A review by righteousridel
The Gap Into Conflict: The Real Story by Stephen R. Donaldson
2.0
Okay - I honestly thought that reviewers were over-sensitive but this novel has fairly explicit rape scenes and combined with narration from the perpetrator's perspective, may be very difficult for many readers to read. That alone explains a low rating. It's very difficult to highly rate a complex, masterful work when the subject matter is so distasteful.
And that is my conflict: the author has done a masterful job writing from the perspective of a rapist. You can almost empathize with the main character and their narration. Maybe a part of you even cheers him on, hoping that he will survive despite the odds. Do I feel dirty just suggesting these things? Yeah. I respect the author, but how can I recommend this book without suggesting that I agree with the actions of the main?
If you can accept that fiction is fiction, then behind the curtains is a terrifically complex, multi-layered story that purposefully shows how easy the *real story* is distorted and lost to our biases. The first few chapters are very rough, but once you get deep into Angus's plot line, things pick up pace and it's quite the ride. The near-future setting in space is critical to the plot, character motivations, and I appreciate that because I'm getting sick of authors writing stories where it's just some plot IN SPACE!
So am I going to recommend this to anyone? No. Absolutely not. But I won't lie -- I liked this novel and will read the next one, and I'm going to cross my fingers that book 2 is a fine place to start because then it's acceptable to skip this moral quandary and never speak about this book again.
UPDATE: Book 2 is not any better. If you couldn't stand his short story, break it off right now. I quit after suffering through the entire sequel and the many rape scenes. Downgraded to 2 stars.
And that is my conflict: the author has done a masterful job writing from the perspective of a rapist. You can almost empathize with the main character and their narration. Maybe a part of you even cheers him on, hoping that he will survive despite the odds. Do I feel dirty just suggesting these things? Yeah. I respect the author, but how can I recommend this book without suggesting that I agree with the actions of the main?
If you can accept that fiction is fiction, then behind the curtains is a terrifically complex, multi-layered story that purposefully shows how easy the *real story* is distorted and lost to our biases. The first few chapters are very rough, but once you get deep into Angus's plot line, things pick up pace and it's quite the ride. The near-future setting in space is critical to the plot, character motivations, and I appreciate that because I'm getting sick of authors writing stories where it's just some plot IN SPACE!
So am I going to recommend this to anyone? No. Absolutely not. But I won't lie -- I liked this novel and will read the next one, and I'm going to cross my fingers that book 2 is a fine place to start because then it's acceptable to skip this moral quandary and never speak about this book again.
UPDATE: Book 2 is not any better. If you couldn't stand his short story, break it off right now. I quit after suffering through the entire sequel and the many rape scenes. Downgraded to 2 stars.