Book Review: The Philosopher's Apprentice

The Philosopher's Apprentice by James Morrow

Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended: It's not for everyone, but it's a good read for those who can appreciate it.

Warning: Liberal and/or pro-science views appear in this post.

This is a book best appreciated by students of philosophy, or at least those who have more knowledge of some of the names evoked in this book beyond recognizing them from Monty Python's Philosopher Drinking Song.

As my previous exposure to Kant, Heidegger and others was through the aforementioned song, I have to find other standards to judge it by. I decided to pick up this one based on a review in SciFi Weekly, which has given me good leads in the past. However, when I picked it up at the library, it was not labeled as science fiction/fantasy.

This is because, as I explained to Jonathan, the novel borrows elements of science (mostly, genetic engineering) that don't exist yet, but is firmly rooted in the world that we know right now. While the fetus clone army isn't possible right now, I could absolutely see a right-wing nutcase taking advantage of the technology Morrow describes to make their point about abortion.

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

The hero, Mason Ambrose, is a failed doctoral student who grasps at what seems like a cushy tutor position to avoid being a starving doctoral student. He soon discovers that there is far more to his pupil Londa, her mother Edwina, and their island off the coast of Florida than he could have ever imagined.

Being a student of biology, I can't tell you how the description comes off to lay readers. It was clear enough to me. And, again, I miss all but the obvious philosophy references. Luckily, the rest of the book is rich enough in detail and ideas that it doesn't matter if some of it goes over your head.

I was somewhat surprised when the adventures on the island took up only 1/3 of the book, but not disappointed. Mason gets to be the hero on the island -- it's Londa who's the hero for the rest of the book.

Mason gives an incomplete picture of Londa's life after the island, deliberately. He hints at the painful reality that Londa faced, glossing over the details of her rise to public fame.

From there, it becomes a cross between a socialist's dream and the public's nightmare.

I suppose I'd classify this as science fiction to be on the safe side, but I can see where it would be labeled just plain fiction. The characters I most enjoyed where Londa and her sisters, Yolly and Donya. Of course, the last 1/3 of the book is all Londa.

The ideas and the sociopolitical ramifications are the heart of the book, and I'd argue the most enjoyable part. Londa acts out the things that some of us have dreamed of, but would never do.

It's a different type of book than I usually read, but I don't regret having read it, and yes, I'd recommend it to all my sf/f friends.