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Burn by James Patrick Kelly
01/03/2006 . Source: Tomas L. Martin 
pub: Tachyon Publications. 178 page enlarged paperback. Price: $19.95 (US), $24.95 (CAN). ISBN: 1-892391-27-9. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.tachyonpublications.com
James Patrick Kelly is a very popular figure in short Science Fiction: two Hugo awards and regular appearances in the various Year's Best Of volumes speak volumes to that. Whilst his novels haven't given him as much success as his shorter work, there's no questioning his ability.
'Burn' is a short novel, only 192 pages, but that works in its advantage. It's a quick, enjoyable read into a fun little scenario that feels light-hearted but has a lot of interesting darker sub-text about future technology and the acceptance of others.
Walden, the world on which the book is set, has chosen in the future to abandon most advanced technology and live a 'simple' life of farming and unaltered human consciousness. Unfortunately, the 'pukpuks', a group of humans that lived there before this choice, have something to say about it and wage a war of fire on the world's huge forests.
Enter the main character, Spur. Badly burnt fighting a fire caused by one of the pukpuk's setting fire to themselves, Spur is taken to a high technology hospital to recover. Whilst there, he starts to experiment with the sophisticated videophone device, searching the cosmos for people with his name.
After Spur contacts an important dignitary on another world, the simple philosophy of Walden is called into disarray when the dignitary decides on a whim to come to Spur's world. The farms and fires are disturbed by the appearance of a futuristic hovercraft and the dignitaries, a group of children who hold more power than the simple Waldens could imagine.
Spur must keep the newcomers out of sight, deal with Pukpuk activity near his home and reconcile his estranged wife. This juggling of impossible tasks makes us empathise greatly with the main character, a small person struggling with a large burden.
The thing I'm most reminded of reading 'Burn' is actually J.R.R. Tolkien. The little hamlets and innocent philosophy of the Waldens is very much like the hobbits of the shire and the pukpuk's fire and the dignitaries' technology are the darkness that threaten this humble existence.
Like the premise of the book, Kelly's writing is simple and elegant. The shortness of the book means that it gets across the idea of the novel without having to cloud it with sub-plots or huge multitudes of characters. The pleasant surroundings of Walden lull you into a false sense of security for the hard-hitting ending, which is very very good.
Definitely one to keep an eye out for.
Tomas L. Martin
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