Book Review of the Month: The Employees
Michael Maag reviews the best and worst science fiction novels so you know what you should - or shouldn’t - read next.
“The Employees”
A workplace novel of the 22nd century by Olga Ravn Translated by Martin Aitken
What is the book about?
I read this short novel with a growing sense of anxiety and unease. It is written as a workplace commission compiled sequence of interview statements from employees on the Six Thousand Ship. There is no context, narration or world building other than brief disjointed statements - we are not even sure who is speaking. This leaves the reader to puzzle out the situation. Nevertheless, a picture of the ship and the issues at hand are quickly and effectively revealed.
Mysterious and engaging, the book pulls the reader into a strange environment with very real and familiar emotions. The book is about power dynamics, personal identity and agency in a work environment. Although this novel is set on spaceship far away from earth, it does not center on traditional science fiction topics, such as space exploration or advanced technology. Even the aliens encountered are just a vehicle to reveal human, or humanoid, experiences, emotions and thought processes. The book also addresses contemporary issues around how technology, labor and the control of employees affects us both personally and as a society.
It is uncomfortable to read as the erratic rhythm of the statements, lack of context and bizarre setting left me confused and cold at times.
On a scale from one to five, how much did you like this book?
Originally, I was not going to recommend this book due to its challenging read and vague sense of unease. However, as it sat with me for a couple days, I found myself wavering toward a full five stars. The challenges and emotions that arise from reading the book are part of the experience. Therefore, I give this book three stars.
Is this book worth reading or can the content be covered in a book review?
You may or may not enjoy the read, but I do suggest that you experience it. Listen to it on Audible in a darkened room for the full foreboding effect.
What is the best or worst quote, chapter or item in the book?
Here are some statements from the book to give you the flavor.
“You'd probably say it was a small world, but not if you have to clean it.”
“I know you don’t wish anything bad for me as long as I submit to the workflow and remain loyal to the values of the organization.”
“You can say what you want, but I know you don’t want us to become too, well, what? Too human? Too living? But I like being alive. I look out at the endless deep outside the panorama windows. I see a sun. I burn the way the sun burns. I know without a doubt that I’m real. I may have been made, but now I’m making myself.”