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Book Review By Julia Walter
The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon

It is science fiction that happens in a near future, but beyond that many of the tropes of science fiction are not in this book. It is narrated by Lou Arrendale a 30-ish autistic man who has an important job with a very large company recognizing complex patterns. He works in a unit made up of other autistic people and they have their gym at work with trampolines and special music. Lou and his co-workers get a new boss who insists on changes. Babies, in this near future, who are born autistic can be "fixed" soon after birth, but some researchers have come up with a treatment that may work for adults. Lou's boss tells them either they get the treatment or they get fired.

Lawyers stop this, but first we see how very rich Lou's life is. He has good friends from work. He has friends with whom he fences. He has friends at his apartment complex. He doesn't see this, but we do.   He and his peers want very much to be normal (mostly); we see that they *are* normal.


Plot & Themes
Tone of book - depressing/sad
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Lifeform altered? Yes
Kind of alteration:
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Descript. of chases or violence - 0 %
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30 %
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30 %
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 40 %

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status:
Age: - 20's-30's

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Eccentric: Yes
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount
How sensitive is this character?
Intelligence - Average intelligence

Setting
Terrain
Earth setting: - near future (later in 21st century)
Takes place on Earth? Yes

Writing Style
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
scientific jargon? (SF only) - a moderate amount of scientific explanation
How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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