Galileo's Dream

Kim Stanley Robinson has again transcended the gheto of Science Fiction. In a book of ideas and characters, he carries the reader from 16th century Florence to the moons of Jupiter in the 31st century seen through the eyes of Galileo. Gelileo"s Dreams manages to be both a historical romance, and a meditation on the nature of time by one of our greatest writers.

Readers who loved Dava Sobel's "Galileo's Daughter" will love this book too, as will those who like the emotional resonance of time travel stories. The best thing about this novel is unquestionably the magnificent character of Galileo -- larger than life, like Falstaff or Achilles, but true, I think, to the man himself. Robinson sees all of Galileo's extravagant flaws along with his extravagant virtues, and the reader cannot help loving him. The premise of the novel sounds much simpler than it is: what if Galileo was introduced to the telescope by a time traveler from the future? How did this action change history, diverting the first experimental scientist from his groundbreaking work on mechanics and sending him on a cosmological journey that caused so much trouble? And what can possibly have been the time traveler's motivation? Ultimately political as well as scientific in its outlook, in places psychoanalytic and even Lacanian (!) in its treatment of human character, moving from Rome to Florence to human colonies on the moons of Jupiter, this is a delicious voyage into history and speculation. We walk in a seventeenth-century Italy so real we can smell it, and fly between the Galilean moons with a giant woman therapist. The themes are grand and thought-provoking, the characterization impeccable, the pathos palpable.

A classic Robinson work. It encompasses many of the themes of his earlier works -- world-building, the centrality of science in solving humanity's problems, the fact that 'we' are the ones who must act if change is to succeed -- in a fun time-travel story that may be the best literary hommage to Galileo ever written. A grand story, and a great read. In this anniversary year for Galileo's great discoveries, Robinson takes a microscope to his life, his trial for heresy, and his methods of discovery, and imagines a marvelous character whose powerful personality -- warts and all -- dominates the novel. Robinson's Galileo is vain, indeed vainglorious, physically challenged by his miserable health, and living the rough, coarse life of the Italian countryside of his day: Galileo as he was, rather than what some television writer might make him out to be. Add in the efforts of time travelers to change Galileo's life so as to better their own, Galileo's visits to the petty political struggles of the Galilean moons off Jupiter in 3020, and the byzantine Vatican and European politics that drove his condemnation by the Church. This is a great tale, exceedingly well told.

"But why should science have to have a martyr?" Kim Stanley Robinson is one of those quiet masters. Known predominantly for his Mars series, Robinson has a dedicated fan base who marvels at his vision and his storytelling. When you bring up the genre of science fiction, other names instantly gravitate toward the fore of the discussion: Asimov, Bear, Ringo, Niven, Weber. This is not to suggest that Robinson is a lesser novelist. In fact, where his Science in the Capital series on a global warming disaster of a worldwide level may have been a step back in terms of his storytelling strength, his newest book, GALILEO'S DREAM, is a surefire winner. In GALILEO'S DREAM, we find ourselves embroiled in the scientific community and the life of Galileo Galilei in 1609. Science is expanding, and philosophers and mathematicians seek to make bold discoveries all within the shadow of the Church --- which seeks to make certain that no discoveries are too bold. With some help from a mysterious stranger, Galileo creates a spyglass that he then expands into a telescope, which he uses to map the surface of the moon. Intrigued by the power of his own creation, he turns its sight on Jupiter. There, he discovers four moons, which he eventually determines revolve around the main planet body. His star is on the rise. What he does not remember, however, are his late-night visitations to the moons he has recently discovered. Manipulated by the stranger who aided him in the invention of the device, Galileo is an unwitting pawn in a battle on the Jovian moons in the year 3020. One group seeks to use his mind to convince the others not to explore the oceans on the moon of Europa. In the midst of this debate, Galileo learns that he is a "martyr to science," immolated in his own time for his heresy by the Inquisition. Does it have to be this way, or can his future be changed and his life spared without unmaking the future? And must science and religion be at odds with one another? Robinson has done some outstanding work with GALILEO'S DREAM. The scientist/philosopher/mathematician truly springs to life on the page, and reading of his discoveries as if in real time is remarkable. The majority of the novel is clearly deeply researched and impressive historical fiction to a large degree. About a third of the book deals with the more fantastic: time travel. Yet this is no mere time travel convention that has become so cliché in science fiction. In this instance, time and time travel are a major cog, and the philosophy of time and its makeup is debated by Galileo and Hera, one of the Jovian leaders who seeks to protect him in his own time. GALILEO'S DREAM is a shining example of the level of quality to be found in science fiction, an exemplary achievement that brings 17th century Italy flaring to life in beautiful fashion while instilling a bit of the fanciful and the prospect of what could lie ahead in the distant future. Robinson has penned a book that is deserving of attent

I'm really mystified by the low grade reviews of this book. I think it may be because it is misclassified as science fiction. It would be more accurately called historical fiction (I'm starting to sound like Polonius in Hamlet). Rather than argue the point I will just offer the alternative that the "science fiction" portions are intended to be allegorical in nature. Not unlike Dante's work that was referred to in the text several times. It can also be seen as an updated version of the discourses Galileo himself used. The turmoil faced by Galileo in his argument that science and religion are not necessarily antagonistic in their nature but can be turned to the antagonistic ends of the humans who profess them for their own ends applies equally to both 17th century Europe and 35th century Jupiter as it does today. The issue is, can man be true to his own destiny when faced with the fact that he is not the supreme product of nature? That others are far more powerful than he. Can we dwell in our own genius when others may outshine us? On another level Robinson deals with the fruits of a strictly patriarchal society. Galileo's mother was an extremely intelligent women who because of her gender and her status could not engage that intelligence in a meaningful way. Her experiences drove her insane and made all those around her, including Galileo, feel inadequate, unloved and meaningless. This shaped Galileo's life and in the end he becomes aware of the damage that was done. This does not excuse his self-serving and sometimes brutish actions which he came to deeply regret. Nor does it excuse his lack of relationships with any of the women in his life. It does, however, give some insight into the "why" of these actions and traits. Fortunately for Galileo he come to realize this in time to appreciate the love of his daughter Virginia before her untimely death. Cory Doctorow has said that science fiction authors do not write about the future but about their own time. The chronological disconnect permits them to more freely voice that which none may utter. If the Jupiter segments of "Galileo's Dream" can be viewed in that context we can see that the torment of Galileo is with us today and will be for some time to come. Will we be able to stifle the devils of our lesser nature and give flight to the angles of our better nature? Time will tell.