**Thoughtful, provocative, poignant, unforgettable, The Speed of Dark
is a gripping journey into the mind of an autistic person as he
struggles with profound questions of humanity and matters of the
heart.
**
In the near future, disease will be a condition of the past. Most
genetic defects will be removed at birth; the remaining during infancy.
Lou Arrendale, a high-functioning autistic adult, is a member of the
lost generation, born at the wrong time to reap the rewards of medical
science. He lives a low-key, independent life. But then he is offered a
chance to try a brand-new experimental "cure" for his condition. With
this treatment Lou would think and act and be just like everyone else.
But if he was suddenly free of autism, would he still be himself? Would
he still love the same classical music--with its complications and
resolutions? Would he still see the same colors and patterns in the
world--shades and hues that others cannot see? Most important, would he
still love Marjory, a woman who may never be able to reciprocate his
feelings? Now Lou must decide if he should submit to a surgery that
might completely change the way he views the world . . . and the very
essence of who he is.
Tenth anniversary edition - With a new Introduction by the author
Praise for The Speed of Dark
"Splendid and graceful . . . A lot of novels promise to change the way a
reader sees the world; The Speed of Dark actually does."--The
Washington Post Book World
"[A] beautiful and moving story . . . [Elizabeth] Moon is the mother
of an autistic teenager and her love is apparent in the story of Lou. He
makes a deep and lasting impact on the reader while showing a different
way of looking at the world."--The Denver Post
"Every once in a while, you come across a book that is both an important
literary achievement and a completely and utterly absorbing reading
experience--a book with provocative ideas and an equally compelling
story. Such a book is The Speed of Dark."--Fort Lauderdale
Sun-Sentinel
"A remarkable journey [that] takes us into the mind of an autistic
with a terrible choice: become normal or remain an alien on his own
planet."--Mary Doria Russell, author of The Sparrow
"A powerful portrait . . . an engaging journey into the dark edges that
define the self."--The Seattle Times
