Nebula Award Best Novel Winner
The Speed of Dark
by Elizabeth Moon
Summary
Elizabeth Moon tells the first person story of Lou Arrendale, an autistic man in the near future who must decide whether to accept an experimental treatment that promises to erase his autism. The novel explores identity, neurodiversity, and the question of whether a cure would change who he truly is. Moon draws on her experience raising an autistic son, giving the book a rare empathy and authenticity within speculative fiction.
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Historical Context & Significance
Elizabeth Moon drew on her experience as the mother of an autistic child when she wrote the novel's protagonist.