Terminaion Shock
By Neal Stephenson
Neal Stephenson is one of the most gifted storytellers going, and he really puts those gifts to the test, almost flaunting them, in Termination Shock, a novel which spends a few hundred pages in introductory matter before it even starts to explain what it’s about.
Stephenson can get away with this because he’s a master explainer, his novels often feeling like a series of fascinating TED talks on topics ranging across science, history, and politics. But he’s good with the action too, and whipping the reader along on globe-trotting adventures filled with colourful characters.
In brief, Termination Shock is a CliFi novel, telling the story of an attempt by a Texas billionaire to blast the atmosphere with sulfur in order to mitigate global warming. To this end he has assembled an eclectic group of representatives from some of the cities and states most threatened by rising sea levels. Think the Queen of the Netherlands, Lord Mayor of London, a representative from Singapore, and some Venetian aristos. Meanwhile, the story of a Sikh from Richmond, BC moves on a parallel track, his fate crossing with that of the others in the finale.
There’s plenty going on, including some stuff, like the romance, that doesn’t work. But it’s Stephenson’s best book since Seveneves, and has plenty of thrills as well as lots to make you think.
Have you read most of Stephenson’s work?
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I think I have. I don’t think he’s been as sharp lately. Actually, Snow Crash may still be my favourite. I really liked the big Quicksilver Trilogy too. This definitely isn’t as good, but he can still keep the pages turning.
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I am glad you like him. I liked Snowcrash but nothing else by him so he’s one of those authors I simply let fall by the wayside.
His fans tend to be pretty loyal though….
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I didn’t like Reamde or Fall, and the Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. was a joint project. This is better, but still not as good as his early stuff, in my opinion.
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Sulfur stinks! Can’t see how filling the air with it would do anybody any good.
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Well, the idea is that it would prevent or at least retard global warming. Desperate times call for desperate measures, etc. And there’d be global winners and losers.
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So….is the guy trying to pollute the atmosphere the villain?
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He sees it as a technofix to the problem of global warming. He’s not really evil, though that sort of project has all kinds of dangerous potential.
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