334

This is one of Disch's best books, yet I do not feel it often receives the respect it deserves. At least in part, that's because it's not a conventional novel, but rather a mosaic novel constructed out of a series of stories he published back in 1971-72 in places like _New Worlds Quarterly_, _Quark_, and _New Dimensions_. Also to consider is that the overall effect of this portrait of a speculative New York in the near future is fundamentally dypstopian. It is pretty clearly a projection of social trends evident at the time of writing wedded to a few what-if speculations. The writing is full of energy, but some of the characters give the impression that Disch was indulging in a bit of Schadenfreude at the expense of his hapless collection of fictional losers. It's entertaining, but it can be a bit down-beat, I fear. Looked at as a collection of longer stories, the book is impressive in its own right. The enigmatic "Angouleme," an exquisitely-written child-chiller tale, is maybe the best example of Disch's short fiction. The black-humor "Bodies" contains some outright slapstick comedy, and a basic speculative premise that seems prescient in the light of the AIDS epidemic of our own times. The story "Emancipation" is a marvelously observed and imagined story, whose fundamental premise still strikes me as somewhat wonky. The long, non-linear novella, "334," that closes the book is the most challenging work I think Disch has ever written. The writing is interesting and lucid, but the sequence-and-order of the episodes requires some time to assimilate, and the fragmentary nature of the episodes is reminiscent (in a way) of the paste-up method employed by Burroughs in _Naked Lunch_ or that used by people like J. G. Ballard. It's a rewarding work, but it may not be to the taste of fans of traditional sf. Finally, taken as a whole, the mosaic effect created by all these stories -- interlocking in locale and sometimes in characters -- produces in the end a unified effect of Disch's vision of the possible future he imagined. It's a dark vision, but it carries absolute conviction and integrity. It's a first-rate book, and it deserves to be read.

I find that '334' and 'Camp Concentration' are the most literate of Disch's works, but for different reasons. 'Camp Concentration' may have a Pynchon-like use of references, difficult lexicon, etc., but '334' shows Disch's ability to produce postmodern work that challenges the boundaries of the traditional narrative - he uses multiple characters, movements back and forth in time, and provides no 'plot.' The text is fractured - so much so, that for the final section of the book, Disch actually provides a subway-map-like diagram charting the relationships between the various vignettes (whether it helps or not is debatable). Overall, Disch shapes a view of the mundane lives of little people. There is nothing outlandish about this dystopia that a few function happily within while others suffer. The totalitarianism is never as extreme as Orwell's '1984,' and it therefore seems as if the world of '334' could creep up on us without protest - and that's truly horrifying.

This is a totally convincing book about life in the inner city of New York, 2020's. The story follows the lives of several characters, many who live in bldg. 334, a large multi-family government subsidized housing project. Technology has marched ever onward, and the need for unskilled labor has largely disappeared. Yet, with all of the advances, the poor, uneducated and misfortunates live largely unnoticed. They are assisted only by some innefective social programs. The people of 334 fight continual battles for hope, respect and a place among a society that has largely left them behind. The book doesn't attempt to blace blame, or offer solutions, but proceeds only with the full reality of the setting. The characters, and the readers, are left to sort it all out. This is a challenging, serious book for serious readers of any genre.

I'm fairly high on most of Disch's fiction, but I think this book is not accorded the respect it deserves. There are several reasons for this, I think.1. It is billed as a novel, but it is more a collage or mosaic novel, constructed out of a series of connected stories and novellas that Disch published around 1971-72. Publication was mostly in _New Worlds Quarterly_ and Samuel R. Delany's _Quark_, original anthologies geared towards New Wave fiction that did not receive incredibly widespread distribution.2. The long section originally published as the novella "334" is written in a decidedly non-linear style--the narrative jumps back and forth in time. This can be a little unsettling if not read with care and attention. As a whole, the work is fairly "literary" (for the tastes of science fiction readers, anyway).3. The story is at times fairly down beat, if not actually depressing. This isn't a "pink-and-white bunny rabbit" story. :-)So it's not a conventional novel. Still, looked at as a collection of stories, this book is great. The stories "Angouleme," "Bodies," "Emancipation," and "334" are each among Disch's finest work at this length. Highly recommended for those with a taste for this sort of thing.

Disch is truly a master. This may be his best work, better even than his better-known Camp Concentration. David Pringle was right when he selected this as one of the 100 best science fiction novels, and he was right again when he said it was Disch's masterpiece, a novel of the forgotten people, and a moving work. This one will keep on the edge of your seat, but that's not all. Ursula K. LeGuin said this about Camp Concentration but I think it is better applied to Disch's most acclaimed novel. "If you read it, you will be changed."