver Sacks; Temple Grandin, who is herself autistic and a fine advocate for the autistic community; Clara Park, whose autistic daughter, a talented artist, is now in her forties; and others, and had found online groups of autistic individuals who demonstrated the wide variety of personalities and abilities that autistic people have.

Lou is by nature a quieter and more thoughtful person; our son is more exuberant. Despite being autistic, Lou functions better than many so-called normal people. He has a job, friends, interests. He is highly intelligent and extremely sensitive to certain sensations and perceptions, such as, for example, smells and textures. And his pattern recognition abilities, which he relies on in every aspect of his life, from his job at the pharmaceutical company to his hobby of fencing to his interactions with others, are phenomenal.

How typical is Lou of people with autism today in terms of his social skills and mental abilities? Only a few exceptionally intelligent autistic children had the kind of support they needed to achieve independent living as adults. As late as DSM-IV, the prognosis was that only 30 percent of the most intelligent and capable autistic persons would ever live independently. However, with the advent of mandated public education for all students and early childhood intervention, the situation has improved markedly. Social problems are still the main reason for autistic persons not achieving full independence, but more and more of them are holding jobs and living in less sheltered environments.

They are still earning less than non-autistic persons of equivalent intelligence, and autistic persons who are also retarded or have another disability physical or other are still likely to need lifelong assistance of some kind—but few now are consigned to residential institutions. I expect that in the next five to ten years, as children who received good therapy in the birth-to-five-years range reach adulthood, we will see a reversal of the DSM-IV prognosis, with 60 percent or more holding jobs.

Assuming, of course, that the economy improves. Sensory perception and sensory processing differences are universal. If there is an autistic child anywhere who tolerates tags in T-shirts or bulky seams in socks, I never heard of one. How is autism treated today? Have you seen much progress since the birth of your son?

Do you think that we are on track toward the sorts of advanced therapies available in your book? Autism is treated today in a variety of ways—the most useful being intensive supportive therapy for young children. The earlier autism is diagnosed, and the earlier families begin helping these children develop, the better the prognosis. Communication therapy not just speech therapy , sensory integration therapy, skills training including social skills training —all these and other therapies, not necessarily the same for each child, make an enormous difference. I had to figure out a lot of things for myself—not much was available, at least not here.

But after the legislation that mandated early childhood intervention for disabled children, more and more people were working in the field and soon began to discover what worked best.

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Positivereinforcement behavioral shaping—more on the model of Karen Pryor than the rigidity of the academics, in my opinion—works best. I definitely think that the sort of advanced therapy I wrote about is within reach; whether the research heads in that direction or not will depend on funding. But in the process of writing this book, I was reading an international neuroscience journal Nature Neuroscience , and kept worrying that the science was catching up with the story all too fast. Lou is constantly questioning what it means to be autistic and what it means to be normal.

He comes to believe that the two are points along a spectrum rather than wholly unrelated ways of being. I think this must be true because of my own experience in reading the novel. At first, I found Lou fascinating but alien; I could sympathize with him, but from the outside looking in. Then, as I read on, a curious and amazing thing happened.

I began to empathize with Lou. His way of thinking stopped seeming alien to me and began to seem human. In fact, I began to recognize more and more of myself in him. When the demands of daily life took me away from the book, his voice stayed with me, coloring my perceptions of the world, until I felt almost as if a part of me were autistic. It was no longer possible for me to think of Lou as alien, and it even became difficult to think of him as damaged, exactly.

Which raises a lot of interesting practical and philosophical questions about autism. To a large degree, we meaning society in its judgmental role create aliens from humans by excluding them, by defining them as too strange, too difficult. Human cultures have always done this. It helps a group to bond, if they define nonmembers as completely different.

How would you respond to this criticism? With a loud snort.

See a Problem?

No parent of an autistic child would ever romanticize autism, or minimize the strain it places on both the child and the society in which that child lives. Hours of screaming when nothing would comfort him. It was hard work, and tough emotionally on him as well as on us. Respite care, in those days, was not available. But I definitely chose not to demonize autism, which is what many magazine articles do: They treat autism as the worst, most horrible, most alienating of the developmental disabilities, a complete and utter tragedy for families, a wasted life with no possibility of joy or fulfillment.

The autistic child is a fully human child, capable of receiving and giving love, capable of enjoying and giving pleasure. The autistic persons I met online, even when they described themselves as alien, demonstrated all the common human emotions and desires: They want to be around people who understand them, who like them as they are. They want to have a comfortable living and working environment, to be treated with respect and dignity. They want to eat what tastes good to them, and avoid what tastes bad. They want friends who share their interests; they want to enjoy life in their own way.

We try to insist that they must become like us to be acceptable—which makes about as much sense as insisting that someone change his skin color or eye color or height. What feedback have you received from autists and members of the autistic community, parents, and researchers? Very positive so far.

Several autists have contacted me and told me they like the characterization of Lou. I hear from parents and special ed teachers that the book is beginning to spread through their communities parents and teachers of autistic children are busy people and rarely find the time to read books when they first come out.

Researchers I would imagine are focused on their research and pay little attention to fiction written on their topic. Do you think the comparison is valid? The title of the novel, The Speed of Dark, often contrasted by Lou with the speed of light, becomes a metaphor for a lot of things: It is also, more generally, the unknown.

How did your understanding of this phrase evolve in the course of writing the novel? When a title really works, it begins to resonate with more and more elements of the story and its underpinnings. At first it was more a clever than a wise choice. The book grew after Lou, in a way, following him in a somewhat different direction than I had expected. There are other causes for language delay, and someone can be obsessive, absentminded, socially inept, and brilliant without being autistic. Still, it could be true.

How did writing The Speed of Dark change your views on autism. Having a child with autism changed my views on autism and normality.

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