skip to main |
skip to sidebar
The Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Like many of his works, Kurt Vonnegut's second novel The Sirens of Titan features elements of science fiction. The richest, luckiest man on Earth embarks on a journey that takes him from Earth to Mars to Mercury, back to Earth, and finally to Saturn's moon, Titan, where he again meets the man ostensibly responsible for the turn of events that have befallen him. The aliens from the planet Tralfamador, which appears in many of Vonnegut's later works, particularly Slaughterhouse-5, play a role as well. 
But the novel is not a typical science fiction novel--in fact, despite the aliens and interplanetary travel, it's not really science fiction at all, but rather pure satire, using those plot elements as more of a means to freely tell the story without any worldly hindrances.
Like many of his works, Kurt Vonnegut's second novel The Sirens of Titan features elements of science fiction. The richest, luckiest man on Earth embarks on a journey that takes him from Earth to Mars to Mercury, back to Earth, and finally to Saturn's moon, Titan, where he again meets the man ostensibly responsible for the turn of events that have befallen him. The aliens from the planet Tralfamador, which appears in many of Vonnegut's later works, particularly Slaughterhouse-5, play a role as well. 
But the novel is not a typical science fiction novel--in fact, despite the aliens and interplanetary travel, it's not really science fiction at all, but rather pure satire, using those plot elements as more of a means to freely tell the story without any worldly hindrances.
this is my second-favorite Vonnegut book. only Slaughterhouse Five is better.
ReplyDeletealso, Al Stewart, who is probably before your time, has a song about this book, on his Modern Times album.