Merge / Disciple: Two Short Novels From Crosstown To Oblivion (2012) - Plot & Excerpts
This most versatile author,Walter Mosley,explores some intriguing questions in these two short novels: how would aliens communicate with us? Why would they bother? Would this communication be for our/their good or ill? Would we welcome them or exterminate them? Could they understand our society? By what standards do they evaluate us? Perhaps the underlying questions are by what standards do we evaluate our society? And do we celebrate or exterminate people who are different from us? It took me awhile to get through these novellas and I preferred Disciple to Merge. Merge, I found to be really gross. The overall idea here is that humans are bad and aliens are smarter and know more about us than we do. I had a hard time relating to any of the characters, but that is something I have gotten used to. Overall, the writing is pretty good, it just wasn't riveting. I found myself reaching for other things to read instead. Finally, it was due at the library and I just sat down and finished it. I would NOT recommend this set as a introduction to SciFi for the uninitiated, despite Mosley's fan base. I think some seasoned in the genre may respect some of the ideas presented in both of the stories. I also give major props for featuring characters that are everyday joes who are broke and down on their luck. Overall, not bad, but not ground shaking.
What do You think about Merge / Disciple: Two Short Novels From Crosstown To Oblivion (2012)?
I won this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. Looking forward to reading it. Thank you.
—noro
I've now read more than a dozen Walter Mosley books and would recommend this one to anyone.
—LibLady
another wonderful book, 2 in this case, in the legacy of Walter Mosley.
—Alex
