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Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite
Herb Guggenheim’s The Nothingness Imperative is an unconventional work of speculative fiction that blends science, memory, and existential humor. At its heart is Skip Gershwin, a weary adjunct professor whose life is as cluttered and frayed as the canvas shopping bags he hauls to class. The story begins with an improbable reunion: Skip reconnects with Gudrun Frege, a woman from his past, after traveling instantaneously across space using a mysterious box given to him decades earlier by an enigmatic artist. This premise sets the tone for a novel that treats the extraordinary with casual frankness, folding moments of wonder into the monotony of daily life.
The narrative moves between present-day Washington, D.C., and the dreamlike streets of Vienna, where Skip and Gudrun navigate both literal and figurative mazes. Herb Guggenheim’s dialogue-driven style lends the book a conversational intimacy; characters often spar with humor and self-deprecation, exposing their vulnerabilities through quick exchanges rather than prolonged introspection. While the story toys with science fiction tropes, such as hyperspace travel, inexplicable artifacts, and flashes of prophetic vision, it is equally invested in the quiet anxieties of aging, regret, and missed opportunities. The pacing is episodic, favoring encounters and conversations over linear action. Some readers may find this meandering approach challenging, yet it does suit the novel’s thematic exploration of life’s detours and uncertainties. The speculative elements are never fully explained, which enhances the focus on personal transformation rather than scientific plausibility. The Nothingness Imperative is a quirky character study and a meditation on connection in an indifferent universe. Guggenheim invites readers to consider how ordinary lives brush against the extraordinary.
