Enigma: A Review of Radiance, Catherynne M. Valente

A fairly relaxed family, with a few fundamental rules in place, my house as was my childhood's is dictated overwhelmingly by one; if it is an Olympic year, you must watch. Thus, as my parents in British Columbia sit glued to the TV, so too is their grandson, daughter and son-in-law in Toronto. The child, as his dear Momma whispered wishful hopes of one day he being a member of the Canadian swim team, completed laps through and around the house. By the time my six year old laid his sweaty, curled locks onto his dinosaur pillow-case he was a snoring Olympian in under one minute. The allure of staying up late, with the added pleasure of watching a sport that captivities one's parents is such a monumental experience. I cannot fathom to guess what lurks deep within his brain, locked tight within his little soul of happiness.

With promises of a pool day so our little champ could practise his front crawl, my reading senses are tingling. Enraptured by the sporty things, further enhanced by a desire to read only detective novels of certain historical persuasions, I am at a crossroads. Continue the rumba with the whodunnit or generate the sci-fi geekness that manifests Thank the Maker  gloriously nerdy? Unseemly to ponder January's briskness, especially sitting under our maple's canopy while the wind whispers August's delightful slothfulness, but winter I revert. A month of reading inspired by the gorgeous stack of holiday books, the first month of 2016 was sublime. Of all those amazing books, Catherine M. Valente's Radiance rose beyond my expectations, becoming one of the most creatively illusive stories this girl has ever, yes ever, read. 

Radiance, as the Olympic dream attempts to soar above the political juggernauts of it's own creation I give you science fiction, defiantly so. In fact, it's uniqueness has kept me mum, reluctant to recommend in fear of announcing my passionate propensity to the weird. And weird it so blissfully is, so much that sitting down to the this tale requires a great leap of faith, a willingness to just let things be, and a fortitude to accept that what is on the page. 

While on Venus to film the mysteries disappearance of a diving colony, Severin Unck's crew limps home to Luna with the horrific inability to adequately explain her death. An alternative universe, wrapped within a space opera, tantalizingly shrouded as a mystery novel, Radiance is nothing more than glorious. Questioning how much to reveal, Radiance is best served as an enigma, probing the reader to swim through it's chaotic, yet poetic waters. The story will bounce you through a version of our solar system, alien yet comforting.This is a world draped in the theatre, with visual links to classic science fiction. Space travel is by rockets; the planets, viable options with thriving civilizations, each providing unique opportunities for humanity to elevate or implode. 

Frozen within 1920s cinematic overtures, Radiance is a love-song to the silent film. For this girl, however, it resonates deeply, showcasing what an author, when inspired is able to write. May one day, I be so inclined. 

The Deep End

Sitting on my sofa, looking out onto a grey, wet spring day my mind wanders to all the stories I've read that sing to my imagination.    I have been toying with ideas of how to introduce some of my more hardcore Sf books.  And it came to me this morning, that these books that I  am finding the most challenging to recommend are also my most unique collection of books.  I always thought I was a character reader, having fallen in love countless times but in fact I am more in love with the stories swirling around these people.

 I am a sucker for a good old story, one that pulls me in and leaves me lonely once I've turned to the last page.  To me, a good book is marked by it's ability to force me to stop reading for a couple weeks.  I cannot just jump into a new book if the last effected me deeply.  Maybe this is why I reread so many of my books and more than once.  It doesn't matter to me that I know what is going to happen it is about being able to live again in those pages; feel what I felt during the first read.  

The first book to have this effect on me was Ronald Dahl's James and Giant Peach.  I remember exactly the library book shelf that I found this book on, even recalling the pure joy of discovering all the wonders within those pages.  In fact, it was through James and the Giant Peach that I discovered Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  I have yet to meet anyone not smitten with that tale but for me I would hold hands with little James Henry Trotter over Charlie any day.  As with most great children's stories, James and Giant Peach has it's darkness to it.  James parents, dead thanks to a renegade rhino (it ate them!) is a sad, abused child living with his two awful aunts.  Luck would seem to fall upon James when he is given a bag of magical green-glowing crocodile tongues which if mixed with water and 10 hairs from his head will make him happy and provide him a  a life filled with adventure.  As with most wonderful things promised for sad little boys, fate takes a hand and those very crocodile tongues end up enriching a peach tree outside of his Aunts' house rather than himself.

I cannot tell you how amazing it was to be 8, and reading a book about a giant peach that is so big that a little boy can tunnel his way to the pit and then befriend the enlarged insects living in it.   The child-like amazement that strikes me every time I read a good story is really why I have this blog.  

Warning:  The books I am about to recommend in the next couple of posts are not for the faint of heart.  If you have an issue with aliens, spiders, time travel, folded space, and/or so much scientific jargon that you can gag on it, then these books are not for you.  And into the deep end we plunge!

A Deepness in the Sky, Vernor Vinge  

I am actually grinning ear to ear as I type the title out. I have been waiting impatiently to introduce this book to you all.  Of all the books I have read in the past 10 years it is this book that truly entertained me for the sheer ability to freak me into liking spiders.  That's right folks, the aliens in this book resemble arachnids, arachnids the size of people who live in a society similar to 20th century humanity.  Like all of the Vernor Vinge's books the scientific mumbo jumble is intense.  So not only have I introduced you to a book about spiders but a book that falls under the hard SF category. 

3: Trilogies that every geek must read

What can I say I like the number three.   My predisposition to 3 was set way back in elementary school when you have to make some major decisions. The favourite list was rebounded at recess while me and my friends would negotiate who was our all time best friend ,  second best friend,  best friend at guides,  best friend during summer vacation, I think you know where I am going with this.   Did your favourites match your friend's and if not  could you live with that?   In the interest of science here was my grade 5 Favourite List.   Favourite colour?  yellow,  Candy bar?  Chunky, Chips?  Salt n Vinegar, Pop?  Cream soda, Subject?  English, Gym sport?  floor hockey, Song?  Footloose/Beat It, Movie?  Footloose/ Empire Strikes Back, E.T.   Would we be running in the same crowd?

In honour of 3 here are 3 Sci-Fi  trilogies  

1.  Gaea Trilogyy:  Titan, Wizard, Demon by John Varley
Briefly introduced in my Contact post, the Gaea trilogy is one of those books that starts out weird and ends weirder.  I've read them twice now, even had to go out and replace Wizard because Dune Husband left it in a B&B in P.E.I., the summer of 2009; I thought I was over that but apparently not. He is also the same person that destroyed two of my original Dune books resulting in me no longer owning the complete collection. I am fully aware that I am not over that.

Back to the wonderful weirdness of Gaea, Gaea is a sentient, celestial body that has moved into our Solar System.  Six brave astronauts are sent to investigate, learning quickly that their awareness of the world needs to be greatly expanded.  The series introduces a whole new world loosely based on mankind but with a cinematic point of view. The astronauts find themselves stranded on alien-like soil with the survival in great jeopardy. The novel is" first contact"/ love story/ horror/ adventure story.   There are times in Demon that had enough as the strangeness overwhelmed even my ability to appreciate the odd.  Things get pretty nuts.  For example, Gaea takes on the bodily form of Marilyn Monroe and causes pure hell on those that live in her.  If you feel like getting weird but don't want to go all out Vernor Vinge weird (next post, don't worry) the Gaea trilogy is for you.

2.  WWW Series: Wake, Watch, Wonder by Robert J. Sawyer
The books follow the life of Caitlin Decter, a blind 16 year old who has recently moved to Waterloo, ON from the States because of her Dad's work at RIM.   Approached by a Japanese researcher who has developed a new signal-processing implant, she is given the opportunity to regain her sight.  With the implant in place she is not only able to see but is able to see the web in all it's great vastness and intricacies.  While this is fascinating on it's own the true genius of the series is what she discovers in the web or more accurately who. It's a great read full of action and believable characters.  Plus, Sawyer is Canadian, what more do you need?

3.  Foundation Series:  Foundation, Foundation and Empire, Second Foundation, Asimov
Interesting how the Foundation Series keeps sneaking into my posts.   What can I say that hasn't been said before? Just read them okay, consider it homework.