sci-fi

Lexicon  •  Max Barry

Words impact us every day in ways we don’t even understand. As I sit here writing this, I’m choosing my words carefully in order to convince or manipulate you to agree with me. That is what the poets in Lexicon by Max Barry do. They use words against you without you even realizing it. They have people on the street asking others questions to determine what words will influence them.

Watch out if anyone ever asks you, “Are you a cat person or a dog person?” or “What is your favorite color?” They could be trying to figure out your segment so that they know exactly what words to use against you. Even picking a number between one and ten can be dangerous.

What happens when a word is released that destroys a city, when a poet is manipulated to use their skills to do bad things? What happens when a 16-year-old girl is taken from the street to a special school to learn the science behind the words and the skills of manipulation? What happens when an ordinary man and a poet fall in love?

This story is told in an interesting way. It starts in the middle of the action and switches between characters and stories. You have to be a detective to figure it all out, piece by piece. When the puzzle is complete and everything makes sense, it’s better than Christmas morning. I love the way this story is told in a non-traditional, creative way. As a writer I love that words and the way they are used is at the center of this story. I think very scientifically, so the science part of it makes me love it even more.

Vartix velkor mannik wissick! I command you to buy this book immediately!