How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe is a 2010 novel by American writer Charles Yu. The novel revolves around a search for a father and the father-son relationship. It also includes themes about life and how we live especially with respect to time, memories, and creation of the self. It was named the year's second best science fiction novel by the Center for the Study of Science Fiction at the University of Kansas —runner up for the annual Campbell Memorial Award.
The story is like watching a complicated movie, where you think about it afterward to put the pieces together. especially in the second half, the story seems fragmented and some mental assembly is required. Yet the emotional current that runs through the book is strong and clear. I don't think the writing style is for everyone, but I really liked it.
Read this book in three days!
I decided to read this book after hearing the author's interview on the Geek's Guide to the Galaxy podcast. It turned out to be a bit different from what I had originally expected, as a sort of hybrid between SF and literary avant-garde, and much of it taking place inside the head of the main character, who happens to have the same name as the author. He gets put through the wringer, both physically and psychically, in the process of discovering the narrative of his own life story.
I did not find it funny. It was new and different, but depressing.
