Review of "The Speed of Dark"
By Elizabeth MoonDel Rey, 2003
Review by Christian Perring, Ph.D. on Jan 19th 2006
Elizabeth Moon is known for writing science fiction and fantasy novels, but while The Speed of Dark is set in the near future and assumes that science has made powerful advances from now, it does not fit well in the genre of science fiction. It primarily a novel about autism and morality, and would work well as a discussion piece for classes in medical ethics. Her main character is Lou Arrendale, an autistic computer programmer who works in a corporation with other people with autism, all of whom are highly skilled at picking out patterns. Lou is successful in his job, and he has a social life too, mixing with non-autistic people socially. He even has a crush on a woman in his fencing group. He lives on his own, in his own apartment, and copes better than many people who do not share his impairment. The novel is narrated from Lou?s point of view, and as readers, we get a strong sense of how his thinking is distinctive. He uses short declarative sentences, setting out his ideas very clearly and methodically. He focuses on the matters at hand, and tries hard to negotiate the world around him, deciphering what people really mean when they speak ironically or in other ways in which their words do not precisely state their thoughts and feelings. He does this well, but it takes a great deal of his energy. He reveals that he would have been more profoundly impaired by his condition, but his parents chose treatment for him while he was in the womb that made him more normal. He also mentions that at the time of his writing the disorder has been eliminated completely in newborn babies. The central crux of the novel lies in another new development, a potential for autism. It is made available to Lou and his co-workers on an experimental basis, and they have to decide whether to try it.
There is an interesting side question about when people with autism are competent to decide to participate in medical experimentation, and Moon emphasizes this with a slightly heavy-handed sub-plot. The strength of the novel is in its exploration of whether Lou should try to become normal, given that he has such a rich and rewarding life already. Lou muses over the question for most of the novel, and his various experiences during the course of the novel help to inform his choice. The book?s ending comes down quite definitely on one side of the fence, although there is some room left for defenders of the opposite view to resist Moon?s apparent verdict.
Rather than being a dry exposition of the issues, Moon brings it alive with a thoughtful plot and excellent writing. The Speed of Dark was first published in 2003, the same year as Mark Haddon?s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which gained a great deal of press for telling its story from the point of view of an autistic adolescent. Moon, who has an autistic son herself, does just as well as Haddon in conveying the difference in how a person with autism experiences the world, and the book is a compelling read. Highly recommended.
The unabridged audio book version available from booksontape.com has a strong performance by Grover Gardner.
© 2006 Christian Perring. All rights reserved.
Christian Perring, Ph.D., is Academic Chair of the Arts & Humanities Division and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Dowling College, Long Island. He is also editor of Metapsychology Online Review. His main research is on philosophical issues in medicine, psychiatry and psychology.
Resources
-
Articles
- What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
- Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder
-
Autism Spectrum Disorder Interventions & Supportive Services
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Treatment
- Behavioral and Communication Approaches
- Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Discrete Trial
- Fluency
- Sensory Integration
- Floortime
- Medication
- Diet and Vitamins
- Complementary Approaches
- Therapeutic Animals
- Helping Families Cope
- Support Groups
- Wraparound Services
- Autism Spectrum Disorder and Mainstream Public Education
- Autism Spectrum Disorder in Adulthood
- Conclusion
- Autism Spectrum Disorder Resources
-
News
-
Questions and Answers
-
Book & Media Reviews
- A Guide to Asperger Syndrome
- A Parent's Guide to Asperger Syndrome and High-Functioning Autism
- A User Guide to the GF/CF Diet for Autism, Asperger Syndrome and AD/HD
- An Exact Mind
- Asperger Syndrome and Your Child
- Asperger Syndrome, Adolescence, and Identity
- Asperger's and Girls
- Autism - The Eighth Colour of the Rainbow
- Autism's False Prophets
- Autistic Spectrum Disorders
-
38 more
- Born on a Blue Day
- Boy Alone
- Can't Eat, Won't Eat
- Caring for a Child with Autism
- Children with Emerald Eyes
- Demystifying the Autistic Experience
- Eating an Artichoke
- Educating Children With Autism
- Elijah's Cup
- Exiting Nirvana
- Eye Contact
- Freaks, Geeks and Asperger Syndrome
- Incorporating Social Goals in the Classroom
- Integrated Yoga
- Learning and Behavior Problems in Asperger Syndrome
- Look Me in the Eye
- Maverick Mind
- Mysterious Creatures
- Our Journey Through High Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome
- Rain Man
- Reweaving the Autistic Tapestry
- Seeing Ezra
- Snapshots of Autism
- Songs of the Gorilla Nation
- Targeting Autism
- Temple Grandin
- The Boy Who Loved Windows
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
- The Dragons of Autism
- The Flight of a Dove
- The Horse Boy
- The OASIS Guide to Asperger Syndrome
- The Ride Together
- The Speed of Dark
- Things Tom Likes
- Through the Glass Wall
- Weather Reports from the Autism Front
- What's Happening to Tom?
-
Links
-
Videos
- New Genetic Tools to Treat Autism and Pediatric Neurological Disorders
- Diagnosing and Treating Autism with Doris Trauner
- Talking to Our Kids With Autism Spectrum Disorder About Acts of Terrorism
- Talking to Our Kids With Autism Spectrum Disorder About Death
- Understanding the Genome and the Future of Autism Therapies
- What Is Asperger's?
- Autism Early Intervention
- Minority Children May Miss Autism Diagnosis
- Key Features of Autism
- Autism Puberty and Adolescence Toolkit
-
70 more
- Autism and Minorities
- Understanding the Genome and the Future of Autism Therapies
- Catching Autism Early
- The World of Autism PSA
- Is Asperger’s Syndrome Autism?
- Learning the Signs of Autism
- What is Autism?
- Understanding Autism
- Siblings of Children with Autism
- How Weighted Blankets May Lift Anxiety
- Caring for Children and Adolescents with Autism During COVID 19
- 1 in 45 autism prevalence explained
- Autism & Asperger's: What's The Difference?
- Screening for Signs of Autism
- Beyond the Data -- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Treating Autism
- What it’s like to have a brother on the autism spectrum
- iPads and Autism: 3 Features That Make the Tablet Easier to Use
- iPads and Autism: Getting the Most From Out-of-the-Box Apps
- Great Apps for Autism
- Teaching Social Skills to Teens with ASD
- ABA for Teens with ASD
- Customizing ABA Programs for Teens
- Autism Diagnosis and Access to Care in Minority Populations
- From Diagnosis to Treatment: The Revolution Driving Autism Research
- Reducing Disparities in Autism Diagnosis and Access to Care
- Autism Jargon: DRO
- Autism Jargon: NET
- 5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of ABA
- Autism Jargon: DTT
- Autism Jargon: Distractor
- Autism Jargon: Theory of Mind
- Autism Jargon: Pica
- Autism Jargon: Fluency
- Autism Jargon: Systematic Desensitization
- Is Asperger’s Included in the DSM5?
- Autism Jargon: Functional Communication Training
- 8 Questions to Ask Your Autism Service Provider
- Autism Jargon: Verbal Operants
- Autism Jargon: Establishing Operation
- Autism Jargon: Token Economy
- Treating Anxiety in Children and Teens with ASD
- Autism Jargon: Response Cost
- Teaching Soccer Skills to Kids with ASD
- "Focus on Ability, Not Disability"
- Dr. Tim Shriver: Intellectually Different ... Not Disabled
- P2I: Can We Prevent Autism?
- Autism Jargon: Positive Reinforcement
- Autism Jargon: Negative Reinforcement
- How the Diagnosis of Autism Helps Us Learn More About Autism
- Pathways for Treatments in Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Genetics of Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Autism Jargon: IEP
- My Inner Life with Asperger's
- Autism Jargon: Least Restrictive Environment
- Dealing with Challenging Behaviors
- How law enforcement and families work together to keep loved ones with autism safe
- Back to School: Homework Help!
- Advice on Telling Your Teen they have ASD
- Social Intervention Helps Adults With Autism
- Autism Jargon: Antecedent Modification
- Motor and Social Skill Function: Connecting Learning and Brain Function in Autism
- Minecraft for Autism
- Autism Signs
- CDC’s new update on autism: What you need to know
- Autism & Friendship
- Employment resources for adults with autism and their families
- Housing and residential support options for adults with autism
- Autism Spectrum Disorder: Many Questions Many Answers
- Diagnosing and Treating Autism
Topics
-
Related Topic Centers
-
Addictions
-
Aging & Elder Care
-
Assessments & Interventions
-
Career & Workplace
-
Emotional Well-Being
-
Life Issues
-
Parenting & Child Care
-
Abuse
-
ADHD: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
-
Adoption
-
Autism
-
Child & Adolescent Development: Overview
-
Child & Adolescent Development: Puberty
-
Child Development & Parenting: Early (3-7)
-
Child Development & Parenting: Infants (0-2)
-
Child Development & Parenting: Middle (8-11)
-
Child Development & Parenting:Adolescence (12-24)
-
Child Development Theory: Adolescence (12-24)
-
Child Development Theory: Middle Childhood (8-11)
-
Childhood Mental Disorders and Illnesses
-
Childhood Special Education
-
Divorce
-
Family & Relationship Issues
-
Intellectual Disabilities
-
Learning Disorders
-
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
-
Parenting
-
Self Esteem
-
-
Psychological Disorders
-
Anxiety Disorders
-
Bipolar Disorder
-
Conversion Disorders
-
Depression: Depression & Related Conditions
-
Dissociative Disorders
-
Domestic Violence and Rape
-
Eating Disorders
-
Impulse Control Disorders
-
Intellectual Disabilities
-
Mental Disorders
-
Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
-
Personality Disorders
-
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
-
Schizophrenia
-
Sexual Disorders
-
Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
-
Suicide
-
Tourettes and other Tic Disorders
-