Review of 'The Siren's of Titan' by Kurt Vonnegut.

So far, the Sci-fi Masterworks series seems to have lived up to its name.

I had never heard of this author or this book before I decided, on a whim, to buy it. Now, having read it I am supremely glad that it entered my circle of awareness. The Sirens of Titan was written in the late fifties, so certain elements of the science fiction of the time have to be instantly taken into account. However, starting from this basis, it is a fantastically amusing and wonderful story.

In this particular future, space travel has been halted because of the discovery of a 'chrono-synclastic infundibulum,' which is a bizarre kind of spatial anomaly. One man decided to enter this anomaly, with his dog, and as a consequence finds that he is spread over space, only materialising at certain intervals. The benefit, however, is that he can see into the future.

This story has a wonderful cast of characters, and is beautifully told. It is an exceptionally easy read, being written in a simplistic, almost childlike tone, without being too childish. But at the same time, it is quietly philosophical, and often outright hilarious. It has an almost perfect balance of thought-provoking text, interesting plot developments and entertainment. The reader can leave it laughing, and dismiss it as an amusing read, or they can be engrossed in the story line, in finding out how the characters get to where they are going, and what happens there. Alternatively, it provides discussion material, in the form of age-old questions about whether the future is set in stone, or whether we can have any say in our own destiny.

I enjoyed this book so much that aside from a few comments about the way that science fiction has changed in the intervening years, I cannot find any negative points to mention. Yes, there is the fact that nowadays authors would never get away with native aliens on other planets in our solar system. Yes, there is the interesting juxtaposition between technology we consider antiquated, and technology we still have yet to achieve. Yes, there is the fact that the mood, characterisation and even length of this novel are somewhat of-its-time. But even so, I feel it has aged very well.

This book is deservedly described as a classic, and I would recommend it to everyone, whether or not they were a science fiction fan, because I feel it has universal appeal.