Review: The Yin and Yang of an Electrical Conductor by Jose Scaramanga

A wild, mind-bending tale, The Yin and Yang of an Electrical Conductor proposes a fascinating world where one can have a chat with an eminent scholar from the Age of Reason, or a holy man from thousands of years ago. While the title of the novel might sound like it belongs to a daunting textbook, this is actually a wildly imaginative sci-fi novella that eliminates the boundaries of space and time in search of existential truth, and shares a good bit of knowledge about physics along the way.

In this oddly charming adventure, readers are taken from Neolithic times to the parlors of brilliant long-dead physicists and the inner sanctums of gurus, where the narrator is bestowed with more information than a casual sci-fi reader might expect. If you have been looking for a whimsical refresher course in the nature of the universe and the workings of physics, this book will certainly deliver some valuable lessons.

Despite the relative brevity of the book, if you want to fully immerse yourself in this story, a good amount of side research will be necessary, provided you aren’t already a physics buff, so the novel does require some advanced knowledge, though it can certainly be enjoyed on its own terms. There are many moments that are reminiscent of Pirsig, who so masterfully blended philosophic musings, simple speech, and practical, physical realities in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

At times, while the conversations are interesting and normally avoid veering into pedantic diatribes, there are some overly complex and sluggish sections that veer too far away from fiction. Some of the missed moments in this book occurred when the conversations turned overly technical or mathematical in nature. In a way, the book is creating a genre that’s even harder than hard science fiction.

Despite being a fairly difficult read for the layperson, the style of dialogue fits in line with the unique structure and subject matter. This is not a casual poolside read; it is a book that attempts to establish a bridge between ancient belief systems and the rigid dogma of the scientific world. The fact that Scaramanga achieves something approaching common ground is impressive enough.

In terms of the continuity of tone, the book sometimes aims for levity when it’s not required or out of place. The premise of the book may be implausible, but the subjects being discussed are quite serious and require focus and attention. Unfortunately, there are a number of moments where injections of whimsy or humor undercut the point or intention of a scene. The author should trust that a reader doesn’t always need to be amused, specifically if it detracts from deeper meaning attempting to be expressed.

That criticism aside, Scaramanga has an imagination most authors can only dream of, and he put in clear research effort to lend authenticity and credibility to his science fiction storytelling. With discussions ranging from population dynamics and the speed of light to the anthropocentric theory of the universe, this book is an invigorating and mind-expanding trip, and one that is definitely worth the effort.