Too Like The Lightning (2016)

Too Like The Lightning by Ada Palmer (2016) – The 25th Century offers humanity’s latest attempt to create a perfect society.  It offers both the comfort of stratified roles with the option to exist outside those boundaries as well.  All gender distinctions have been rejected.  Status is based on technological/economic competition that is equally stringently defined.  The ultimate punishment for crimes in this society is to be required to wander the world being useful and relying entirely on the beneficence of others for all his needs.  Into this world comes a strange boy with powers that may shatter the foundations of this world.  Around him gather a strange assortment of people who have to decide how that power should be directed.

I’m on a run of high-quality science fiction.  Like “The Left Hand of Darkness” from last month, this book again takes on the idea of gender roles as part of its world.  Palmer has created a unique and interesting world then creates a challenging and fascinating story to go in it.  The world has survived devastating Religion Wars and emerged with a set of Universal Laws.  Combined with a transportation system that is available to all and can move you to anywhere on the planet in two hours, the concept of nation-states has died.  Humanity finds new ways to politic, and new ways of fulfilling old roles.

In the middle of this, the story follows Mycroft Canner, convicted of a horrendous crime; Carlyle Foster the sensayer, a combination therapist and spiritual counselor, and Bridger, a boy with a power so unique and potentially disastrous that I won’t spoil the surprise.  Bridger can change everything, for better or worse.

The story is challenging, as Palmer moves us back and forth between characters and points of view.  The fluid nature of “gender” requires some mental flexibility from the reader as well.  But the end result is worth the effort.  All the things that I love about science fiction are here.  A good story, challenging concepts, solid writing.  The book took me deep into the world she has created.

I would register two reservations about it.  There is a ton of world-building in the first half of the book, which slows the pace of the action a bit.  But Palmer is setting up three more books to come in the series (two are out and the final book is expected next year).  With the non-linear storytelling style, it can be a little daunting.  Once things get rolling, the book is hard to put down.

My other reservation is how this book ends.  Fine, it’s part of a series.  This one felt like it ended abruptly and without an appropriate drawing together of the action of the first book.  Everything is pushed off into the following volumes.  Any book should be able to stand on its own, even if the story clearly isn’t finished.  This felt like the author had hit a word count limit and just stopped.  I was into the story enough that it really aggravated me.

This isn’t “popcorn” reading.  Parker is playing with some complex concepts and has created a world that is profoundly different from our own.  That means it requires a bit more “commitment” from the reader than a lot of popular writing.  It gives every indication that it will be worth the effort.

Ada Palmer won the 2017 John W. Campbell award for Best New Writer.  That feels about right.

Why You Will Like It: Wonderful storytelling in a fascinating and challenging world.

Rating – **** Recommended