Babel 17

In the book Babel 17, Delaney explored the connections between people through the limitations and expression of language. Through Rydra Wong's perspective and insight we get a glimpse of the problems with communication right from the beginning of the novel. And continues to explore it throughout with the pursuing of decoding the perfect language where every word described the exact feeling.

I really enjoyed the concepts that Delaney explored in the novel such as the relationships needed to create a functional ship, which is more involved than pushing a few buttons. The captain, Brass, needs to be strong and interacts with the ship and space physically as if in a wrestling match. I also like how the navigators have an unusual relationship where it involves three people, Calli, Ron, and Twa to be intimate despite the literal language barrier, because Twa does not speak English. It explores the feelings and dependency and conflicts of a threesome, which needs sharing and understanding, and is not a societal norm.

I didn't quite understand the concept of the “discorporate” Eyes, Ears, and Nose of the ship. It was explained that what they do is too much for a living human to handle so they need to be dead, and this death seems to be just another state of being, that can still interact with the living world (the crew) and the ship. But not directly. Which reminds me of a somewhat ancestral and spiritual connection that has to be deeper than words. They are never really described and mentioned only when necessary, but they do hold an important part in the story which is keeping Wong aware of the ship, and informing her at the dinner if there is something wrong. Which everything goes wrong and the ship gets taken over by the perfect assassin.

The novel is considered cyberpunk, which consists of implants, body modification (the captains), blurred line between man and machine (the perfect assassin), it has Wong a strong woman and the main character. which I really appreciated because there are rarely strong independent women as main characters. I wish there were more authors that would create a strong believable female protagonist, that is not necessarily idealized or too aggressive. That women could relate to as well.