Keith's Reviews > The Alteration

What an incredibly ingenious novel...and what an incredible story. This book is a good lesson in not being swayed by genera classification, or any classification for that matter, when deciding what to read. Although listed as alternative history or more generally as science fiction, it could be either or neither as it works so well on so many levels. The creation of an alternate present day reality, complete with familiar yet transformed, language, culture and customs works elegantly and the subtlety of modified historical events keeps you on your toes with recognition and realization sometimes not occurring until a chapter or two later, with an “oh yeah” slap to the head. The reader is invited to examine today's belief's, attitudes and scruples and then to consider their origins and how likely incidental chance and serendipitous fortune may have played a part. How much does power, corruption and tyranny influence our concept of art and science, as well as beauty and class? Here, Kingsley Amis imagines a counter-factual world that must be rethought and reexamined. A ten year old boy, Hubert Anvil is thought to have been blessed with the most beautiful voices in memory, quite possibly ever, but as nature will change his body as he ages, it's inevitable that his voice will change and his glorious instrument will be lost---unless an alteration can be made that will preserve it, regardless of the aftermath. After all, it's been done in the past in the name of God's glory. Read on.