The Plot to Save Socrates.
Wanting to read some science fiction? Want something a little different? You should read “The Plot to Save Socrates” by Paul Levinson. It is science fiction, but it’s also historical fiction. It is ostensibly about a woman name Sierra, with her boyfriend Max, trying to locate her mentor, Thomas O’Leery. Thomas has disappeared after revealing to Sierra a new Platonic dialogue. In this particular one, Socrates is arguing with a figure named, Andros. Andros wants Socrates to escape. In order to do so, he suggest cloning and other scientific advancements. Of course, time travel is involved.
This is a wonderful fun novel. Prior knowledge of ancient Grecian life and history may be helpful, but not needed. The novel has twists you don’t expect, and some of the most dimensional characters created. For example, take the would be the villain Heron, and the missing mentor Thomas O’Leery. The only character that wasn’t as believable seemed to be Sierra, but the plot more than makes up up for it.
The sentences are brisk when describing action, but in the style of Plato’s dialogues when needed to be. The meat of the plots and sentences is describing time travel, especially when avoiding paradoxes. I wish there were more descriptions of characters. The historical counterparts this are woefully so. But the best part really is the plot.
The plot deals with problems of time travel, and skips around. It isn’t a linear type of novel. Why should it be? It is dealing with time travel. My favorite part is going back through the chapters and rearranging them to fit in different ways. (There is temporal lineally. There are individual’s lineally. There is the plot’s lineally. All very fascinating stuff.) The book doesn’t spoon feed you. As a reader, you have to connect the pieces. Each chapter deals with the point of view of a character, usually in one period of time. The jumbled passages fits with the characters who are disoriented with time travel, and when meeting people because of the nature of time.
This is semi-challenging book dealing with time, but also a quick fun read. I would have to say check it out, especially when factoring in a reader’s love of themes dealing with time, philosophy, and/or science fiction.