LUST - Four Letters. Infinite Possibilities by Geoff Ryman
01/09/2003 . Source: Paul Skevington 
St. Martin’s Press, US. 400 page enlarged paperback. Price: £25.95 (US), $35.95 (CAN). ISBN: 0-312-31211-3. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. This book gives you the feeling that
it would make a fabulous independent film. It's also the sort
of book that would make Hollywood executives squirm.
It's difficult to imagine George Clooney taking the lead
role in this particular SF tale. This is because ‘Lust’ is
about a man who discovers he can conjure up anyone, living
or dead for the sole purpose of having sex with them. This
man also happens to be gay.
Please step aside to allow the homophobes to
escape the building while we continue the review. They won't
want to stay as I'm going to explain why the wonderful SF
concepts contained within this book may well be superseded
by the importance of ‘Lust’ as a study of sex and sexuality.
The protagonist David is a character of astounding
depth and realism. He is a scientist and this reflects directly
in the structure of the book itself. Each chapter heading
is a question directly linked to the 'experiment' that David's
life becomes. This structure creates a wonderful conflict
between the methodical side of David that treats his condition
as a puzzle to be answered and his repressed emotional aspect
that continuously struggles to make itself known.
At the same time, David is forced to confront
what we all secretly crave and fear, power and its corrupting
effects. Each step along David's journey is a fascinatingly
painful trip towards what we hope will be some kind of enlightenment
but we worry could quite possibly be something else.
Coupled with this, Ryman somehow manages to
evoke one of the most colourful and sympathetic depictions
of the gay lifestyle I have read so far. Wonderfully, though,
this is not done by making David something 'other' but by
Ryman's acute understanding of human nature. As a heterosexual
reader, I never felt distanced or excluded by the differences
between David's lifestyle and my own. I also appreciated the
fact that Ryman's character is approaching forty and is quite
settled into his lifestyle (at least initially) and differs
considerably from the 'youthful clubber' gay stereotype that
many authors populate their novels with.
Ryman succeeds so well in this approach by allowing
all of this to fade into the background of the human story.
David's sexuality becomes secondary to an intricate examination
of sex and love and how the two intertwine. David's reasons
for summoning the 'angels' are rarely as uncomplicated as
the purely carnal. Each occurrence furthers his knowledge
of the power he wields and more importantly, delves deeper
into himself and the true reason behind the powers appearance.
Ryman enters into a dialogue concerning our
ability to allow love and sex to destroy others and mutilate
ourselves or, alternatively, how these things can save lives
and resurrect the narcoleptic spirit.
If all of this isn't reason enough to persuade
you to give this book a go,
I suppose I should mention the skilful way in which the theory
behind the 'angels' is explored. Quantum physics and psychology
collide like long-lost lovers running on ice, a joyous and
bewildering experience. Who cares if the actual science may
be a bit on the ropy side, this book doesn't need reality
to make you believe.
From an SF lover’s point of view this book has
enough genre meat on it bones to fill a book or cannibal’s
cooking pot to overflowing. The variety of people that David
brings into being is astounding and it is obvious that certain
famous characters are treated with a care and respect that
would suggest Ryman is entertaining a little wish fulfilment
of his own!
It is also a little squirm-worthy to see the
way in which Ryman very loosely disguises the identity of
certain key figures to avoid any legal repercussions that
may have occurred. Although this can detract slightly from
the flow of the book, it is a necessary evil and very forgivable.
Ryman even manages to give us a little insight
into how this particular gift would be used by other less
responsible characters than David. This occurs in an incident
where David almost loses control of the gift to someone else.
It is a nightmare vision that we are presented
with, as a twisted plan of what David's power could be used
for is formulated. This merely serves to show the flexibility
of the metaphor Ryman has created with the 'angels' as David's
gift is used to highlight a cutting attack on the real misuse
of power in the world where sex is concerned.
Ryman is shaping up to be a powerful force as
a writer and within SF. I definitely plan on checking out
his experimental Internet novel ‘253’ on the strength of this
book. This book is destined to become a classic in the study
of the human condition, do yourself a favour and grab a piece
of the action.
Also it's full of sex. What more do you want?!
Paul Skevington 
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