Forbidden Knowledge / Stephen Donaldson

Forbidden Knowledge

(The Gap #2)

by Stephen Donaldson

science fiction ... space opera

copyright 1991

re-read in July 2017

rated 8/10: really quite good

05feb22: So I've read this book a third time (at least) ...

This time I read book one just before this book two. What a relief to read two!

Book one is nasty. Book two has nasty characters but the overall style is... tough. Over the top. Lots of suffering -- largely psychological. Tough but not really nasty.

I still agree with my earlier review (below). But I have changed the category from science fiction -- to space opera.

First time I read this book -- quite a few years ago -- I read it as "science fiction". As such it is exciting, space-based adventure, with strange characters, weird aliens and a beautiful heroine. I also read it as my first in the Gap series, so I was a little confused.

This time I have read book one and now this, book two. It all makes a lot more sense! Except for the science...

There is a lot of science: space travel, computing, an android, brain control... And I must say, a lot of it seems to be highly implausible. Some -- eg the computing -- is outdated. Some -- eg the spin gravity -- seems to be vastly simplified.

But so what?! This is science *fiction*.

The author is into characters: driven, tortured, shattered and unshattered, characters. Over the top and overdrawn characters. Characters who operate -- for the sake of the story -- in a fantasy world of "science" fiction. And it works.

This reading, I read more carefully. And recognise that the author has maintained the same writing style as for the Covenant series. That is, overdone prose...

A character may twitch their mouth in a grimace or a silent shriek...They may say hello as though they mean to bring disaster on the world or in a tone of despair... Every sound, every twitch, every word, has a hidden meaning. Or two.

It is all so *significant* !

And yet, enjoyable.

Everyone is suffering. The heroine is too tough to crack... despite the occasional bursts of near insanity. Other characters show that they are essentially heroic, despite their meek and mild exteriors. The villains are... villainous... unless they are villainous but understandable.

The action is... on a fast reading... non-stop. Reading slower I realise, there is a lot of action -- but there is even more thinking about and planning for and suffering due to, the action. All part of this author's writing style :-)

I enjoyed this book -- both first reading and this reading. I'm looking forward to books three, four and five. I expect that all the action will make sense as I read more carefully. I just wonder if the heroic suffering of the characters will also make some overall sense...

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Dr Nick Lethbridge / Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
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"Lawyers pay for their mistakes, doctors bury them, architects grow ivy on them. And consultants charge for them."

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