Just Finished..

So... I just finished reading Fitzpatrick's War, written by Theodore Judson... I have to say, it's one of my favorite books of all time... Of all time! The care and detail put into creating this futuristic world is just incredible. Basically, it's the story of a tyrannical ruler of a futuristic society known as the Yukon. Before you dismiss it as a science-fiction novel, however, you have to understand it doesn't have laser weapons or anything like that. In fact, there's no electricity; everything is powered by steam. The book was released in 2004, and I'm surprised, and somewhat thankful, that it wasn't more popular than it is. There are, however, a few neat perks to how it was written that will make it stand out from the average sci-fi.

One, the story is written in first person by Fitzpatrick's friend, Robert Mayfair Bruce. Fitzpatrick is the tyrannical hero of the Yukon people. Why the words 'tyrannical hero' should be put together in such a serious manner, is, despite what you may think, easily explained. The book is the hated memoirs of Bruce, published in 2541. They were originally despised and regarded as treasonous because of their tainted description of historical events. One of the main, underlying themes of the book, is how history is written by the winners of history, and therefore, should be understood to be tainted by a biased opinion on the actual events. So, while Bruce regards Fitzpatrick as a tyrant, the people think of him as a hero.

The other interesting aspect in the book's format is the publisher's footnotes. Very often, you read the opinion of one "Doctor Professor Roland Modesty Van Buren." He solicits his opinion on every 'false truth' Bruce speaks throughout the text, and it is left to the reader to decide which one he will trust, though I don't know many people who have sided with the ostentatious professor.

The thing that captivated me the most about the book, however, were the characters. The society was based in a very rigid manner. Very un-accepting of diversity. It was interesting to me, that all throughout the book, you get little hints and nudges suggesting that the hero Fitzpatrick was not the person history perceived him to be, obviously... But I think I took my speculation a step further than the average reader... I got the distinct impression, through making connections and occult assumptions that Fitzpatrick was actually gay. There are a few things that lead me to believe this. One, he only marries because it is his duty to do so. Two, he never sleeps with his wife. In fact, she calls hims "Sexually unusual." Three, he usually makes friends only with people he can use in one way or another, yet, one of his friends (who you would have to be ridiculously naive to not assume is not gay based on the obvious hints throughout the book) is kept around for no apparent reason. Call it my biased opinion... But I think there was something more going on there...

All in all, I thought the detail and the absolute precision with which the book is written makes it a masterpiece. While I am glad it remains a less known book, and therefore avoids the complications that arise with popularity, I sometimes wish there were more people to discuss it with. Not only that, but I think we can all learn many valuable lessons from this book. It is strange that a book that does not assume its superiority because of a blatant message would, in fact, portray more powerful messages than any book that falls into the stereotypically ridiculous category of "Read me because I have something to say." Theodore Judson has, though (some lovable and other despicable) characters, brought his message closer to home than any book I have ever read. Through good old story telling, avoiding stereotypes (in plot and writing devices), and forcing you to fall in love with his characters, Judson has created something that will live eternally in the minds of the people who read it.