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Invisible Things
A sharp allegorical novel about a hidden human civilization, a crucial election, and a mysterious invisible force that must not be named, by one of our most imaginative comic novelists
When sociologist Nalini Jackson joins the SS Delany for the first manned mission to Jupiter, all she wants is a career opportunity: the chance to conduct the first field study of group dynamics on long-haul cryoships. But what she discovers instead is an entire city encased in a bubble on Europa, Jupiter's largest moon.
Even more unexpected, Nalini and the rest of the crew soon find themselves abducted and joining its captive population, forced to start new lives in a place called New Roanoke.
New Roanoke is a city riven by wealth inequality and governed by a feckless, predatory elite, its economy run on heedless consumption and income inequality. But in other ways it's different from the cities we already know: it's covered by an enormous dome, it's populated by alien abductees, and it happens to be terrorized by an invisible entity so disturbing that no one even dares acknowledge its existence.
Albuquerque chauffeur Chase Eubanks is pretty darn sure aliens stole his wife. People mock him for saying that, but he doesn't care who knows it. So when his philanthropist boss funds a top-secret rescue mission to save New Roanoke's abductees, Chase jumps at the chance to find her. The plan: Get the astronauts out and provide the population with the tech they need to escape this alien world. The reality: Nothing is ever simple when dealing with the complex, contradictory, and contrarian impulses of everyday earthlings.
This is a madcap, surreal adventure into a Jovian mirror world, one grappling with the same polarized politics, existential crises, and mass denialism that obsess and divide our own. Will New Roanoke survive? Will we?
When sociologist Nalini Jackson joins the SS Delany for the first manned mission to Jupiter, all she wants is a career opportunity: the chance to conduct the first field study of group dynamics on long-haul cryoships. But what she discovers instead is an entire city encased in a bubble on Europa, Jupiter's largest moon.
Even more unexpected, Nalini and the rest of the crew soon find themselves abducted and joining its captive population, forced to start new lives in a place called New Roanoke.
New Roanoke is a city riven by wealth inequality and governed by a feckless, predatory elite, its economy run on heedless consumption and income inequality. But in other ways it's different from the cities we already know: it's covered by an enormous dome, it's populated by alien abductees, and it happens to be terrorized by an invisible entity so disturbing that no one even dares acknowledge its existence.
Albuquerque chauffeur Chase Eubanks is pretty darn sure aliens stole his wife. People mock him for saying that, but he doesn't care who knows it. So when his philanthropist boss funds a top-secret rescue mission to save New Roanoke's abductees, Chase jumps at the chance to find her. The plan: Get the astronauts out and provide the population with the tech they need to escape this alien world. The reality: Nothing is ever simple when dealing with the complex, contradictory, and contrarian impulses of everyday earthlings.
This is a madcap, surreal adventure into a Jovian mirror world, one grappling with the same polarized politics, existential crises, and mass denialism that obsess and divide our own. Will New Roanoke survive? Will we?
272 pages, Paperback
First published June 28, 2022
152 people are currently reading
10495 people want to read
About the author
Mat Johnson
42 books443 followersMat Johnson is an American writer of literary fiction who works in both prose and the comics format. In 2007, he was named the first USA James Baldwin Fellow by United States Artists.
Johnson was born and raised in the Germantown and Mount Airy communities in Philadelphia.
His mother is African American and his father is Irish Catholic. He attended Greene Street Friends School, West Chester University, University of Wales, Swansea, and ultimately received his B.A. from Earlham College. In 1993 he was awarded a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. Johnson received his M.F.A. from Columbia University School of the Arts (1999).
Johnson has taught at Rutgers University, Columbia University, Bard College, and The Callaloo Journal Writers Retreat. He is now a permanent faculty member at the University of Houston Creative Writing Program. Johnson lives in Houston.
Johnson was born and raised in the Germantown and Mount Airy communities in Philadelphia.
His mother is African American and his father is Irish Catholic. He attended Greene Street Friends School, West Chester University, University of Wales, Swansea, and ultimately received his B.A. from Earlham College. In 1993 he was awarded a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. Johnson received his M.F.A. from Columbia University School of the Arts (1999).
Johnson has taught at Rutgers University, Columbia University, Bard College, and The Callaloo Journal Writers Retreat. He is now a permanent faculty member at the University of Houston Creative Writing Program. Johnson lives in Houston.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 265 reviews
October 7, 2022
I enjoyed Mat Johnson's previous novels, so I came into this one with high expectations. Unfortunately, this genre-mashing piece never coalesced for me. Instead of becoming greater than the sum of its parts, the various genre tropes were flayed open, obvious and off-putting throughout.
For a short novel, it tried to accomplish too much. While it contained elements of science fiction, the world-building was never developed, and I never felt the texture of a particular scene. Instead, each chapter felt like a set piece from a poorly developed play.
The political satire is fingernail-shallow, utilizing direct political parallels to our current age with no insightful skewering added.
Due to its satirical nature, many of the characters are presented as flat, which is fine when used for humorous effect. However, when Johnson tries to develop these character later on, the tone is mangled. Am I supposed to feel pity for these characters? Genuine empathy? Moral clarity from their predictable actions?
Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this one! However, I would suggest checking out his other books.
For a short novel, it tried to accomplish too much. While it contained elements of science fiction, the world-building was never developed, and I never felt the texture of a particular scene. Instead, each chapter felt like a set piece from a poorly developed play.
The political satire is fingernail-shallow, utilizing direct political parallels to our current age with no insightful skewering added.
Due to its satirical nature, many of the characters are presented as flat, which is fine when used for humorous effect. However, when Johnson tries to develop these character later on, the tone is mangled. Am I supposed to feel pity for these characters? Genuine empathy? Moral clarity from their predictable actions?
Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this one! However, I would suggest checking out his other books.
May 11, 2022
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Genre: Science Fiction
Invisible Things is novel with a fascinating premise. It is a mixture of science fiction, fantasy, politics, and survival. Nalini Jackson and her crew are on a mission to Jupiter. There they discover a hidden human civilization in a city that is completely encased in a bubble. Soon the crew will be abducted and join the captive population of this strange city (New Roanoke). They find themselves like hostages in a city that claims to be run by democracy but it is actually run and depends on the wealth inequality and dirty politics.
I enjoyed reading this book. The whole idea behind it is applicable to our world but is happening on a different planet and under mysterious circumstances which makes it more terrifying. This is not a horror or a spooky book but the vibes that an unknown future gives are always scary. On the contrary, the book has some light and fun moments that are well balanced with the serious themes of the story. I think the author has done a commendable job keeping that kind of balance. The characters are quite diverse and add more to the ambiguous atmosphere of this science fiction tale.
Can’t say I was a big fan of the ending. However, I think it suited the story and kept things vague. You are free to draw your own conclusions, this is a technique many authors use and it is quite effective. I think Invisible Things would make a great TV show if it gets adapted.
Many thanks to the publisher Random House Publishing Group - Random House, One World, and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book.
Genre: Science Fiction
Invisible Things is novel with a fascinating premise. It is a mixture of science fiction, fantasy, politics, and survival. Nalini Jackson and her crew are on a mission to Jupiter. There they discover a hidden human civilization in a city that is completely encased in a bubble. Soon the crew will be abducted and join the captive population of this strange city (New Roanoke). They find themselves like hostages in a city that claims to be run by democracy but it is actually run and depends on the wealth inequality and dirty politics.
I enjoyed reading this book. The whole idea behind it is applicable to our world but is happening on a different planet and under mysterious circumstances which makes it more terrifying. This is not a horror or a spooky book but the vibes that an unknown future gives are always scary. On the contrary, the book has some light and fun moments that are well balanced with the serious themes of the story. I think the author has done a commendable job keeping that kind of balance. The characters are quite diverse and add more to the ambiguous atmosphere of this science fiction tale.
Can’t say I was a big fan of the ending. However, I think it suited the story and kept things vague. You are free to draw your own conclusions, this is a technique many authors use and it is quite effective. I think Invisible Things would make a great TV show if it gets adapted.
Many thanks to the publisher Random House Publishing Group - Random House, One World, and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book.
July 17, 2022
How do you write satire in an age that is a living satire? This brilliant book is how.
March 9, 2022
I’ve read every novel Mat Johnson has written and he is one of the most consistently funny, relevant, and insightful authors I’m aware of—and that’s an extremely rare mix of things for an author to simultaneously be!
So. This book entertained me, the premise was delightful, and the story zipped along, but compared with previous novels, it didn’t convince me of its relevance.
That’s ok. Books are allowed to be just great reads.
So. This book entertained me, the premise was delightful, and the story zipped along, but compared with previous novels, it didn’t convince me of its relevance.
That’s ok. Books are allowed to be just great reads.
August 1, 2022
A sharply written satire of current socio-political and class conflict, but set in space. But let's be clear, SF is the clothing this book wears, but that element is not what it's all about.
Everything is recognizable and funny but not funny in the way it reflects so many current issues, similar to the way the film "Don't Look Up" frames the ridiculous politicization of climate change.
I really enjoyed reading this. It's such an intelligently written book, the way well-conceived satire should be: slightly over the top in how it portrays the world (but is it, really?), but not so much that critics can shrug and dismiss it as "pure fiction."
Everything is recognizable and funny but not funny in the way it reflects so many current issues, similar to the way the film "Don't Look Up" frames the ridiculous politicization of climate change.
I really enjoyed reading this. It's such an intelligently written book, the way well-conceived satire should be: slightly over the top in how it portrays the world (but is it, really?), but not so much that critics can shrug and dismiss it as "pure fiction."
July 4, 2022
i loved johnson's Pym, didn't quite like Loving Day, appreciated the heck out of this book. i cannot say i loved it because it's a very intellectual book (not difficult, not challenging, just full of ideas baked quite seamlessly inside a funny story) and the thinker in me found itself engaged more than the lover of literature in me. i cannot tell the ideas without spoiling the book but i'll just say that this book, while being fun, engaging, and fast, with a riveting and often hilarious plot, is also a clarion call for political revolution in the age of fascism. mat johnson never mentions fascism in the book (i may be wrong) but what he is describing is the particular brand of fascism that is sadly and tragically thriving in the united states, a fascism dictated by greed, the war on truth, racism and classism, and the cultist seduction of the masses. he describes all of this so lucidly and cleverly, the lover of ideas in me had to stop and think many, many times.
it is particularly clever that the book should be called Invisible Things. there are 'invisible things' in the book, but they are there almost stealthily, as behooves invisible things. johnson does not make a huge big deal about them, at least not until the end. yet they are central. fascism thrives on invisibility and the collective agreement to not see, not notice, not do anything about.
so what i'm gonna say, if somebody asked me What is a good novel about what is happening in the united states now and what to do about it, i'd say, Read this book.
it is particularly clever that the book should be called Invisible Things. there are 'invisible things' in the book, but they are there almost stealthily, as behooves invisible things. johnson does not make a huge big deal about them, at least not until the end. yet they are central. fascism thrives on invisibility and the collective agreement to not see, not notice, not do anything about.
so what i'm gonna say, if somebody asked me What is a good novel about what is happening in the united states now and what to do about it, i'd say, Read this book.
April 22, 2022
There are going to be people who do not like this book because the central metaphor is too general. I can see where they're coming from. And yet, the looseness of the metaphor worked really well for me because I just kept thinking of one thing after another after another that it could apply to. It started to feel like it applied to everything. And really, how can you satirize just one thing in our present climate when one thing inevitably ties in to another and then another? In a way, this kind of broad satire hits so strongly because Johnson has managed to encapsulate so many things at once.
Johnson has a great balance between serious and fun, having a variety of characters who are more extreme and more sensible. The first third of the book is just weird, it's unclear exactly what is going on, and that is right up my alley. I was so happy to go along for the ride. And then once it was clear what was going on, there were a mountain of other questions unanswered. I will spoil none of these. But I have to say that an element of absurdity in political satire is important and Johnson gets that just right, I think.
This is more accessible than Loving Day, though also not quite as sharp. As I said, it takes a very broad aim, but it also has a lot of fun with its sci-fi elements.
Johnson has a great balance between serious and fun, having a variety of characters who are more extreme and more sensible. The first third of the book is just weird, it's unclear exactly what is going on, and that is right up my alley. I was so happy to go along for the ride. And then once it was clear what was going on, there were a mountain of other questions unanswered. I will spoil none of these. But I have to say that an element of absurdity in political satire is important and Johnson gets that just right, I think.
This is more accessible than Loving Day, though also not quite as sharp. As I said, it takes a very broad aim, but it also has a lot of fun with its sci-fi elements.
June 26, 2022
Mat Johnson’s Invisible Things is a timely novel that looks at human nature, American politics and greed, all the “isms” (racism, classism, colorism, etc), and ugliness that accompanies these social ills, through the lens of an African American research scientist, Dr. Nalini Jackson, aboard an interstellar cryoship heading toward Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, for scientific study. Initially, her job is to monitor and note the group dynamics among her shipmates; however, after the crew is abducted by unknown alien forces and placed in an isolated replica of Earth along with other randomly abducted humans - her focus shifts from study to survival.
Johnson explores the power of myth, theories of assimilation - the “go along to get along” mentality, the blind eye, brainwashing, the effects it has in communities. The story centers on the expression, “wherever you go, you take yourself” - in these case, displaced humans/Earthlings despite having an opportunity to apply the lessons and avoid the known wrongs and mistakes, essentially recreate a society that mimics the one left behind, complete with all the inequality, ignorance, apathy, greed, manipulation, and self-destructive behaviors learned on Earth.
Johnson stays true to his brand delivering wit, uncanny insight, and social commentary via quirky characters and humorous scenarios. Fans of the author will not be disappointed.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to review!
Johnson explores the power of myth, theories of assimilation - the “go along to get along” mentality, the blind eye, brainwashing, the effects it has in communities. The story centers on the expression, “wherever you go, you take yourself” - in these case, displaced humans/Earthlings despite having an opportunity to apply the lessons and avoid the known wrongs and mistakes, essentially recreate a society that mimics the one left behind, complete with all the inequality, ignorance, apathy, greed, manipulation, and self-destructive behaviors learned on Earth.
Johnson stays true to his brand delivering wit, uncanny insight, and social commentary via quirky characters and humorous scenarios. Fans of the author will not be disappointed.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to review!
July 18, 2022
Hold on to the reins of whatever you're sitting on, and don't expect to go anywhere before the end. This is a can't-stop-turning-the-pages whodunit sci-fi alien abduction whopper of a story.
Sometime in the 2030s, a spaceship of American astronauts is orbiting Jupiter to study it as a possible future home for humanity, when it turns out there is To quote the book: "Hilarity ensues." And pathos, and irony, and all the predictability of the ways that we humans divvy ourselves up into the haves and have-nots, our us versus them tribes, faith versus science, this political party versus that one. No matter where the future takes us, a rose is still a rose, and humans are still humans . . . unless we finally decide to do better.
This was a blast.
Sometime in the 2030s, a spaceship of American astronauts is orbiting Jupiter to study it as a possible future home for humanity, when it turns out there is To quote the book: "Hilarity ensues." And pathos, and irony, and all the predictability of the ways that we humans divvy ourselves up into the haves and have-nots, our us versus them tribes, faith versus science, this political party versus that one. No matter where the future takes us, a rose is still a rose, and humans are still humans . . . unless we finally decide to do better.
This was a blast.
September 9, 2022
Mat Johnson's humor never fails me - it never tries too hard, it always tries just the right amount. Although it starts on a space ship whose crew 'visits' Europa, it's not 'science fiction' because it has no interest in science, only in satire. Much gets satirized - academia, bro culture, billionaires and their limo drivers, but the meat of it is US political satire. Thank you, Trump and his (willing and unwilling) enablers for making this book possible! I'm never a fan of long-form satire and sure, it could have probably been a novella without losing much, but the pace was brisk and the humor kept me from losing steam.
August 13, 2024
This was not what I was expecting. Admittedly, I bought this one because I loved the cover, and wanted an intergalactic sci-fi reading experience. This was more...political.
Honestly, I will never want to read fiction about American politics, so this just isn't for me. I fell asleep twice reading this novel, and felt like I was forcing myself through the whole thing.
The main issue I have is the characters' dialogue regression. Scientists speak like scientists would be expected to until about halfway through, then they hit us with lazy and ineffective slang left and right. Additionally, I felt the character & world building lacked substance and stability. While there were one or two kind of creepy moments, the ending is lackluster and felt rushed.
Honestly, I will never want to read fiction about American politics, so this just isn't for me. I fell asleep twice reading this novel, and felt like I was forcing myself through the whole thing.
The main issue I have is the characters' dialogue regression. Scientists speak like scientists would be expected to until about halfway through, then they hit us with lazy and ineffective slang left and right. Additionally, I felt the character & world building lacked substance and stability. While there were one or two kind of creepy moments, the ending is lackluster and felt rushed.
July 25, 2022
What opens as an intriguing scifi mystery --misanthropic ship's counselor on NASA's first mission to Jupiter finds populated biodome on the moon Europa-- quickly disintegrates with lack of substantive plot supports. The crew is instantaneously whisked into the dome while their ship floats home empty. (How? No telling.) The dome is populated by abductees kept alive in a miniature replica of an American suburb complete with all the popular food labels and chain restaurants. (Why bother have several Massage Envys? No telling.) All their food and supplies are inexplicably shipped in through an unexplored cave so no one questions their subsistence or fears for their survival. (For what purpose is this terrarium maintained at such a parallel to American suburbia? No telling.) Then an unlikely everyman hero who has been seeking his wife after her disappearance and who believes against all odds that she has been abducted by aliens joins forces with his wealthy employer and some generic military personnel to make a trip to Europa to rescue the population of the biodome. (Why is this trip crewed by mostly inexperienced and untrained crewmembers and shadowy figures with questionable funding? No telling.) Meanwhile the counselor and her crewmate friend are reluctantly assimilating into society in different ways: she gets a job teaching, and he becomes a radical outcast preaching on street corners about how messed up this all is and how they should all be trying to get home. (Why is he an outcast for questioning this madness? No telling.)There is a substantial class hierarchy where those of generational standing on the biodome-- the residents with the longest lineage on own the most land, have immediate access to incoming supplies, and have monopolized government by tying representation to land ownership. (Why do newer abductees tolerate this? No telling.) There's a whole subplot about how one of the other shipmates is a bully and a classical charismatic entitled bossman who effortlessly entrenches himself in the government of the biodome as a "token diversity member" because he's not a generational descendant abductee. (Is this meant as a bigger plot thread that just never got fleshed out enough to really make its point? No telling.)
Soon enough the "rescue" ship gets there with enough space to take an unspecified number of people back to Earth, and the plans to create more ships to finish the job later. (The assumption being that this artificial city will somehow have all the necessary manufacturing facilities, natural materials, and skilled workers to complete the job. Why aren't they planning to leave behind skilled workers or materials? No telling.) A big conflict ensues because the legacy abductees are comfortable in their luxury and don't want everyone to leave, and the token bossguy leads a media campaign against the idea because his life is cushy and what else could Earth possibly offer him beyond this little power bubble? (Why is this an issue when he's joined a tiny fraction of the city with any power and the majority of the people are in poverty and could probably do better in a society where there's actual work to be had? No telling.) The outcast crewmate leads the crusade for leaving and for using taxes to fund the creation of future vessels. He even volunteers to stay behind to spearhead the effort.
And then there are the titular Invisible Things. For some reason everyone on the moon accepts that without warning some objects float, get flung, or get smashed, so the superstition goes that if you talk too much or think too hard about that (or your predicament in general, it seems) that you're in danger of attracting the phenomena and probably dying in the process. Despite their being important enough to claim the book's title*, this phenomenon is vague, is only actually seen once or twice, and the book ends by explaining that, really, these beings aren't actually invisible, they're just so horrendous the human mind can't process them and chooses to perceive nothing at all in their place. If everyone concentrates really hard they can see them. And they're hideous. The end.
...does anyone actually make it off the rock? Do the people in power ever learn that there's more to life than a shaky existence of limited comfort if they were willing to step outside of their literal bubble? Do the poor and downtrodden ever get justice or find greater opportunities in the wider universe? Who the heck are these (In)Visible Things and why have they built this human zoo to begin with? Why bother to make it so artificially accurate and let restaurant workers sell lobster on a planet without oceans? Will they ever reveal themselves or their intentions? Will the society ever think for themselves and attempt to live beyond what they've been spoonfed?
No telling.
*Although, arguably, it is the punchiest part of this book regardless.
Soon enough the "rescue" ship gets there with enough space to take an unspecified number of people back to Earth, and the plans to create more ships to finish the job later. (The assumption being that this artificial city will somehow have all the necessary manufacturing facilities, natural materials, and skilled workers to complete the job. Why aren't they planning to leave behind skilled workers or materials? No telling.) A big conflict ensues because the legacy abductees are comfortable in their luxury and don't want everyone to leave, and the token bossguy leads a media campaign against the idea because his life is cushy and what else could Earth possibly offer him beyond this little power bubble? (Why is this an issue when he's joined a tiny fraction of the city with any power and the majority of the people are in poverty and could probably do better in a society where there's actual work to be had? No telling.) The outcast crewmate leads the crusade for leaving and for using taxes to fund the creation of future vessels. He even volunteers to stay behind to spearhead the effort.
And then there are the titular Invisible Things. For some reason everyone on the moon accepts that without warning some objects float, get flung, or get smashed, so the superstition goes that if you talk too much or think too hard about that (or your predicament in general, it seems) that you're in danger of attracting the phenomena and probably dying in the process. Despite their being important enough to claim the book's title*, this phenomenon is vague, is only actually seen once or twice, and the book ends by explaining that, really, these beings aren't actually invisible, they're just so horrendous the human mind can't process them and chooses to perceive nothing at all in their place. If everyone concentrates really hard they can see them. And they're hideous. The end.
...does anyone actually make it off the rock? Do the people in power ever learn that there's more to life than a shaky existence of limited comfort if they were willing to step outside of their literal bubble? Do the poor and downtrodden ever get justice or find greater opportunities in the wider universe? Who the heck are these (In)Visible Things and why have they built this human zoo to begin with? Why bother to make it so artificially accurate and let restaurant workers sell lobster on a planet without oceans? Will they ever reveal themselves or their intentions? Will the society ever think for themselves and attempt to live beyond what they've been spoonfed?
No telling.
*Although, arguably, it is the punchiest part of this book regardless.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2022
I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of Invisible Things through my work as a bookseller. I'm a big fan of really good sci-fi that says something about the world, and this one has it all. It will appeal to fans of the greats, like Kurt Vonnegut and Octavia Butler because Mat Johnson does a stellar job illustrating the human condition in an allegory the way that they did, only his take is from the 21st century. The science fiction mechanics are mysterious, contemporary, and spooky in a way that made me not want to put the book down. The pacing was masterful. The characters are complex and feel real. Most of all, the way he captures and reflects back the existential dread we feel as humans, and how different people react to that is incredibly profound. I can't stop thinking about it.
Read
July 3, 2022Dnf 23% not feeling connected to this
September 20, 2022
Protesters: “time to go!”
Counter protestors: “Everthing’s fine!”
If you have to shout “everything’s fine” at a protest than it’s almost certain everything is not fine.
I also need to give a shout out to Nalini’s “Jenga Limit” theory. Several of her “applied sociologist” quips were amazing, but that was the best one.
I really want to give this 5 stars but it’s just not quite there. Very close. Absolutely amazing political satire that made me laugh out loud several times towards the end. It takes a long time to get going, though.
Counter protestors: “Everthing’s fine!”
If you have to shout “everything’s fine” at a protest than it’s almost certain everything is not fine.
I also need to give a shout out to Nalini’s “Jenga Limit” theory. Several of her “applied sociologist” quips were amazing, but that was the best one.
I really want to give this 5 stars but it’s just not quite there. Very close. Absolutely amazing political satire that made me laugh out loud several times towards the end. It takes a long time to get going, though.
October 18, 2022
The back of the book said it was an allegory. So I guess I did this to myself, reading it anyway.
It's a similar book to 2 a.m. in Little America. People on "both sides" are not perfect. This time, their not-perfect-ness is described in excruciating detail. It's not particularly funny or insightful, just a product of the times, a description, with no solutions, no way forward. Just a bunch of archetypes.
Bob is horrible in those "can't you take a joke" and "what's in it for me" ways. He's a caricature. So is everyone else. There's very little to root for here, everyone is just on a side, very little individuality. Nalini stands up for what is right, observes things. Besides her, Chase gets probably the most interiority, but it's SO VAPID it's not really worth it. There's no THERE there. He just listens to the last person he talked to, buoyed by some vague sense of fairness that he doesn't bother to articulate to himself or anyone else. And he's kind of dumb. And Brett the Vice whatever: not dumb but ignorant and arrogant. It's not superfun spending any time around these characters. It's just all the ways people currently suck, in miniature.
New Roanoke doesn't make a lot of sense either: how does it have 3 Massage Envy stores? A Chick-Fil-A? Skyscrapers? How does a bubble the size of a county on Europa served by a barge have these things? Where do they get handmade Oxfords? What is needed to build a Massage Envy? I don't get the sense that these people actually DO all of the things of making their civilization. And having the same historical trends as Earth, like a civil rights movement, seems ridiculous, even with kidnapped people coming continually. And no details on the Church. The whole thing collapses if you look at it hard AT ALL. WHICH IS WEIRD BECAUSE NOT QUESTIONING THINGS IS LIKE THE CENTRAL CRITIQUE THE BOOK WANTS TO MAKE. So I have to suspend my disbelief to read this book, but in general people should admit reality. Maybe I should not read fiction for my political commentary.
The Invisible Things part kept me going: I expected I'd get an explanation. I did not. I got some vague descriptions and the idea that it's too unknowable and abhorrent. But now that it's seen it can be measured, categorized. But then IT'S OVER.
Are the invisible things climate change? People can't talk about it for fear it will happen to them, which kind of stops it from happening but not really because some people are still getting killed. And so we all have to get together to "see" it?
I wanted the Founders to be revealed as the aliens. Which would explain why they need a mouthpiece like Bob, because they can't show their actual faces. And I wanted to understand the aliens' reasons. And I did not get that either. I got all suspense, no payoff.
It's a similar book to 2 a.m. in Little America. People on "both sides" are not perfect. This time, their not-perfect-ness is described in excruciating detail. It's not particularly funny or insightful, just a product of the times, a description, with no solutions, no way forward. Just a bunch of archetypes.
Bob is horrible in those "can't you take a joke" and "what's in it for me" ways. He's a caricature. So is everyone else. There's very little to root for here, everyone is just on a side, very little individuality. Nalini stands up for what is right, observes things. Besides her, Chase gets probably the most interiority, but it's SO VAPID it's not really worth it. There's no THERE there. He just listens to the last person he talked to, buoyed by some vague sense of fairness that he doesn't bother to articulate to himself or anyone else. And he's kind of dumb. And Brett the Vice whatever: not dumb but ignorant and arrogant. It's not superfun spending any time around these characters. It's just all the ways people currently suck, in miniature.
New Roanoke doesn't make a lot of sense either: how does it have 3 Massage Envy stores? A Chick-Fil-A? Skyscrapers? How does a bubble the size of a county on Europa served by a barge have these things? Where do they get handmade Oxfords? What is needed to build a Massage Envy? I don't get the sense that these people actually DO all of the things of making their civilization. And having the same historical trends as Earth, like a civil rights movement, seems ridiculous, even with kidnapped people coming continually. And no details on the Church. The whole thing collapses if you look at it hard AT ALL. WHICH IS WEIRD BECAUSE NOT QUESTIONING THINGS IS LIKE THE CENTRAL CRITIQUE THE BOOK WANTS TO MAKE. So I have to suspend my disbelief to read this book, but in general people should admit reality. Maybe I should not read fiction for my political commentary.
The Invisible Things part kept me going: I expected I'd get an explanation. I did not. I got some vague descriptions and the idea that it's too unknowable and abhorrent. But now that it's seen it can be measured, categorized. But then IT'S OVER.
Are the invisible things climate change? People can't talk about it for fear it will happen to them, which kind of stops it from happening but not really because some people are still getting killed. And so we all have to get together to "see" it?
I wanted the Founders to be revealed as the aliens. Which would explain why they need a mouthpiece like Bob, because they can't show their actual faces. And I wanted to understand the aliens' reasons. And I did not get that either. I got all suspense, no payoff.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2022
Invisible Things
by Mat Johnson
Space Science Fiction
NetGalley ARC
The ship SS Delany is orbiting Jupiter so its crew can study the planet and its moon Europa. But when scans come back from the moon's surface, it shows an American-type city inside a bubble. They send drones down to investigate further and suddenly the crew finds themselves inside the city.
Back on Earth, while the powers that be know the truth, they tell the world the crew died, then privately go to Europa to rescue them.
And here starts the politics. Those who were born in the city are the powerful and those collected (abducted from Earth and the SS Delany) are not, unless they kiss the right a**... The basic rich vs poor. I can turn on the TV and subtitles and read the same story on the news channels.
At 65% I was so bored, but in so deep, I started to skim, hoping for something to catch my eye. There was no action, just pages of narration and lame dialogue. The 'invisible things' ehh, not much there. The characters, while at first Nalini and Chase, I liked, but towards the middle, they, like all of the characters, became flat and lifeless. There was no madcap, or adventure in the book as the blurb claimed.
1 Star
by Mat Johnson
Space Science Fiction
NetGalley ARC
The ship SS Delany is orbiting Jupiter so its crew can study the planet and its moon Europa. But when scans come back from the moon's surface, it shows an American-type city inside a bubble. They send drones down to investigate further and suddenly the crew finds themselves inside the city.
Back on Earth, while the powers that be know the truth, they tell the world the crew died, then privately go to Europa to rescue them.
And here starts the politics. Those who were born in the city are the powerful and those collected (abducted from Earth and the SS Delany) are not, unless they kiss the right a**... The basic rich vs poor. I can turn on the TV and subtitles and read the same story on the news channels.
At 65% I was so bored, but in so deep, I started to skim, hoping for something to catch my eye. There was no action, just pages of narration and lame dialogue. The 'invisible things' ehh, not much there. The characters, while at first Nalini and Chase, I liked, but towards the middle, they, like all of the characters, became flat and lifeless. There was no madcap, or adventure in the book as the blurb claimed.
1 Star
November 20, 2022
QUICK TAKE: I liked it, but didn't love it. The tone was reminiscent of a Mike Judge movie (think IDIOCRACY or OFFICE SPACE) but was missing the humor you would expect. Some big ideas that ultimately didn't pay off for me.
July 13, 2024
A solid, well paced satire! I enjoy Mat Johnson's matter-of-fact style and his sense of humor rarely falls flat. I adored Pym and was only a little disappointed that this book didn't have the same power as that one. The back of the book compared it to Vonnegut, but I'm afraid that was a bit of a stretch. I think part of what Vonnegut did incredibly well was creating satirical characters (as in, ones who are more of a personified concept rather than an analog of a real person) that also felt very real and fascinating and, well, like you'd want to talk to them and learn about them more. This book, while the satirical angle was flawless, the characters lacked that intricacy that one might expect in a comparison to Vonnegut.
That said, this book was a quick read and was worth the time it took! This is good for anyone who wants a fun satirical near-future science fiction story that won't take up too much of your brainspace, but will still not feel like a waste of time and/or "junk food" reading.
That said, this book was a quick read and was worth the time it took! This is good for anyone who wants a fun satirical near-future science fiction story that won't take up too much of your brainspace, but will still not feel like a waste of time and/or "junk food" reading.
March 10, 2024
All the feelings reading this book! The story is a sharp satire, skillfully tackling present American socio-political and class conflicts, but set in a bubble on Jupiter’s moon Europa. It’s important to note that while science fiction serves as its backdrop, it doesn’t overshadow its central focus. The wit within is both familiar and reflective, reminding me a lot of George Orwell’s “Animal Farm.”
Simply put - I love this book. It unequivocally embodies the core of meticulously crafted satire.
I’ve read some reviews complaining about the ending but I thought it was pure perfection.
Simply put - I love this book. It unequivocally embodies the core of meticulously crafted satire.
I’ve read some reviews complaining about the ending but I thought it was pure perfection.
January 26, 2024
This one had me for awhile. I got the satire, it's pretty heavy handed, but the allegory was decidedly less so. The story itself is fun sci-fi and the characters all start out so dynamic. But about midway through, the narrative flattens and the characters mostly dull. Idk, I like the premise but the direction and execution just didn't live up to my expectations. 3.5 stars rounded down cuz I would've loved to hear some of the other citizens' backstories.
February 25, 2022
dystopian/sci-fi/political/mystery- Great story, I finished it in two days. I like how it relates to real world problems of democracy. It also keeps you guessing on what the hell is going on. Is it aliens? Is it god? Is it the Illuminati?
The down sides are the characters are a little inconsistent and there were a few fallacies in the story. One character uses super “sciencie” language for a while, then starts talking like a college kid, then randomly cuts back into big words… another guy acts big brotherish, then like he doesn’t know her, then again goes back to his original set. It almost felt like the book was written by multiple people who didn’t communicate on the personalities too well. And I just found a few spots where the book said one thing early on, like a characters rank early on, but then they get a promotion to the rank they already had and stuff similar to that. I did read an ARC version though, so the book might not be fully edited.
The down sides are the characters are a little inconsistent and there were a few fallacies in the story. One character uses super “sciencie” language for a while, then starts talking like a college kid, then randomly cuts back into big words… another guy acts big brotherish, then like he doesn’t know her, then again goes back to his original set. It almost felt like the book was written by multiple people who didn’t communicate on the personalities too well. And I just found a few spots where the book said one thing early on, like a characters rank early on, but then they get a promotion to the rank they already had and stuff similar to that. I did read an ARC version though, so the book might not be fully edited.
September 28, 2022
I think anybody going into this hoping for scifi is going to be disappointed. Invisible Things could be more accurately categorized as a political satire, which happens to be set on another planet. This started pretty strong for me - the satire is laid on THICK and was pretty amusing at times - but the book lost a lot of its momentum halfway through, with a big slowdown in the plotline. The second half was much less entertaining than the first half, ultimately ending with a final scene that felt silly, unsatisfying and pointless.
I probably wouldn't read anything else by Johnson, but I am intrigued to try and find more satire fiction!
I voluntarily obtained a digital version of this book free from Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.
I probably wouldn't read anything else by Johnson, but I am intrigued to try and find more satire fiction!
I voluntarily obtained a digital version of this book free from Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.
July 9, 2022
This book was probably one of the toughest ones to get through. While the book's overall tone was spot on for the specific situation, the plot seemed to be lacking. I felt as if I were jerked from scene to scene at times and was a bit confused as to the direction of the characters. I felt like I never truly got to know them, therefore forming no connection with the story. A bigger fan of science fiction may love this book, though, and disagree with my less than favorable review.
Overall, interesting concept of a city under a bubble on Europa filled with abductees and their plans to escape.
Even though I wasn’t excited about this novel, it was still a good time-filler.
Overall, interesting concept of a city under a bubble on Europa filled with abductees and their plans to escape.
Even though I wasn’t excited about this novel, it was still a good time-filler.
July 3, 2022
A perfect allegory for the times we live in.
Precisen its description of how a coomunity can overcome even the worst odds if they face the hard to talk about problems all together and in plain, clear words.
Precisen its description of how a coomunity can overcome even the worst odds if they face the hard to talk about problems all together and in plain, clear words.
October 2, 2022
Long slog. I found it boring. Ending stunk.
June 28, 2022
Invisible Things was certainly an interesting concept: some astronauts on a trip to Jupiter find themselves kidnapped, then trapped on what can be described as a microcosm of human society (but think human society à la Pleasantville) in Europa, Jupiter's moon. And then, some other folks decide to try to rescue the first bunch, but they too find themselves stuck.
This book showcases some great commentary on our current society, wrapped up as an adventure story about our main characters trying to find their way back to Earth. It's not even subtle commentary, it's full stop showing the characteristics of this society that will doom it, and ours which will doom us. There's definitely an element of humor laced throughout the story too, which is great because it made it much easier to consume.
The characters, while I certainly sympathized with their plight, and obviously cheered them on, I didn't feel particularly connected to them. I suspect that wasn't really the point anyway, it was more about what the characters discover on New Roanoke, and whether they will stand up to fight against the current system. The current system, of course, forbids them to take their spaceship to return home. Because frankly, gotta keep the oppressed as oppressed as possible, yeah? New Roanoke runs on a smaller version of the US: looks peachy to those in power, those who live in the nice towns. But look deeper, and you'll find all the people they've used and stepped on to get to where they are. Obviously, the higher ups don't want their cushy lifestyle to change, no matter who it hurts.
Sound familiar? The Jerks In Charge™ are also willing to cheat, lie, steal elections, and flat out kill people who get in their way. Like I said, not subtle, but it's a great way to illustrate how absurd our society currently is, when you look at it from the lens of a smaller one like New Roanoke.
Bottom Line: Fabulous commentary and humor, and a delightfully quirky story to boot.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
This book showcases some great commentary on our current society, wrapped up as an adventure story about our main characters trying to find their way back to Earth. It's not even subtle commentary, it's full stop showing the characteristics of this society that will doom it, and ours which will doom us. There's definitely an element of humor laced throughout the story too, which is great because it made it much easier to consume.
The characters, while I certainly sympathized with their plight, and obviously cheered them on, I didn't feel particularly connected to them. I suspect that wasn't really the point anyway, it was more about what the characters discover on New Roanoke, and whether they will stand up to fight against the current system. The current system, of course, forbids them to take their spaceship to return home. Because frankly, gotta keep the oppressed as oppressed as possible, yeah? New Roanoke runs on a smaller version of the US: looks peachy to those in power, those who live in the nice towns. But look deeper, and you'll find all the people they've used and stepped on to get to where they are. Obviously, the higher ups don't want their cushy lifestyle to change, no matter who it hurts.
Sound familiar? The Jerks In Charge™ are also willing to cheat, lie, steal elections, and flat out kill people who get in their way. Like I said, not subtle, but it's a great way to illustrate how absurd our society currently is, when you look at it from the lens of a smaller one like New Roanoke.
Bottom Line: Fabulous commentary and humor, and a delightfully quirky story to boot.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
December 5, 2023
There is a long tradition of using comedy, parody and satire in literature to make a greater point. It might have started with a caveman drawing a picture in the dirt of one of his clan tripping over a fallen log for everyone to enjoy. So Mat Johnson has added to this genre in his own, unique way with Invisible Things.
It's a misnomer to refer to this book as Science Fiction, though. Yes, Johnson created an interesting environment for his story that would require a bit of unknown science to realize, but the setting quickly becomes irrelevant to the story. And the book truly lacks any subtlety whatsoever. Satire can often hide behind obtuse references, symbolism and other disguises, but not so in this book. Not even close!
Unfortunately the political environment in America at the moment has made parody somewhat obsolete. We are experiencing an alternate reality daily that would be difficult for a writer to create, based upon how absurd relationships have become. Johnson milks it fully, but he didn't have to stretch far to come up with his characters' extreme beliefs and motivations. We see them in the news today constantly.
It's a well written book and I enjoyed it. I have no clue what the ending means and I suspect, like a lot of novelists these days, Johnson realized his book was getting a bit long and he needed to end it. So he did, and left me with a big question mark. But up to that point, I liked how well he crafted his story and used it as a parallel to what all of us are living through and trying to endure in the early 2020s.
It's a misnomer to refer to this book as Science Fiction, though. Yes, Johnson created an interesting environment for his story that would require a bit of unknown science to realize, but the setting quickly becomes irrelevant to the story. And the book truly lacks any subtlety whatsoever. Satire can often hide behind obtuse references, symbolism and other disguises, but not so in this book. Not even close!
Unfortunately the political environment in America at the moment has made parody somewhat obsolete. We are experiencing an alternate reality daily that would be difficult for a writer to create, based upon how absurd relationships have become. Johnson milks it fully, but he didn't have to stretch far to come up with his characters' extreme beliefs and motivations. We see them in the news today constantly.
It's a well written book and I enjoyed it. I have no clue what the ending means and I suspect, like a lot of novelists these days, Johnson realized his book was getting a bit long and he needed to end it. So he did, and left me with a big question mark. But up to that point, I liked how well he crafted his story and used it as a parallel to what all of us are living through and trying to endure in the early 2020s.
Read
September 10, 2022Full disclosure: Mat Johnson chatted with me on the release of my debut novel, and we're friends.
I really enjoyed Invisible Things. Its pacing was excellent, and it had a wide cast of characters that felt both familiar and new. Most of all, it's powered by Mat's low-key compassionate humor that's tinged with rose-colored pessimism for the human race.
Invisible Things centers on an ill-fated trip to Jupiter, where the ship's crew finds itself abducted to New Roanoke, an alien colony on the moon of Europa. While the book cycles through various narrative voices, we're first introduced to the novel's world through Nalini Jackson, a misanthropist sociologist.
Nalini becomes our conflicted avatar for the fucked-up world of New Roanoke, a place of terrific inequity, amorphous rules, and a power structure that is, as the novel's title suggests, invisible. There's a political fight, a rescue attempt, corporate greed, media manipulation, political gaslighting, and a host of conflicted humans. It's satire, after all, and I loved it.
Mat's prose is deliciously clear, like diving into a pool of cool, clean water. I loved immersing myself in it, but it's mostly the constant good-natured humor that made me fall in love with this book. It's sci-fi for the disillusioned yet reluctantly hopeful. Do you always get what you want? No, but you can't help being a wanting human.
I really enjoyed Invisible Things. Its pacing was excellent, and it had a wide cast of characters that felt both familiar and new. Most of all, it's powered by Mat's low-key compassionate humor that's tinged with rose-colored pessimism for the human race.
Invisible Things centers on an ill-fated trip to Jupiter, where the ship's crew finds itself abducted to New Roanoke, an alien colony on the moon of Europa. While the book cycles through various narrative voices, we're first introduced to the novel's world through Nalini Jackson, a misanthropist sociologist.
Nalini becomes our conflicted avatar for the fucked-up world of New Roanoke, a place of terrific inequity, amorphous rules, and a power structure that is, as the novel's title suggests, invisible. There's a political fight, a rescue attempt, corporate greed, media manipulation, political gaslighting, and a host of conflicted humans. It's satire, after all, and I loved it.
Mat's prose is deliciously clear, like diving into a pool of cool, clean water. I loved immersing myself in it, but it's mostly the constant good-natured humor that made me fall in love with this book. It's sci-fi for the disillusioned yet reluctantly hopeful. Do you always get what you want? No, but you can't help being a wanting human.
November 7, 2023
This book was what I wanted 'Stranger in a Strange Land' to be and was disappointed when it wasn't. By that, I mean that this is an intelligent book. Yes, at it's core, it's a book about a crew of researchers/engineers who discover an entire American county contained within a biodome on a moon of Jupiter. They are then kidnapped into this impossible city, which has apparently existed since at least the 1600's. That's when it really gets into the social commentary of human nature. How we govern ourselves, class divide, traditions, radical belief systems, corruption, morality vs. power and on and on. The author is able to achieve all of the social commentary that 'Stranger in a Strange Land' was while weaving it within the layers of a very interesting science fiction. SiaSL ultimately became all long speeches and monologues, losing my interest in the story completely. This book did not suffer the same issue.
The ending to this book is rather abrupt. I think I would have liked to know a little more about what happened after that, but it was just like 'BAM'. The end. Except that 'bam' opened up about 10 more doors of questions.
I won this book as a giveaway back in April of this year and just got around to it now. It was definitely an interesting read and something that I would recommend.
The ending to this book is rather abrupt. I think I would have liked to know a little more about what happened after that, but it was just like 'BAM'. The end. Except that 'bam' opened up about 10 more doors of questions.
I won this book as a giveaway back in April of this year and just got around to it now. It was definitely an interesting read and something that I would recommend.
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