Ahira's Hangar

Last November(2002) for WindyCon XXIX I was a gopher (volunteer) and one of the perks of volunteering was being given an advance copy of The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon.

I just started reading it. Plot is similar to the Flowers for Algernon, better well known through its movie adaptation, Charly. Here an high functioning autistic adult man and his collegues, other autistic adults working in computer modeling for a pharmeceutical company in the middle part of the 21st Century, learn of a possible treatment for reversal of their autism. Furthermore, they live in a world where when caught in early development autism can be treated in developing infants. However, this man and his friends were born before that treatment was available.

More to follow. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html<i>Edited by: taraswizard at: 11/22/03 10:26 am
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I've not heard of this particular book, Taras, but I have read some of her space opera. Once a Hero was pretty good, but I didn't care too much for its sequels... Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
****Tavern Wench of DOGMA, the Defenders of George Martin's Art****<i></i>

To elaborate a little. In addition to the general plot of the book, the book has another theme running through it, if these individuals take this new treatment and their autism is reversed and they become 'normals', will that change who they are. This is a dilemma for the main character, Lou Arrendale, because basically he is pretty happy, content and satisfied about who he is. He realizes his limitations, but otherwise... However, if he is no longer autistic, will he still be that person. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html<i>Edited by: taraswizard at: 10/30/03 4:04 am
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That sounds like it could be pretty good. Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
****Tavern Wench of DOGMA, the Defenders of George Martin's Art****<i></i>

About mid-way through the book, there comes a plot twist. This new treatment, to 'cure' the autism in adults, is now owned by the company Lou works for and the managers want to use Lou and his co-workers as experimental subjects. Because, due to their, autistic condition, they require special perks to function in their jobs. And their boss's boss sees that as waste.

And then the real twist, development and finalization of this treatment will cost many, many millions of dollars, and after treatment of this current cohort of adult autistics it will no longer have any use, since in this future infants can be successfully treated for autism. But then that must mean the procedure will lead to some further procedure not limited to the treatment of adult autistics. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html<i>Edited by: taraswizard at: 11/22/03 10:28 am
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I find Elizabeth Moon's "Familias Regnant" novels very good--save the last, where it seems to me she tried to wrap up everything much too quickly. Too bad, because I really liked that universe and the heroines--especially Esmay Suiza (soooo much more interesting than Honor Harrington). "O let my name be in the Book of Love; if it be there I care
Not of the other great book above. Strike it out!
Or write it in anew. But let my name be in the Book of Love!"<i></i>

Well, the main character Lou Arrendale ends up taking the treatment, and he becomes a different person. Before he decided to do it he realized his life had always been one of changing who he was from the time he was an infant till the time before the treatment, and this was just another change.

Furthermore, the treatment turns out not to be successful on all the patients. Yes, Lou's company believed results from this treatment could be extended to 'normals' to modify their sensory attention mechanisms and make 'normals' better workers less prone to distractions and interuptions.

AFAIK, the book was published in January 2003 www.sff.net/people/elizabeth.moon taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html<i></i>

I betcha my employer would like to have that sort of drug to use on the "normals" too. It sounds liek a promising book, Taras.
If you are ever in the mood to try another book by Moon, I really enjoyed her Once a Hero, with its wonderful heroine of Esmay Suiza. I didn't like the other books in that series as much, though (not enough of Esmay in them . ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
<i></i>

Re: Speed of Dark. I so hope this information is not out of date. But I am pretty sure of its accuracy. I have read on several sites, this book is on SFWA's short list for nomination for the Nebula awards to be given in Seattle in November. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html<i></i>