science fiction | Books and my backpack

Is there intelligent life out there? Are we being watched? Do aliens live amongst us?

In The Humans, Matt Haig answers “yes” to these questions in an intriguing story that explores the best and worst parts of human nature.

The story begins when an alien is sent to Earth to kill Cambridge University mathematics professor Andrew Martin and erase all evidence of his recent discovery, which threatens the Universe. He quickly kills the mathematician, takes his place in Martin’s human form, then moves into his home to carry out the killings of Martin’s wife and 15-year-old son.

His task is not as simple as it seems. His naiveté about proper human behavior, like wearing clothes, leads to hysterical situations in this dark comedy. He has been taught that humans are fallible, not that smart, and lack the powers his kind have back on his planet. And they don’t live forever. While bumbling through his new life, Martin finds a way into the heart of his “son” Gulliver, who had been alienated from his selfish and detached real dad.

The Humans is as moving as it is playful and, in the end, I was drawn to its sentimentality and uplifting theme.

In a note at the end of book, Haig explains that he came up with the story idea in 2000 while in the grips of a panic disorder. Although he wrote other books in the meantime, The Humans is a story he ultimately wanted to tell so he could relate the “weird and often frightening beauty of being human.”

Matt Haig has rocketed to literary success through his children’s books, a memoir (Reasons to Stay Alive), and other novels. His latest novel, How to Stop Time, is being made into a motion picture by actor/producer Benedict Cumberbatch. I will soon post my review of that book.

The Humans is one of the best books I have read in 2023.

Is Frank Herbert’s Dune a timeless masterpiece or beyond boring?

The 1965 novel, often referred to as “soft” science fiction, is back among the bestsellers, thanks to the blockbuster 2021 movie. The book is the first of six novels that Herbert wrote. Devoted fans read the books over and over, but many say they find the reading tedious.

Set thousands of years in the future when humans have colonized other planets, the action takes place on Arrakis, a desert world with–of course–sand dunes and Melange, a spice that extends life and sharpens mental acuity. (Herbert had become familiar with sand dunes when he lived in Florence, Oregon.)

Giant sand worms protect the spice and Duke Leto Atreides and his family come to Arrakis to rule the valuable planet. His rival is Baron Harkonnen. Leto (and eventually his son Paul) enlists the help of the Fremen, desert natives. These are feudal societies and the weapons during duels are swords and knives, not lightsabers.

Back to the opening question. I found the book a chore to read, sometimes laden with cumbersome dialogue and narrative. Herbert created an intriguing planet in Arrakis, but some characters felt more than a world away from being people I cared much about. Highlights were Paul’s duels and the stories about his lifelong training to be a leader and the best fighter in the universe. The sand worms added excitement and I am looking forward to seeing how they are created in the film. For me, Dune was hardly ”beyond boring,” but not a masterpiece either.

I admit my science-fiction reading aptitude is below par. So, I say, give the book a chance if you haven’t already. It is worth the journey and if you are a sci-fi aficionado, you have likely read the entire series more than once. For the rest of us, it might help to refer to a synopsis occasionally to avoid getting lost.

Now, on to the new film, streaming for $25. Will it be better than the book?