Conceptual SciFi in the tradition of Philip K Dick

This was a difficult one to review. On the one hand, I appreciated how the author has obviously very intelligently executed a particular tradition of science fiction that gives equal priority to exploring certain ideas and telling a story. On the other hand, I also have to admit that it's a tradition I personally don't find that compelling to read. 'The Visionary' left me with the same feeling I remember having after reading 'The Mold of Yancy' by Philip K Dick: accutely aware that I'd just read something very creative, intelligent and possibly insightful, but also more than a little confused and only somewhat entertained.

The essential premise is a very original one, and the view the book takes is a very wide one describing grand projects, events and passages of time. There is a degree of character development and interraction, but I didn't find it interesting enough to talk much about. It's a short work and I listened to the audiobook in an afternoon at work, and it was intriguing enough that I was still glad I invested the time.

Two things I will say: Firstly, I've seen this categorised as "Teen& Young Adult" and for ages 14-18. If your 14-18 year old reads Isaac Asimov, this may be true, but on the whole I really struggle to imagine anyone in this age band enjoying this. Secondly, the narration for the audiobook is good, but the reader has some very strange and stilted pronounciation for the accented dialogue, especially the German and Icelandic and I found is rather jarring at times.

Overall, it's a worthwhile read, especially if you're into very introspective, philosophical science fiction or any of the authors or works I've mentioned.

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