The Gone Away World
Nick Harkaway
576 pages
Published 2009
Sci Fi, Dystopia, Post Apocalypse, Humor
Can a book about post-apocalypse be funny? When Nick Harkaway writes it, yes. Harkaway is incredibly imaginative and extremely funny. While his style often brought to mine Douglas Adams, Tom Robbins, and Christopher Moore, Harkaway has penned one of the most unique books in its genre ever. This book threw me a bit. The first 30 pages are a bit mysterious but enthralling. Then we are jolted back in time without warning to the beginning of what seems to be an entirely different story for over 300 pages until we come back to the story started in the first 30 pages. This is not exactly a quick read. Sometimes descriptions and moments go on a bit too long. At times I got the feeling he was having a bit more fun writing then I was reading. But it is an amusing and fantastical journey and perseverance is well rewarded. I wish I could say more but do not want to spoil the fun. However, Harkaway has produced what will be one of most favorite quotes...
"Girls - at least where I grew up - tend to be more emotionally balanced and sane, and therefore find the kind of all-excluding concentration you need to care about dinosaurs, taxonomy, philately and geopolitical schemes a bit worrying and sad. Girls can grasp the bigger picture (i.e., 'it might be better to not destroy the world over this'), where boys have a perfect grip on the fine print (i.e., 'this insidious idea is antithetical to our existence and cannot be allowed to flourish along side our peace-loving, free society'). Note carefully how it is probably better to let the girls deal with weapons of mass destruction."
Nick Harkaway
576 pages
Published 2009
Sci Fi, Dystopia, Post Apocalypse, Humor
Can a book about post-apocalypse be funny? When Nick Harkaway writes it, yes. Harkaway is incredibly imaginative and extremely funny. While his style often brought to mine Douglas Adams, Tom Robbins, and Christopher Moore, Harkaway has penned one of the most unique books in its genre ever. This book threw me a bit. The first 30 pages are a bit mysterious but enthralling. Then we are jolted back in time without warning to the beginning of what seems to be an entirely different story for over 300 pages until we come back to the story started in the first 30 pages. This is not exactly a quick read. Sometimes descriptions and moments go on a bit too long. At times I got the feeling he was having a bit more fun writing then I was reading. But it is an amusing and fantastical journey and perseverance is well rewarded. I wish I could say more but do not want to spoil the fun. However, Harkaway has produced what will be one of most favorite quotes...
"Girls - at least where I grew up - tend to be more emotionally balanced and sane, and therefore find the kind of all-excluding concentration you need to care about dinosaurs, taxonomy, philately and geopolitical schemes a bit worrying and sad. Girls can grasp the bigger picture (i.e., 'it might be better to not destroy the world over this'), where boys have a perfect grip on the fine print (i.e., 'this insidious idea is antithetical to our existence and cannot be allowed to flourish along side our peace-loving, free society'). Note carefully how it is probably better to let the girls deal with weapons of mass destruction."
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