Medusa's Children / Bob Shaw

Medusa's Children

by Bob Shaw

science fiction

copyright 1977

read in May 2019

(and previously, years ago)

rated 7/10: well worth reading

Increase the rating to seven-and-a-bit if you enjoy older style science fiction; this is a good book, straightforward plot, several interesting ideas. With well-defined but quite shallow characters.

The underlying scientific concept seems ridiculous... but... Set the story on an alien planet, with humans discovering alien technology -- and it is as good as any modern blockbuster sf movie. Though with a lot less violent action.

If you enjoy comparing old novels to new -- up the rating again, to eight.

I think it was Stephen King, in a book about how to write a novel, who wrote that every word must add to the story... If a word, a sentence, a paragraph, does not advance the story -- then remove it. In 157 pages, every one of Shaw's words is essential to the plot.

In fact, several essential action scenes are unwritten, obvious, left to the reader to imagine. This is a book of what-if, an exploration of an idea (or three). It is not an adventure story. The interest is in the ideas rather than in the supporting actions.

I could say that this is "true" science fiction. I could believe that 1970s science fiction was short cheap printing for a small niche market. I could also believe that it is a sign of an author using a typewriter... rather than the faster and more flexible word processor. Want to add more action? Insert, here.

I'm currently struggling to read a more modern, more complex, far longer book, by Neal Asher. I may give up. A major problem -- for me -- is the lengthy description of each new technological marvel. An active imagination linked to a powerful word processor and unlimited storage.

Both Asher and Shaw may as well write that the character waved a magic wand and it was so. Asher's tech is the centrepiece of an action adventure. Shaw's tech is barely there, just enough to support exploration of the what-if ideas.

I normally enjoy a book by Asher. In this case it is a relief to read the simpler -- more understandable -- book by Shaw. Medusa may be simpler, the exploration of ideas is more thought-provoking. And easier to understand.

====    Dr Nick Lethbridge  /  Consulting Dexitroboper
Agamedes Consulting / Problems? Solved.
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"Be excellent to each other" … Bill & Ted
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dying for you to read my blog: notdotdeaddotyet.blogspot.com.au :-)
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