Customer Reviews

The Department of Off World Affairs

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

When was the last time that hard sci-fi was fun? Not just slick, neat, clever, ironic, sarcastic, satirical, deep, witty, or entertaining, but genuinely fun. Was it as far back as the original Star Wars trilogy for you? Even further back? Was it as far back as Lost In Space comic books, Star Trek television reruns, or the visionary novels of space-faring cultures from the 50's and 60's?

Well, if you want smart, sci-fi for the 21st century, Russell Lutz's new novel, The Department of Off World Affairs is for you. Though I mentioned above some of the pillars of the golden age of science fiction, Lutz's new book succeeds because he manages to capture the intrepid and adventurous spirit of these older works, while still remaining relevant and connected to the very human issues that surround our lives.

Being a fan of Iota Cycle, the format of The Department of Off World Affairs was recognizable immediately. It would be incorrect to say that DOWA is a thematic or spiritual off-shoot of the previous book, however, because many of the similarities end there, and DOWA represents a huge leap forward in Lutz's skill and craft.

Instead of following generations of humans over the course of several decades this story follows essentially a handful of central characters over the course of only a few years. I found that change alone to be strengthening of the narrative cohesiveness, but I was additionally surprised by Lutz stepping far outside the lines he previously drew with Iota Cycle and tackling a complex characterization throughline that involved one man, two women, a starship, and a diverse cast of completely-realized alien "visitors". There is mystery here, intrigue, sociopolitical strife, family unrest, ideological clash, economic consequence, xenophobia, and even a, dare I say... jubilant... love scene. All of which is couched in the same mind-bendingly imaginative hard science background as Iota Cycle, that ever so easily throws the switch responsible for our suspension of disbelief.

The best part, however, wasn't the terrific characterization or the rich plot. It wasn't the steady, punctuated narrative flow that kept me glued to the page, or the whiz-bang scientific principles that wove so effortlessly through the themes of the modern human condition. The best part is that it was fun. You won't find any dark trench-coated, sunglass-wearing anti-heroes here. Nor will you find crushing inevitability or alienation from society. You won't find clichés of plot or rehashes of theme. You won't find a world that's used-up, burnt-out, or soulless. What you will find is a universe or imagination that's bursting with possibility, creativity, change, and cautious optimism.

That's the really rare commodity here, and the one for which I was the most thankful not as a fan of sci-fi, but as a human being in general.

With the Department of Off World Affairs, Russell Lutz has shattered the ceiling of his own considerable talent, and it stands as a fully-realized, and magnificent achievement in modern science fiction.

A novel about "Them" discovering us with every variety of alien and how we respond to them, with all but a few being "good" aliens. The concept is very interesting but as a book it feels more like a string of short stories than a coherent novel. Might well make an excellent [if expensive] tv series! Maybe thats what the author has in mind all along

I was looking for a new alien contact novel, something along the lines of Rebecca Ore's Tom Red-Clay trilogy or Terry Dowling's Wormwood and decided to give this a try when it came up in my search.

I thought it was a well-written and interesting take on first contact. Or, first contacts in this case! It caught my interest right away and I read it straight through. The descriptions of the aliens weren't as in-depth as I'd wished for, but still enough information was given to make them interesting. What I liked most about the novel was that neither the humans nor the aliens by and large fell into the typical stereotypes. Good/Evil, All-Out War-mongers/Complete Pushovers, whatever. The interactions were much more nuanced than that.

I hope to see more novels like this from this author!

I'm a fan of science fiction from time to time. I found this book to be enjoyable and thought provoking.