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Star Maker
Olaf Stapledon was a British writer and philosopher whose first science fiction was published in 1930. Much of his writing concerns the concept of "true community" and his belief that humanity, as it currently exists, has no real capacity for a genuine understanding of truth. This places him far outside of the pulp mainstream of science fiction in his period. His emphasis on social comment rather than action and his use of science fictional processes to advance philosophical discourse instead continues the strand of "scientific romance" by then established in the British literary tradition.
Star Maker, first published in 1937, is generally considered Stapledon's best work. From the first the book displays its lyricism despite the mundane early subject of the suburbs after sunset. In these quiet homes, the possible existence of a genuine relationship between two people is explored in a first attempt to illuminate the concept of true community. Placed in conflict with such an ideal is the immensity of the world and the apparent impossibility of any human having a true relationship with all people. From these eminently recognizable circumstances the narrator quickly extends his viewpoint to consider the world and its multitudes before coming to the suggestion that all this is insignificant in the face of the universe.
Having touched upon his main themes, Stapledon expands his focus. The next section is a clearly written account of an alien race with which the narrator comes into contact. The successes and failures of that alien society become an implicit counterpoint to human experience, though the narrator cannot help rounding this out with a number of more explicit comparisons before moving on to describe countless further societies. These descriptive passages are powerful examples of the richness of Stapledon's imagination. Many of the ideas summed up in a few brief pages could have been developed into full chapters or novels of their own. In fact, the narrator repeatedly states that he "has not space to describe" details of many of the events he witnesses. The text also contains repeated comments on how little the narrator has retained of the events and situations experienced. Whilst this is at times frustrating, it is clear that Stapledon has greater things in mind than simple description of the fantastic diversity of the universe.
As each level of his story becomes clear, the themes of community, hope and futility are played out in a grand spiral of ever escalating scales of action. After several iterations, the process seems clear and the book looks likely to become tedious. Instead the very rate of magnification is itself transformed to a whole new scale. As the book reaches universal immensity, early heights become trivialities against the ineffable activities of increasingly sane, immortal beings, though hope and failure are still a vital impetus. The end point of intelligent life is approached and revelation - of sorts - is achieved in a final ecstasy.
The resultant novel is rather dry, infinitely high minded and focused on a philosophy which requires the best from each of us without necessarily offering any reward. However, the ideas are endlessly fascinating and many of the passages are profoundly satisfying reading. The book's use of repetition in theme and punctuated revelation allow complex ideas to be absorbed without conscious effort. Star Maker is a novel which deserves savouring and rewards careful reading.
Purchase this book from fatbrain.
At the risk of being flamed to a crisp, I'm going to go out on a limb and state that the reason for this is because slashdot has deals with book sellers... bad reviews don't sell books.. and since slashdot as a profit-making entity is probably pretty close to break-even, every dollar counts. "Journalistic integrity" anyone? *grumble*
A significant fraction of the people I've lent the book too had similar reactions.
Perhaps-important point: Stapledon didn't think he was writing science fiction. He was friends with Wells, but didn't know a thing about SF as a genre. What he thought he was writing were "myths of the future." Future histories. Few or no characters; little or no action on a personal level.
If you're looking for a traditional story, you won't find it in Star Maker.
Stefan
I read Star Maker a few years ago. I picked up an ancient copy at a used book store. I'd never heard of the author before, but the book sounded remotely interesting, so I figured I'd give it a shot.
Man, was that ever a mistake. Reading that book was a slow, agonizing process that made me want to shred my eyes with papercuts from the book's pages. I find it hard to even categorize the book as science fiction. It's much more accurately described as pompous, pseudo-intellectual mental masturbation, no doubt very satisfying for the author to write, but nothing anyone else in their right mind would want to read.
I have a personality quirk that made this whole experience very difficult - I can't stop reading a book until I finish it, no matter how much I hate it. I kept reading this night after night, a few pages at a time because that's all I could stand. It was torture - sheer torture - and I'd rather die the death of Sir Robin's minstrels than read this book again. I can't for the life of me figure out why anyone thinks this is a great work by a great author.
I don't think the review does the book justice. "Dry" and "philosophical?" Perhaps. But CRIPES, man, the sheer scale and pageantry of it! Most SF just doesn't cut it for me any more after reading this brain bomb. Ringworld? A plaything invented by a dilletante. It was from Star Maker that Freeman Dyson got the idea for "Dyson Spheres." (Go look it up in Disturbing the Universe.)
Star Maker stretches from the condensation of the first galaxies (albiet in flashbacks) to the heat-death of the universe. It describes civilizations both humble (near-human races caught up in familiar problems) and fantastic (composed of thousands of artificial habitats, serving as home to dozens of symbiotic species). Warfare by artificially induced novas, entire multi-species empires mind-melding, interstellar travel via flying planet, something very much like Roddenberry's "Prime Directive," species living on collapsed stars . . . all this and more.
Stefan
If a book that someone reads is crap, why spend the time writing an extensive review on it, and then posting it for tens of thousands of people to read. Most of the readers would never have heard of the book if the reviewer hadn't mentioned it, so it's not as if they were in any particular danger of actually reading it without the wise warnings of a reviewer.
There are millions of texts in this world. I think it's nice to have someone share which ones they think are good, so that I can go read them -- rather than spending five minutes reading a review about a bad book I'd probably never get to anyway.
The reason book critics typically write bad reviews is for no other purpose than that it makes their articles more interesting to read, so that they can continue to get paid. I'm glad that Slashdot has other motivations....
Got Rhinos?
I *don't want* negative reviews. Only if something is really terrible and I think people might buy it, will I post negative book reviews. But there's only a couple book reviews a week and several hundred books released of interest each month - so you do the month.
Perhaps before impugning integrity you could simply ask the question? We don't have any deal with the book sellers, beyond the affiliateship. And if I had more people to write book reviews, I'd post more reviews. But most readers aren't real anxious to write reviews so....
Yeah, I'm that guy.