Alternative titles: The Synthetic Man
Genre: Science Fiction
Publish: 1950
Page Count: 160
Summary: Eight-year-old Horty Bluett is mocked by his classmates & abused by his adoptive parents until the day his father severs three of his fingers. He runs away, taking only a gem-eyed doll he calls Junky, & joins a carnival. Finding acceptance at last, Horty never dreams that Junky is more than a toy, nor does he realize that a threat far greater than his cruel father inhabits the carnival & has been searching for Horty longer than he has been alive.
Review
The writing is beautiful. It has a smooth pose that reads like Ray Bradbury’s writing only without the fabric metaphors. In fact, Seurgeon inspired many Sci-fic authors, including Bradbury.
The science fiction element is subtle. What the jewels are, is interesting. Not to reveal too much, but they are living organisms with strange powers.
The author does not hold back. On the antagonist. Pierre Montere does not seem very curl but you get this sense that everyone fears him.
Seurgeon does a good job of devolving the main and side characters as well. Horty and Zena’s bond is believable. Zena has this motherly love towards Horty.
The Dreaming Jewels is a good science fiction book that asks of what if there are intelligent beings that function on a different plane of conscience. The idea of plants having a conscience we have yet to fully understand has been around for a while. I particularly say plants because it is clear to see the awareness and intelligence animals have. It has been a running joke how in the future dolphins will be our supreme overlords.
Plants, on the other hand, are over look as being living organisms yet, plants are aware of changes in the environment. Which shows that they are conscience. So… does that mean plants have intelligence that we have yet to tap into?
It may seem I’m going off on a limb here but, this goes with what the book is trying to question about conscience.
The Dreaming Jewels is an interesting and weird book. Never have I come across a book where a boy disguises himself as a girl. There are many books where the girl dresses as a boy. The story doesn’t make any type of statement about it. It is just the person Horty is running away from will be looking for a boy.
Give this book a read if you are looking for older science fiction that raises questions about conscience. I will warn you it leans into philosophy and biology. Which from my background in biology its easy to understand, as for other you might need some knowledge.
