Review: The Second Death of Daedalus Mole

The Second Death of Daedalus Mole by Niall Slater
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is a decided break from my usual genres of choice and one of the few sci-fi novels in which I’ve engaged. I’m grateful to NetGalley and Unbound for the opportunity.

The Second Death of Daedalus Mole is a winding read, full of literary wordsmithing that ebbs and flows with figurative language and inventive vocabulary. The author dives right in, creating a world of alien creatures that cohabitate in an uneasy peace that is warily embraced and easily disturbed.

From the onset, the nod to the mythological Daedalus is apparent, as the protagonist escapes the villainous Aggro, reflective of the Greek character and his clever run from King Minos. There is also a satirical bent, for Homer refers to daidala as stunning, well-crafted objects—the antithesis of the physically and mentally disheveled Daedalus Mole.

In relating this space-travel tale, the author develops a rich and foreign vocabulary that is revealed to the reader through context and inference. Whilst the lexicon is skillful, it is at times difficult to focus on the narrative, as so much attention is necessary to unravel the unfamiliar tongue. This may be in part my own weakness, but I did find it to be a rough go. In addition to the unique language, however, the author fully embraces and beautifully utilizes plain old English.

”A sea of bright yellow grass-stalks blew to and fro in the gentle Pyrian wind. Wide swaths of temperate grassland stretched for miles and miles around, punctuated by small sandstone boulders and twisted brown trees. Furry, crab-like creatures clung with tiny claws to the underside of their branches and their fluffy nests dangled from the tips on short lengths of yarn, swinging slowly in the breeze. Long ferrety marsupials crouched in burrows beneath orange rocks. Pairs of bushy yellow tails poked partway out of their burrows, and little noses sniffed nervously at the air.”

It is in this talent to create a detailed and lush setting that the author excels.

Beyond the superb craftsmanship of the writing, things fell apart. The book just took too long to get where it was going and even then didn’t reveal any intent. In many novels, the plot is the star often dimmed by the author’s lack of ability to convey it. Here I found just the opposite—a talented writer with nowhere to go. The less-than-stellar closing just reinforced for me the fact that writer had either run out of steam and just stopped or that he is planning a sequel. Either way, it felt like a betrayal after the time invested in reading.

For hard-core sci-fi fans who engage in serial reads, this piece may well provide a foundation upon which the author will be able to build future episodes. As a stand alone, though, and beyond the incredible use of language, this just doesn’t pass muster.

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