My God, it's full of stars! (Contact - Carl Sagan)

Member Name: Marcus_Arac

Product:	Contact - Carl Sagan
Date:	01/09/03 (109 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Engrossing, Believable

Disadvantages: Moralistic, Poor Characterization

Well, I'm sure we've all seen the Film Based On The Book featuring the delightful Jodie Foster (mrrrroow), and - first and foremost - I must admit I myself saw the film first. Indeed, it's one of my favourite films of all time, hence my decision to purchase the novel.

As with all books later translated into cinematic form, it varies in several minor and one or two major ways from the movie's plot. In short, the novel charts the experiences of our protagonist - Ellie - a radio-astronomer, as she discovers a Message apparently from an alien star. It later transpires this Message contains instructions to build a Machine (Get used to these words being capitalized, Sagan does it in almost every instance, apparently to assure us these are Important Words) designed to transport a human envoy to meet the aliens.

The majority of the novel deals with the social, political, scientific and economic results of recieving such a Message, and it excels in this respect - although it is here we first run into Sagan's Utopian sensibilities, in which he contends such a Message would serve to unite mankind, and make everyone jolly and happy and doubtless run through fields with flowers in their hair. This tone runs throughout the book, as Sagan entreats us to 'be excellent to each other' through enlightened scientific insight.

Sagan's scientific knowledge is well above average, and it shows - although extremely hypothetical, the future-technology concepts represented in this book are not beyond the bounds of current plausibility, and very much revolve around recent theories. However, it is 'hard' science, and as such may not be easily accessible to people not well versed in recent physics - although such knowledge is by no means necessary to enjoy the plot.

Unlike the movie, the Middle-America-friendly theme of 'science as a religion' is not rammed down our throats, only alluded to. Sagan challenges us t
o seek wonder and awe in the universe without having to rely on the false crutch of a God - making a valiant effort to represent the views of the opposition in the character of preacher Palmer Joss. Joss, however, plays such a limited part in proceedings (again, unlike the movie), it is fairly obvious on which side of the debate Sagan throws his weight.

The characterizations tend to be limited - indeed, Ellie is occasionally somewhat schizophrenic in her motivations, and not entirely likeable, one of the rare times I have envisaged a character as someone other than the actor who played them in a movie I saw prior. Other characters tend to be equally sketchy, but it does not overly detract from such an event-driven novel.

The climax of the novel is - in my opinion - far more satisfying and understandable than that of the movie, although the motivations of the inevitable aliens seems rather dubious and over-romantic. Sagan does, however, raise the brilliant concept of how a Creator might possibly choose to reveal his existence to intelligent denizens of the universe.

In summary, a superb, thought-provoking novel that is superior to the movie in terms of plot and theme, but - perhaps understandably - stylistically inferior. Nonetheless, an excellent read for fans of the film, and indeed any of us who has stared up at the night sky... and wondered.

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