Ahmed Kadasah Kadasah itibaren Yaichi, Uribia, La Guajira, Colombia
This is for sure an important book for anyone to read who wants to speak intelligently ever about race, class or America in general. The only reason I wasn't tipped to put it as a 4 or 5 was because, for me, I felt the language got a little flowery, but that's to be expected with Ellison.
A 23rd century student enters into suspended animation for three years in order to get to the day when he can legally withdraw his inheritance, but doesn't wake until over fifteen hundred years later where, for mostly unexplained reasons, society closely mirrors that of Ancient Rome. Flimsy characterisation, pulp-quality writing, implausible plot resolutions and patronising attitudes towards women - many of sci-fi's worst crimes are all present and correct in this lame period piece. I have another couple of books by Cowper on the shelf. I won't be rushing to read either of them.