Being that this book has been reviewed by both Jennifer and Prisco on Pajiba, I'll leave you to read those two pieces for brief plot summaries and some hilarious storytelling on Prisco's part. Though I must mention that I have experienced a version of the churrascuria that he describes; mine was in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and it is a glorious thing. Go meat!
I will say that I enjoyed this book thoroughly. I'd agree with Jennifer inasmuch that the foreign lingo was a hindrance at first, but became easier to follow as the book went on, due both to having turned to the glossary so many times and simply to becoming more aware of how the terms were being used. I'd also agree with Mr. Prisco that the Quinn/Falcon storyline was the strongest and most vivid of the three. Luis Quinn and Dr. Robert Falcon are the most fully-realized characters in the novel, and though all three storylines held my attention, I often found myself hoping that McDonald would soon return to 1732. As an engineer, I have enough of a science background that I was able to digest pretty much all of the quantum physics theory and crazy ideas in the 2032 storyline with only McDonald's explanations. That doesn't mean that Brasyl is any less daunting than Jennifer states, though. It's still a very deliberate read that often had me flipping back to clarify things or confirm what I thought I'd read earlier. The payoff, though, is quite satisfying; enough so to make me want to read some more of McDonald's work.
On a related note: do any of you watch "Fringe?" Did you see the last episode, when they started talking about "the true nature of reality," the infant mind being infinitely capable and its "limitation," and the multiverse? I couldn't help thinking back on Brasyl. I mean, there was even talk of beings who've discovered how to travel between universes, and an impending war between realities. All remain great concepts within the sphere of "Fringe," but I'm hoping that there's not too much similarity as the overarching plot progresses. Both because I'd rather not think that J.J. Abrams lifted the major ideas, and because I rather enjoy the mind-fuck nature of the show. I don't want to know too much of the plot before it's revealed.
0 comments:
Post a Comment