Tomislav's Reviews > Fall; or, Dodge in Hell
Fall; or, Dodge in Hell
by
by
![3082950](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1664218720p2/3082950.jpg)
I think Neal Stephenson must mean something different than the rest of us by the word “novel.” Always, his works are sprawling monstrosities, more akin to several braided novels in one. When it works, it is superlative, and well worth any diversions into side stories or obsessions with details.
The initial setting of “Fall; or, Dodge in Hell” is a familiar one of obsessive/compulsive software game developers, who have become rich as a side-effect of their uncontrollable geekiness. Then enter the profiteers. (view spoiler) It is several novels’ worth of set-up, whose purpose is apparently merely to enable the final magical quest story. For those of us who were expecting something the stature of Stephenson’s sophisticated “Crytonomicon”, that simplistic story is less interesting than the set-up itself.
Now, I'm well aware that there many readers who do enjoy magical quests. For such a reader, the idea that it is all built over the top of a technological platform mostly unseen by the participants, may be an intriguing one. Although, of course, it has been done before. Within that fantasy trope, I may not be a particularly discriminating judge, hence I am not warning away all readers by use of the lowest rating. But for readers like me, it will be a big disappointment.
With regard to the broader Stephenson canon, we have incidental contemporary representatives of the Waterhouse and Shaftoe families, and a significant appearance of the recurring character Enoch Root. I note the sudden disappearance of Enoch Root, implying that our “real” world could be a simulation created in some more foundational world, as yet unexplained.
I read Neal Stephenson’s latest novel “Fall; or, Dodge in Hell” in kindle format. I have previously read a half dozen of his other novels, and particularly liked Cryptonomicon and Anathem. While “Fall; or, Dodge in Hell” is set in time after Reamde, it is not a direct sequel. I have not read “Reamde.”
The initial setting of “Fall; or, Dodge in Hell” is a familiar one of obsessive/compulsive software game developers, who have become rich as a side-effect of their uncontrollable geekiness. Then enter the profiteers. (view spoiler) It is several novels’ worth of set-up, whose purpose is apparently merely to enable the final magical quest story. For those of us who were expecting something the stature of Stephenson’s sophisticated “Crytonomicon”, that simplistic story is less interesting than the set-up itself.
Now, I'm well aware that there many readers who do enjoy magical quests. For such a reader, the idea that it is all built over the top of a technological platform mostly unseen by the participants, may be an intriguing one. Although, of course, it has been done before. Within that fantasy trope, I may not be a particularly discriminating judge, hence I am not warning away all readers by use of the lowest rating. But for readers like me, it will be a big disappointment.
With regard to the broader Stephenson canon, we have incidental contemporary representatives of the Waterhouse and Shaftoe families, and a significant appearance of the recurring character Enoch Root. I note the sudden disappearance of Enoch Root, implying that our “real” world could be a simulation created in some more foundational world, as yet unexplained.
I read Neal Stephenson’s latest novel “Fall; or, Dodge in Hell” in kindle format. I have previously read a half dozen of his other novels, and particularly liked Cryptonomicon and Anathem. While “Fall; or, Dodge in Hell” is set in time after Reamde, it is not a direct sequel. I have not read “Reamde.”
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read
Fall; or, Dodge in Hell.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
Comments Showing 1-1 of 1 (1 new)
date
newest »
![Down arrow](https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/down_arrow-1e1fa5642066c151f5e0136233fce98a.gif)
message 1:
by
Tomislav
(new)
-
rated it 2 stars
Aug 28, 2019 03:18PM
![Tomislav](https://images.gr-assets.com/users/1664218720p1/3082950.jpg)
reply
|
flag