Babel-17/Empire Star: Nebula Award Winner

I bought it because Delany is a well-known sci-fi author and I had never read anything by him. I must say that reading it in English has been quite hard, since it is not my native language. Still, I liked it very much. Now, when I think of sci-fi novels, the first names coming to my mind are Delany and Asimov.

Babel-17 is an excellent book around the theme of language and how it affects our perception of the world. It is definitely something to read if you want to think beyond the plot -- it is not written under the modern (i.e., 2023-2024) parameters of "every event must push the plot" or "motivation has to be extremely clear". This book will take you on a journey, especially because oftentimes, the characters themselves are not privy to everything that happens -- and thus, some events become clearer after the book has ended. Something to consider is that I wouldn't classify this as science fiction only, but more as sci-fantasy. Let me elaborate. There is a large component of space travel, but it is not your usual, navy-inspired, highly-tactical travel either -- it is completely unique and fantastical. For example, pilots are plugged into the piloting seat (the most comparable thing is how pilots are plugged into the gundams in Gundams:Orphans), and the sensors of a ship are used only by "discorporate" people. "Discorporate" are people who lost their bodies (dead? Unclear, who cares!), and part of the machinery is operated/cleaned by a platoon of under 17yo. You will not get much of the space-travelling mechanics spelled out; the "science" is on the language, not on the mechanics. Moreover, people can undergo some cosmetic surgery that alters the body (but there is no body horror), which is akin to going for a walk-in tattoo... so there are humans with paws and fangs, dragons inserted in their joints, etc. It's quite curious, and you won't find any terribly descriptive scenes about someone undergoing a mod. The only remark here is that some of the modifications are unique and original, but the narrator (most of the time, Rydra) presents it as common... leading to fleeting descriptions that leave you to imagine these people as best as you can. Likewise, something to note is that it is classical SF, but you will not find sexism nor racism, albeit some people look modded-people as odd -- but nothing too jarring. However, some words are a bit outdated (e.g., a character is described as "Oriental" once); there is quite a positive outlook on mental health, and on polyamorous relationships. Then again, neither of these topics is the point of the book, and mentions are very scarce and quick. The main character is a woman, a linguist, and she is very interesting to follow. The writing is outright amazing, but something to be aware of is how the writing is used. Without giving much away from the plot, Babel-17 is a language that has very unconventional rules and allowances. Therefore, when the protagonist (Rydra) thinks in Babel-17 the text is written <i>very</i> differently (e.g., the punctuation is different). More interesting is when Rydra is thinking in Babel-17 and translates her thoughts to English speach... the words are weird. If you are bilingual or polyglot, you know what I mean -- some words do not have a "perfect match" across languages, and then you end up with "good enough" approximations. This happens quite a lot in the book, so <b>be flexible</b> and keep that in mind, especially if you only speak a single language. Overall, it is honestly a refreshing read, even if it is old. It is different, it is nuanced, and in many parts you'll need to re-read them and give yourself time to reflect on them. You shouldn't be reading this as much for the plot or the characters (this is definitely not character-driven), but more to see how the theme (language) creates a conflict and solves it. Overall, I'd say it is a comfortable read, in the sense that nothing too terrible will happen, nothing too dark or grim. But it is definitely a story worth mulling over.

I like Delaney’s writing. It is detailed, innovative and elegantly constructed. The work still feels new and in no way dated. This particular novel (an award winner) is a great read. Treat the science fiction fan in your life - they won’t be disappointed.

I get easily provoked into reading books described as difficult or unreadable. Because of that Samuel R. Delany’s Dhalgren has sat on my Amazon wishlist for babel 17 about a year now. Eventually I will read it. But I have other things to do first. I decided that before I conquered Dhalgren I would look into Delany’s other books, most notably Babel-17. This is the story of a linguist tasked with deciphering an alien language used to attack Earth. I thought that Delany’s vision of the future was interesting, especially the idea of people receiving copious plastic surgeries and enhancements. The best part of Babel-17 was the discussion of language, and I found Delany’s ideas of future alien interactions interesting. In Babel-17 humans do not really interact with other alien civilizations, because the differences in language makes their cultures so different that they can not really interact. Humans and aliens are allies, but their cultures can not mix. I thought that that was a really interesting and practical look at the future, and underscored the ideas of the book. Unfortunately, Babel-17 was not that interesting in terms of style and writing. It was one of those books that they ideas present in it are more interesting than the ideas themselves. Looking back on Babel-17, I can say that I really enjoyed the ideas of language and culture, but I did not have a lot of fun reading the book itself. My copy of Babel-17 came printed with the novella Empire Star which was an incredibly interesting story about the cyclical nature of time. Empire Star was more enjoyable to read than Babel-17 and completely mind blowing. Purchasing Babel-17 was worth it just to read Empire Star.

A chunky well written book with an interesting premise. Begins really well but I began to lose interest about half way through. It does create a believable world and is definitely worth a read.