Slow Train to Arcturus / Eric Flint and Dave Freer

Slow Train to Arcturus
by Eric Flint and Dave Freer

science fiction
copyright 2008
read in February 2013

rated 6 out of 10: read to pass the time

This book begins well, with the story told from an alien perspective. So we get an outsider's view of humanity, plus an insight into an alien society.

So far, so good.

Then the point of view shifts. And shifts again. And again... Does this help us to understand the actions and attitudes of the various characters? Or is it simply a lazy way to allow two authors to write one book?

The multiple points of view are not confusing. I just wonder why it's done. And wonder if it also adds to the flatness of the story: We understand all points of view, so there is less stress, less doubt, less tension.

The "slow train" concept is good, solid science fiction. Pity the authors gave it so little attention. As they admit in a brief introduction, they had to write within their knowledge.

So Slow Train is a story of the strengths and weaknesses of closed societies. With a final message which is, essentially, the benefits of cross-fertilisation.

The authors have used a multi-generation space ship as a means to isolate a number of social experiments.

At first I thought, cheap trick. Use a good science fiction idea to allow the authors to pick holes in a whole lot of different social ideas. On the plus side, they did pull together the best of each society in order to save the nice aliens' bacon.

Having read about a third of the book, my thoughts turned to stereotypes... I was beginning to tire of the stock-standard characters and their attitudes. Other than the space ship, Slow Train was offering nothing new.

A few pages further on and I thought, these are not stereotypes -- these are caricatures.

Wait a minute, I thought, is this book intended to be *funny* ?!

I'm still not sure.

Is Slow Train to Arcturus intended to be funny? Should I have been reading -- and laughing? I hope not...

Slow Train is a mix of stereotypes and caricatures. Fighting to help some likeable -- and interesting -- aliens. Fighting against people who, interestingly enough, don't care whether or not the aliens are saved.

In other words...

The action is driven by aliens. The conflict is driven by human social choices, with no interest in aliens. The setting is a space ship which could as easily have been a large city with high internal walls...

Several good ideas, lots more weak ideas, all thrown in the pot. A bit of stirring and hope that the flavours add up to a meal worth eating.

Easy to read. You feel satisfied at the end. I just wish that the authors had put more effort into matching the ingredients.

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