Children of Light

This was the first book by Robert Stone I read. Damscus Gate was the second, though I prefer Children of Light. Stone's mind, his craft as a writer and a narrator, drew me into the story from the outset. In spite of the bleak, unrelenting theme, it is the writing above all-- the quality of the insights, the invention, and the prose, so economical and searing in its images -- that left me inspired.Some memorable moments were the letter Gordon receives from his son and his interpretation of it; the scene on the mountaintop with Lee Verger -- Malcolm Lowry and Stone would have gotten along well.The scene with the doctor in Mexico, when Gordon seeks drugs, was also well depicted -- the doctor's observations of his screen world patients, etc. Irony is everywhere in this book.The film people, the Drogues were a brilliant, seedy lot: the driven son and the father who made him looking on with "gypsy eyes, passive and watchful."I would agree that the ending was a bit tacked on. Lee must go down, but Gordon escapes too easily -- though it happens in life. I've known some incredible human wrecks who've turned on a dime and ended up leading AA meetings, etc. Still in a novel we need more.All in all, you are spending time with Stone the fine writer in this tale of Hollywood and the savagery of the image world: light that reveals, images that devour.This was a great book for me.(Damascus Gate was so different, more erudite in its approach to a very different story.)

Robert Stone has written so many GREAT novels (Hall of Mirrors, Dog Soldiers, Flag for Sunrise) that his true followers -- I consider myself one -- expect brilliance every time. Children of light is good, but not great. Perhaps its the Hollywood subject matter; it's much less compelling than Vietnam or Central America. Although beautifully written, as is everything by Stone, the characters are so wan and unaware of themselves that the book is unrelentingly depressing. Still, despite the drawbacks, its still Robert Stone. This will be one of the best books you read this year.

This novel is my favorite of all of Stone's disturbing and powerful works (I haven't read "Outerbridge Reach" yet). It's so beautifully and evocatively written that I somehow find the roll of the prose soothing and pleasurable, despite the all but unbearable sadness and desperation of the characters. I still, after several rereadings, find myself puzzled and disturbed that these characters can't get their acts together, act so selfishly, have so little self-control and respect for one another--just like people in real life, unfortunately. (Certainly in Stone's view, and I suppose also in mine). Drugs, booze, insanity, and cruelty abound, and are not punished. As the unforgettable conclusion reveals, there is ultimately no justice for these characters--they either survive or they don't. This is Stone's harshly beautiful world at its best, in my opinion.

I'm a huge fan of the movies, and I love the way Stone has taken his cynical view of Hollywood and fleshed it out into a beautiful novel. His characters are 3-dimensional and memorable, especially Lee, the actress who must choose between her health and her craft early in the story. The climax of the novel is terrific -- disturbing and unpredictable. Anyone who has ever entertained the idea of going to Hollywood should read this novel for some valuable insight that won't be found on Entertainment Tonight.

'Children of light' is not Stone's most famous book, but it is my favorite,by far. It doesn't have the breadth of 'A Flag for Sunrise', or the ambition of 'Outerbridge Reach' or the commerciality of 'Dog Soldiers'. And, good. Because, freed of the burdons of those scopes, 'Children of Light' is focused, detailed, funny, shocking, right-on-thr-money, and unforgettable. You figure, Stone's got his themes. Every one of his novels ends in a hallucinitory, tripped-out sequence (and this novel has the best one yet). Each of his books has a main character on dope and booze (none better crafted than these two) Gordon is Reinhardt in the 80's. Even 'Bear & His Daughter' has them: every single story. But never are the meanings and lessons of these themes more eloquently communicated. Each of Stone's books is getting progressivle more realistic. I don't love his first two, for their surreality (I still don't quite see what happens at the end of 'A Hall of Mirrors'). And 'Outerbridge Reach' is so real you can't believe its the same author. This is a great middle-passage, with realistic plot and people, but surreal hallucination/madness scenes. The writing/plot os Fitzgeraldian, the dialogue ripples and sparkles, and the romance is amazingly renedered, and very moving. I'll quit here, but just in case you're reading this one day Robert, these are my favorite Stone creations: Strickland, Pablo, and this whole book. You keep us waiting 6 years between books. Man, I hope your next one is this good.