Destiny Doll

Weird batch of reviews here. *I* found this to be one of the better Simak, not only imaginative but also coherent, and also with well-developed characters. I did find myself reading more closely than I do sometimes; perhaps that's key. For example, why is Ross such a jerk? Think about it. Don't draw your conclusion too tightly until the very end. Are the hobbies robots, or not? What is the significance of the doll?

I read the cover with the pink hair and hand 'mirror' and that, too may have influenced appreciation of the book because I had to work to figure out what the illustrator was going for. A more literal cover is currently the default here on GR, the wooden doll, background of sparkly tall city, deep blue star-studded sky.

3.75

There are two separate Simak "to-read" piles that I mentally keep track of: the "I think this might be good" pile and the "completionist pile". Destiny Doll fell into the latter. The other three books I'd read from his '70s output did not impress me, and so while I was interested in the premise, I was expecting it to be an average romp with maybe some sprinklings of goodness, and at the end of the day I would be able to cross off another title on the bibliography.

Instead, Destiny Doll was a pleasant surprise and I'm not really sure why it isn't better regarded. We get a ragtag crew; a jerk captain-for-hire, a monk, and a telepathic blind man all along for the ride with a woman bent on chasing a legend on a distant planet. The scene show more is well set with a mysterious and seemingly malicious lost civilization, and hints of an even more ancient one before it. The world is populated with the bizarre likes of sentient rocking horses, centaurs, a single gnome and violently defensive trees, creating a vibe of nightmarish whimsy. It's not unheard of for Simak to inject fantasy elements into his science fiction, but while it typically can feel a little silly, here it's nicely contrasted with a cynical protagonist and a dark air of mystery. The part-fantasy aesthetic and mystical/spiritual nature of the story does, I feel, bring it into the realm of being more than just science fiction.

As far as Simak goes, and even the genre, the characters here are fairly well-drawn. They have personality, traits that make them unique, flaws that make them relatable, and I sometimes found myself physically reacting to the circumstances that befell them. Although Destiny Doll is quite a pensive work, it was still a breeze to read through and if I'd had the time I probably would have consumed it in a day. The prose is effective in conveying an atmosphere and the internal philosophising doesn't feel pretentious (unlike, say, the laborious A Choice of Gods).

There's a lot about the world that's hinted at, but not clarified, and I enjoyed the ambiguity. I only wish it had carried through to the end, which felt over-tidy. It's possible I've missed what Simak was going for, but I was expecting something a little more quiet and bittersweet. Instead, a lot of stuff seemed to be racing to wrap up in the last ten pages or so and I wasn't really sold on it.

All the same, and in spite of the ending, I think this is probably among Simak's best. It's an enjoyable and thought-provoking read, exploring spiritual themes and the nature of destiny. I would recommend it to any fan as a must-read. show less

3/5

An enjoyable piece of pulp writing from the middle of Simak's writing years. It has a wonderfully bizarre setting and creatures that, combined with solid pacing, make it easy to read and continue reading.

A group of adventurers quest for a prize of unknown value and identity. Their only direction is from a blind telepath who has a connection to an unknown entity across the galaxy. The journey brings them to a planet that latches to their craft with a tractor beam and bring them to a towering, silent, glittering white city that is patrolled by creatures that resemble wooden horses. There are giant intelligence collecting trees, an octopus/centipede creature who has the powers of a demigod, roving bands of centaurs that play polo in show more the desert, and robotic rocking horses entities that serve as a mode of transportation. Not the weirdest book that I've read, but within the upper percentile for sure.

The first three quarters of Destiny Doll is mostly an adventure story. It hits a lot of the beats that you would expect but doesn't feel especially bland doing so. Towards the end, the story evolves into a more reflective work, as the main character is forced to question his choices and tie the pieces of the mystery together. Both sections were enjoyable for their own reasons, but neither stood out as excellent. The ending left me feeling unsatisfied. There's some pretty big reveals towards the end, regarding the treasure the group set out looking for and the planet itself, neither of which are explored to any degree. The novel finishes too abruptly.

The characters, unfortunately, are forgettable. The insufferable main character, Captain Ross, is especially grating, as he complains ceaselessly about his companions. I'm sure that there is some thematic reasoning for this, but I simply couldn't stand it after the first quarter of the book. It's hard to find a character interesting if they exclusively whine all the time. The rest of the characters are not memorable but are all unique compared to each other and serve their role well enough. The prose is passable but unremarkable. Certain passages, when Simak tries to write with style, either come out sounding like trite, feel awkward in their structure, or are

There's a lot of discussion in the book of about personal fulfillment, as each character in turn finds their own personal version of nirvana. What can we do to help each other find that place where we feel called too? What should we do if we don't agree with someone else's destiny? How can we find our own nirvana if we feel lost or alone? I'm glad that there is some form of theme, even if it's not it isn't the best explored.

Not the worst novel from Simak, but not the best either, though I would say that it slides somewhere towards the positive end of that spectrum. show less

Here Simak explores the nature of destiny, especially how motivation, desires, deceptions, fears, and chance all alter life outcomes and propel us to alternative realities. The action takes place mainly on a surreal planet that was once the home of an advanced civilization. The planet serves as a way station for departure to points unknown, and indeed during the course of the story the major characters each disappear from their original cohort and move to an subsequent existence elsewhere. On one level this is everyone's fate and Simak uses another planet as a way to spur readers to consider their own fate in this way. Well worth reading and pondering.

Even the good authors have an oops sometimes.