I recently read the second-to-last volume in my Easton Press Kurt Vonnegut set for my first time: "The Sirens of Titan." This was a phenomenal book and typical of the level of quality and care that Vonnegut puts into his works. Vonnegut's imagination is astounding, and his voice is both kind and touching.
Similar to the other books in the set, this book was gorgeous. I've enjoyed reading all of them. One of my online friends likened the book to a less serious version of "Slaughterhouse Five." It's been too long since I've read "Slaughterhouse Five" to weigh in on that comparison, but any comparison to that book is an accolade.
"The Sirens of Titan" tells the tale of a Malachi Constant, a gentleman whose father got wealthy by using the Bible to identify ticker symbols to invest in. He ended up with several billion dollars and Malachi continued the investment strategy upon his father's death. It ultimately ended up in a dismal failure, though, and he lost everything and ended up being recruited to the Martian army, which was set on doing a suicide attack on Earth. When the attack happened, almost everyone involved on the Martian side was killed. The purpose of this invasion wasn't to change the balance of power in the solar system but, rather, to inspire empathy on the part of the surviving human race.
Malachi is brainwashed several times while on Mars and learns, upon discovering a letter he wrote to himself, that he was married and had a son. He sought out his son and found him, but the son was disinterested in the tale and in his father. His wife was similarly disinterested, having been brainwashed herself.
Malachi ultimately escapes in one of the last ships to leave Mars and he and his commanding general, Boaz, travel to Mercury and get stuck in caves on the dark side of the planet for nearly three years. Once they figure out how to leave, Malachi does so but Boaz is determined to stay as he feels loved and accepted by the Mercurian aliens. Malachi ends up back on Earth well after the Martian invasion was squashed to find that he was prophesied to return from space. He tries to explain that he was a victim of a series of accidents, as we all are. This gets used against him, though, as his birth and subsequent extravagant wealth were considered unjust and unfair to his peers. He and his wife and son, who survived their migration to Mars and weren't slaughtered by the inhabitants of Earth or killed in the crash landing, are forced to travel to Titan.
On Titan, the family ends up finding peace in whatever way one can be expected to in the circumstances. He and his wife ultimately do fall in love with each other although only a year or so before they die of old age. Malachi's son lives with the birds on Titan but was known to visit his mother at least annually as they had a strong relationship.
"Sirens of Titan" is a bizarre book, to be sure, but it was wonderful. I highly recommend it. There are several passages in it that will just stick in your head after reading them....stick in your head or touch your heart....or perhaps both. At one point Vonnegut notes that the purpose of life is really to love those around you that are there to be loved. It's simple but seems truthful for all of its simplicity.
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