The Speed of Dark [B1962]

2004 PB with some wear. 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. "[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.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Brilliant portrayal of life as seen through the eyes of a high-functioning autistic thirty-something young man. While there are elements of science fiction in this book, the fact that this book is a Nebula Prize winner might lead to some unmet expectations."; "I can't explain why, but I feel like a slightly better version of myself after reading this. I feel just a little warmth on the inside."; "I read that Elizabeth Moon has an autistic son and would speculate that this story (which won a Nebula Award) is straight from the heart and very personal. I'm not sure I'm happy with how it turns out but respect the choices that Lou makes and cost that they bear."; "The characters were great. As the mother of an autistic man I could relate and really care about Lou. The prose was so lovely and poetic at times. Just a joy to read."