Nova (1968)

Captain Lorq von Ray is an Ahab style character, obsessed with obtaining a massive amount of Illyrion, a rare element that is most needed for space travel. To this end, he assembles a crew of misfits and they all go up against a rival corporation headed by Prince and Ruby Red.

The most exciting element of this book for me was the flashback that revealed how Captain von Ray came to be who he is, but the rest was rather dull for me. A lot of it championed isn't-this-neat science and intellectual ramblings rather than character development or fun adventure. I did kind of like how it ended, which was an isn't-it-neat ending. But over all this wasn't a favorite for me. ( )

Delany's Nova is nearly exactly as old as me (written in 1966-7, first published in August 1968), and I am stunned at how well it has aged. Although it is a short novel, it is a sprawling space opera set in the 32nd century, and its optimistic forecast for a technologically accomplished galactic humanity is still one that seems believable today (as long as one can imagine our civilization surviving its several impending comeuppances). This is a book that's been on my radar as a vague "to be read someday" for many, many years. In a way, I'm glad I didn't read it any earlier, because it's all the more impressive for its sustained integrity.

There's no way that anyone would have considered making this a movie when it was published in the 1960s. But in the 21st century we have both the effects technology and the audience sophistication to make it worthwhile. The Wachowskis could totally pull it off. Still, Delany is resolutely literary in this book, with the character Katin serving as a metafictionally reflexive anchor: he aspires to write a novel, an anachronistic impossibility in his star-spanning culture.

The story has a fine central ensemble of characters in the crew of the starship Roc: gypsy musician, moonish intellectual, soft-spoken cartomancer, scarred quester, and so on. The villains are detestable enough, although they have their justifications, and the heroes are interestingly flawed. There are exotic and inspiring landscapes, architecture, and space vistas. It's got grittiness and high sentiment, social philosophy and action-adventure. There's even a metafictional brag that it contains some sort of "mystical symbolism." In any case, it's a worthwhile read.

this is still one of my favorite Delany novels. i just re-read it for the third time and it was just as delicious as i remember...no, even more so. Delany's sense of literary style and affect is second to none. that being said, i'm sure much of it is over my head. just smile and nod.

so, yeah, i realize that there are a lot of grail and other references --- does anyone know where a comprehensive list of these reference might be available? i'm curious about it. also, i don't plan on reading all that ezra pound suggested reading list so that i can understand it all. in any case, even without being able to understand all the cultural, literary, and other references, the book is still a smash. ( )

Another intriguing classic SF work from Delany, notable for its fascination with language, the sense of rich cultural diversities and possibilities it presents us with, a lingering sense of the fantastic at play (particularly in the use of the Tarot), and how the obsessions of the characters pulse through the narrative. The ending may be a little too abrupt, the prose occasionally overly-rich, and the characters less psychologically complex than those in the author's "Babel-17", but it still made for an interesting and enjoyable read. ( )

Lorq von Ray is the head of one of the biggest corporations in the galaxy that for years has worked hand-in-hand with the Red corporation, currently headed by incestuous brother/sister partners Prince and Ruby. But now internal fighting between the two has made von Ray determined to find his corporation's own supply of Illyrion, normally supplied by the Reds. He's heard rumors you can fly through the center of a nova (an imploding star) and survive and that Illyrion is inside. He gathers an unlikely crew in a race against the clock to gather the fuel.

One of my updates on GoodReads said, "Reading this book is like going to the dentist," and I still think that's the most apt review of it. The plot drags, two characters are presented in a way that bumped my racism button, backstory is revealed at the wrong time or for the wrong people, and one character is such an obvious Mary Sue it's painful.

The only thing that keeps this book from one star is that it does, in fact, have a plot and is readable. Of course, I can't for the life of me figure out anyone who would want to read this if they knew what they were getting themselves into.

Check out my full review: http://wp.me/pp7vL-Gy (Link will be live on January 18, 2012). ( )