I finished The Bradbury Report over the weekend — I’d had my doubts earlier on when I was reading a chapter (or so) at a time, but I had a nice block of uninterrupted free time to finish the last quarter of the manuscript, and I have to say it’s a novel I would definitely recommend (once it’s published, that is). I like how science fiction puts contemporary issues into a different context so that we can look at our behaviour and relationships with one another from a ‘distance’.
I’m not into space opera-style sci fi, I’m not imaginative enough to be able to really enjoy it (same goes for fantasy), but near-future fiction speaks to me a lot more and I think the messages at the heart of this book are much easier to understand because what the author describes is actually possible.
I’ve read a little more of The Bradbury Report, but everything’s still taking a back seat to finishing Mad Men season two (one episode to go!). But I’m still enjoying it and I need larger blocks of spare time to read it, rather than a chapter or two before bed. While you can clearly associate it with Never Let Me Go, I think it makes me think more of the themes of Children of Men (the movie, which I didn’t love but appreciated the story). The characters are drawn pretty well, I think.
The Trump people say they’re doing everything they need to ensure the environment is protected (the area they want to develop is a Site of Special Scientific Interest), but they’re not building a nature reserve, they’re building a golf resort. The council had initially voted ‘no’ on Trump’s planning application but the SNP government stepped in to overturn the vote (that’s representative democracy for you).
So, only four households are against giving up their houses to Trump. Continuing to change the landscape and natural habitats for wildlife is seen either as necessary economic development or destruction of the environment. Trump is a businessman and is in it for the money (it’s expected and natural). Alex Salmond wants to play with the big boys.