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The Speed of Dark
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Plot Summary of The Speed of Dark
"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.
"

Julia Walter, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of The Speed of Dark
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 30%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 40%




Tone of book - depressing/sad
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - science fiction story
Lifeform altered? Yes
Kind of alteration: - Given added abilities
Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book

Main Character
Identity: - Male
Profession/status: - engineer
Age: - 20's-30's
Has magical/special powers? Yes
Eccentric: Yes - eccentric - obsessed
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events? Yes
How sensitive is this character? - sensitive to others' feelings
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

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

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

Style
Person? - mostly 1st
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
Most similar books to The Speed of Dark
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Old Man's War by John Scalzi
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Starfish by Peter Watts
Violet Eyes by Nicole M. Luiken


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Elizabeth Moon Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Julia Walter  

SCHOLARS:
Karen Burnham  


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