Datonga – by Martin Smalley

A slight change of pace and author for this book review and my almost 15 year old son sharing his thoughts on the science fiction book Datonga by Martin Smalley.

Datonga is a science fiction adventure story which explores the creativity of great scientists. It is hard science fiction, based on time travel round Gödel loops within the known laws of physics. The power source that makes this possible is discovered by Grace O’Malley in 1984 and rediscovered in the Universal world in 3050 by Hu Song. Both geniuses show symptoms of Asperger’s syndrome and Grace’s calculations are like psychotic episodes. The ancient records suggest that Grace was murdered before her breakthrough and a mission is sent back from Datonga, the capital of the Universal world, to investigate the crime.

Datonga

So what does Matthew think of Datonga?

I don’t usually read science fiction so this is a first time for me, stepping out of my comfort zone and into something new. My Dad likes books like this (he’s been waiting for me to finish it and write my review before he reads it) so I thought it might be good to see why he enjoys them.

This is quite a fast moving book, or at least it felt like that to me and you are placed in a time far into the future and dealing with time travel and well as trying to get into the heads of two very interesting and scarily clever people. I like the fact that the characters are clearly neurodiverse and dealing with Asperger’s Syndrome and how that impacts their brains and their view on life. I think it’s good to feature that.

I did find that you need to keep up with the plot as it’s very fast and changes a lot but I really enjoyed the concepts of science, time travel and different characters through the book. I think the author makes the characters very interesting but you can also see that even though we are looking at a possible future, they are just as flawed and complicated as they are now, in the world and reality I am in.

I really enjoyed Datonga and it’s given me a good taste of what science fiction can be and I’d like to read more from the author too.

I really enjoyed reading it. Would recommend it.

My mum says she’s pleased I’ve found a new genre of reading material and now someone else can chat to Dad about all things science fiction, and it doesn’t have to be her!


Posted in Book reviews and tagged Datonga, Martin Smalley, Science Fiction.

2 Comments

  1. Hi Matthew,
    I’m glad you enjoyed Datonga, and hope it gets you into science fiction, which I loved as a teenager (and still do). I’m especially happy that you appreciated the neurodiversity of the characters.
    I tried to tell an exciting story, and it can be difficult to follow the plot when time travel is possible, so it was good to hear that it was fast moving but understandable. I was fascinated by time loops when I first read that they are possible within the known laws of science.
    I hope your Dad enjoys the book as much as you did!
    Thanks very much for your positive review. 🙏

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