Sirius: A Fantasy Of Love And Discord (1979) - Plot & Excerpts
"Sirius" is a thoroughly enjoyable novel in its own right - a delight to read just for its plot. But "Sirius" is also meant to encourage philosophical thought, which it does in a delicate, subtle, and very approachable way. As with all good books of this sort, "Sirius" raises many more questions than are answered.Ostensibly, "Sirius" is a science fiction novel. I think you'll agree Sci-fi generally doesn't age well - this was written in 1944 - so you might be inclined to pre-emptively dismiss this as hopelessly outdated. Not so. "Sirius" maintains its relevancy by keeping science in the background. What science there is remains quite believable and plausible - only the briefest internal struggle is necessary to make it compatible with our modern knowledge. Essentially, the main character, Sirius, is a sentient quadrupedal dog created by a scientist, and who has acquired mostly human sensibilities through being raised by a human family alongside their own children. Sirius' development and upbringing closely parallels the scientist's youngest daughter, Plaxy, with whom he forms a close and unique life-long bond. Plaxy, while biologically entirely human, is fundamentally altered (yet not overtly) by her close upbringing and relationship with Sirius.Most of the text deals with humanity - or more specifically, a non-human sentient's perspective and interactions with the society of Britain in the 1930-40s. "Sirius" manages to be engaging right from the start while also raising serious questions about humanity and its worth, delivered through an accounting of Sirius' daily life, adventures, and misadventures. The book accomplishes this without preaching - one gets a sense that the author has been careful not to trample upon the narrative for the sake of hammering home a point.To go into greater detail, the central issue is Sirius' "otherness." His mood is at some times that of a pet dog, subservient to humans and humanity, then a savage wolf resenting his human oppressors, then a human trying to relate to others in a human way, and more than anything, a combination of all three aspects, in which state he cannot fit into any of society's niches. Sirius oscillates between all these states as he tries to determine who he is, who he is meant to be, who he wants to be, and how to be true to himself. Sometimes Sirius wishes to fit in with human society, other times that is of no importance to him, and when in his "wolf" mood he finds humanity repulsive, but always he is "other," a permanent outsider. Sirius is neither dog nor man and he suffers for it. Stapledon's presentation of Sirius' sentient yet non-human perspective on humanity is uniquely masterful and convincing, but its true value is in provoking the reader to think about humanity, oneself, and one's relationship with humanity.Sirius is a luminous masterpiece.
'Sirius' is one of those haunting, one-of-a-kind books that will stay with you far longer than it takes to read its 190-odd pages. Sometimes joyful, often searing; through the eyes of his unique protagonist Stapledon takes a scalpel to humanity, and the skill of his dissection is reason enough to recommend this book.I'd also recommend 'Sirius' to anyone interested in writing sentient, communicative animals while respecting their underlying biology.Yes, the main character is a bioengineered, talking dog with human-level intelligence, the only one of his kind. Sounds clichéd and awful, right? Wrong. In completely non-emotive, even detached and dry language Stapledon delivers a huge emotional and philosophical punch. This short book is a parable of the destruction of an individual spirit by society, and a terrible indictment of humanity's faults."Why did you make only one of me? It's going to be lonely being me."Sirius can't fit in either as a dog or as a human, though he's driven by impulses from both species. He flips between savagery and tenderness in a heartbeat. He hates not having hands, can't see colour or distinguish shapes very well, but smells and sounds to him communicate a whole world that humans can't touch. In fact, all of the descriptions of his dog-mode existence are totally compelling. At the same time he's capable of strong emotional bonds with humans, loving "as only a dog can", notably the girl with whom he was raised from birth. The relationship between the two of them is disturbing yet beautiful, and is at the core of the book.For such a short read 'Sirius' is overflowing with themes. The inability of science or religion, taken individually, to satisfy the spirit; the nature of individuality and of self-worth; the joy of empathy - even across species - in contrast with the tragedy of loneliness; the corrosive effects of fear, bigotry and intolerance when society has to deal with the unknown.'Sirius' was first published in 1944, but don't let the vintage put you off. Stapledon is better known for the epic scope of 'Last and First Men' and 'Star Maker', but 'Sirius' will break your heart.
What do You think about Sirius: A Fantasy Of Love And Discord (1979)?
Whilst it may initially seem like it's going to be high-concept and philosophical, this books delivers in a much more subtle manner. Told from the view of an outsider - a man who knows the woman who knows the dog, and then gets to know Sirius himself later - it is compelling and often heart-breaking. Stapledon's focus on the relationships between the characters creates a sense of realism often lacking in science fiction, and Sirius stops being a philosophical concept and becomes a person. That's not to say this books isn't full of interesting issues and concepts, but rather, that it doesn't feel like it is about them - instead, it is about the characters dealing with them. It is not a pretty, or happy, picture that we are painted, but it is an interesting, complex world and discussion of personhood and purpose that I am yet to see matched. If there is one flaw to be found, it is the style of prose. It's very straight-forward, and any subtlety to be had is in the characters themselves rather than the language. If you're looking for something more poetic, it perhaps won't be your thing, but as someone who usually dislikes this sort of writing style, I found it worth persevering due to falling in love with the story itself.Simply put, one of the best books I have read to date, and one I would recommend to anyone with an interest in character-driven fiction.
—Jenni
"There is no place for me in man's world, and there is no other world for me. There is no place for me anywhere in the universe" - page 190.Sirius is probably Stapledon's most intimate novel that both demonstrates his maturity as a writer and his finesse as a contemplator on what it is to be human. The book is made all the more remarkable when it is realised that these observations on humanity are observed through the eyes of the dog Sirius who has his level of intelligence raised to that of a human beings.Stapledon is at his best when he is operating outside of the box and nowhere is that more true than in this tale of a super-intelligent dog's odyssey for spiritual understanding and acceptance both in regards to his conflicted human/canine nature and in the eyes of his human companions.Sirius is a study of the self and that self's exploration of reality and his contemplations of what, if anything, lay beyond the immediate impressions of this reality. Indeed, some of the best moments in the book are Sirius's wonderings in religion and in the conflicts between his human higher functions and instinctual wolf nature.Overall, Sirius has less of the vast scale typically attributed to Stapledon and his other well known works, but when dealing with the subject of the interior soul Sirius is bolder, braver and vastly more human than Stapledon's previous odysseys. This is Stapledon coming to turns with his own nature and encouraging the reader to do likewise.
—Peter O'Brien
A pesar de tenerlo hace años en mi biblioteca no lo había leido. Pero recordé Ciudad de Simak y hojeándolo, para recordarlo, leí que decía que eran dos libros los que tenían buena fama sobre el tema de los perros y la CF, Ciudad y Sirio. Entonces, armado de paciencia y anticipando una lectura casi decimonónica fue que empecé a leer Sirio. Y si, por partes es medio aburridón y previsible, pero son pocas partes realmente. En general se lee bastante bien y no se le notan mucho los años, que son bastantes. Me sorprendió que Stapledon se animara a tratar los temas del bestialismo y el incesto, y que lo hiciera con naturalidad, en una época que la CF era bastante pacata.En fin, que vale la pena leerlo.
—Juan
