Speed of Dark
2002 science fiction novel by Elizabeth Moon
1-84149-141-1Speed of Dark (released in some markets as The Speed of Dark) is a near-future science fiction novel by American author Elizabeth Moon.[1] The story is told from the first person viewpoint of an autistic person.[2] It won the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 2003,[3] and was also an Arthur C. Clarke Award finalist.[4]
Plot summary
Lou Arrendale is a bioinformatics specialist who is autistic, and has made a good life for himself working in pattern recognition. A new manager at the firm where he works puts pressure on his department, where many autistic people work. Lou is pressured to undergo an experimental treatment that might "cure" his autism. Lou does not think he needs curing, but he risks losing his job and other accommodations the company has put in place for its autistic employees if he does not undergo it.
Lou struggles with the idea of going through this "treatment" for his autism while he pursues fencing with his "normal" friends and continues to go to work. His autistic friends, as well as himself, meet together after work and discuss what or what not to do.
Reception
Speed of Dark was released to high praise from reviewers. SF Site stated that "At worst, Speed of Dark is a magnificent character study. At best, it's the most powerful book you'll read this year",[1] and Infinity Plus described it as "one of those exceptionally rare novels that have the power to alter one's entire worldview, and reading it is a profoundly rewarding and enriching experience."[5]
References
- ^ a b Blaschke, Jayme Lynn (March 2003). "Speed of Dark - Elizabeth Moon". SF Site. Archived from the original on 6 May 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ "Fiction Book Review: THE SPEED OF DARK by Elizabeth Moon". Publishers Weekly. 16 December 2002. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 11 June 2021.
- ^ "SFWA - Nebula Award Winners". 22 May 2011. Archived from the original on 2013-01-30. Retrieved 2013-03-21.
- ^ "Arthur C. Clarke Award - Shortlist". Archived from the original on 2013-01-06. Retrieved 2013-03-21.
- ^ Grant, John. "The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon" Archived 2013-01-30 at the Wayback Machine. Infinity Plus. Accessed March 22, 2013.
External links
- Speed of Dark at the official Elizabeth Moon website
- v
- t
- e
Nebula Award for Best Novel
- Dune by Frank Herbert (1966)
- Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany and Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes (1967)
- The Einstein Intersection by Samuel R. Delany (1968)
- Rite of Passage by Alexei Panshin (1969)
- The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (1970)
- Ringworld by Larry Niven (1971)
- A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg (1972)
- The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov (1973)
- Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke (1974)
- The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin (1975)
- The Forever War by Joe Haldeman (1976)
- Man Plus by Frederik Pohl (1977)
- Gateway by Frederik Pohl (1978)
- Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre (1979)
- The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke (1980)
- Timescape by Gregory Benford (1981)
- The Claw of the Conciliator by Gene Wolfe (1982)
- No Enemy But Time by Michael Bishop (1983)
- Startide Rising by David Brin (1984)
- Neuromancer by William Gibson (1985)
- Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (1986)
- Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card (1987)
- The Falling Woman by Pat Murphy (1988)
- Falling Free by Lois McMaster Bujold (1989)
- The Healer's War by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough (1990)
- Tehanu: The Last Book of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin (1991)
- Stations of the Tide by Michael Swanwick (1992)
- Doomsday Book by Connie Willis (1993)
- Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson (1994)
- Moving Mars by Greg Bear (1995)
- The Terminal Experiment by Robert J. Sawyer (1996)
- Slow River by Nicola Griffith (1997)
- The Moon and the Sun by Vonda N. McIntyre (1998)
- Forever Peace by Joe Haldeman (1999)
- Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler (2000)
- Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear (2001)
- The Quantum Rose by Catherine Asaro (2002)
- American Gods by Neil Gaiman (2003)
- Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon (2004)
- Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold (2005)
- Camouflage by Joe Haldeman (2006)
- Seeker by Jack McDevitt (2007)
- The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon (2008)
- Powers by Ursula K. Le Guin (2009)
- The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi (2010)
- Blackout/All Clear by Connie Willis (2011)
- Among Others by Jo Walton (2012)
- 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson (2013)
- Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie (2014)
- Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer (2015)
- Uprooted by Naomi Novik (2016)
- All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders (2017)
- The Stone Sky by N. K. Jemisin (2018)
- The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal (2019)
- A Song for a New Day by Sarah Pinsker (2020)
- Network Effect by Martha Wells (2021)
- A Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark (2022)
- Babel, or the Necessity of Violence by R. F. Kuang (2023)
