Spaceland: A Novel of the Fourth Dimension by Rudy Rucker
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Book Reviews of Spaceland: A Novel of the Fourth Dimension
Book Review: A good exposure to the fourth dimension, but...
Summary: 3 Stars
It is clear that Rucker has read Edwin Abbott's "Flatland," and bases his story loosely on it. Even his choice of "Joe Cube" as the hero's name (a cube is the 3-dimensional analog of a square, and Abbott's hero was literally a square!) is an allusion to Abbott's book. It is really hard to write why I did not like the book without giving away the ending, however. My biggest problem is that, early on in the book, you decide on "good guys" and "bad guys," but in reading the whole book, you end up having to change your earlier assignment of those roles, in a way I find unnerving.I read this book at about the same time as Ian Stewart's "Flatterland." Both are in a sense alike in being fictional sequels to "Flatland," though Stewart's book is more closely resemblant to Abbott's original. This book is more of an adventure, while Stewart's is more didactic in terms of conveying a good impression of the spaces it treats; it also covers more varieties of spaces than this book. I rather prefer Stewart's book, though I can imagine that people more interested in the novel aspects may reverse this preference.
Book Review: Vivid imagination but unlikeable characters...
Summary: 2 Stars
Having just come across reviews of Rudy Rucker's work accidentally last week I decided to check out his website (which is very good) and Spaceland, about which I have very mixed feelings. To start with the good comments: Mr. Rucker's imagination in clearly above-average, sort of a combination style-wise of Star Trek and George Carlin's "hippy dippy" era material. (That's a good thing). But I almost wrote a review of this novel before finishing it because, well, the characters are just so damn unlikeable, even nasty. Many elements of the story are obnoxious and not very believable as well; I wasn't offended by the sexual content (though it seemed a little out of place) but the wild, pointless mood-swings of the characters and the meanness they treated each other with gave a bad vibe to the actual story. I finished Spaceland a few minutes ago and am glad I read it overall, but not in the overwhelming way I felt when discovering Octavia Butler's amazing books, for example. (HIGHLY recommended, if you're wondering). Spaceland is full of (dated) high-tech, dot-com excitement but the story itself may leave you, well, flat. PS: It was a real toss-up for me between giving this 2 or 3 stars but I went with two, not because the book is terrible, but to clearly draw attention to some of the aspects of it that many of the above, more-common 3-star reviews have mentioned lightly (like the unlikeable characters). These elements just bothered me more, I guess, and sometimes got in the way of enjoying Mr. Rucker's wild, playful thinking. One more thing: I will read more of Rudy Rucker (I have "Postsingular" next on my list) and you should know that this man is a WONDERFUL artist. Visit his site (rudyrucker.com) and check out the wonderful, colorful, intensely imaginative paintings he shows there. That alone is worth your time. Here's hoping "Postsingular" retains the wild imagination of Spaceland but leaves mean, spiteful characters behind. Dave S. Springfield, Mo. (doctordavestone.com)