The Gone-Away World
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4.8 • 17 Ratings
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- £7.99
Publisher Description
The Jorgmund Pipe is the backbone of the world, and it's on fire. Gonzo Lubitsch, professional hero and troubleshooter, is hired to put it out - but there's more to the fire, and the Pipe itself, than meets the eye. The job will take Gonzo and his best friend, our narrator, back to their own beginnings and into the dark heart of the Jorgmund Company itself.
Equal parts raucous adventure, comic odyssey and Romantic Epic, The Gone-Away World is a story of - among other things - love and loss; of ninjas, pirates, politics; of curious heroism in strange and dangerous places; and of a friendship stretched beyond its limits. But it also the story of a world, not unlike our own, in desperate need of heroes - however unlikely they may seem.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
This unclassifiable debut from the son of legendary thriller author John le Carr is simultaneously a cautionary tale about the absurdity of war; a sardonic science fiction romp through Armageddon; a conspiracy-fueled mystery replete with ninjas, mimes and cannibal dogs; and a horrifying glimpse of a Lovecraftian near-future. "Go Away" bombs have erased entire sections of reality from the face of the Earth. A nameless soldier and his heroic best friend witness firsthand the unimaginable aftermath outside the Livable Zone, finding that the world has "unraveled" and is home to an assortment of nightmarish mutations. With the fate of humankind in the balance, the pair become involved in an unlikely and potentially catastrophic love triangle. Readers who prefer linear, conventional plotlines may find Harkaway overly verbose and frustratingly tangential, but those intrigued by works that blur genre boundaries will find this wildly original hybrid a challenging and entertaining entry in the post-apocalyptic canon.
Customer Reviews
A Match for Ian M Banks and Charles Stross
The book starts well and just gets better and better.. I hate not mentioning things within the book that have struck me as there are many, but they would constitute spoilers.... But let's just say I have read a lot of books in the 60 years that I have been reading fiction and for quality of writing, he matches Ian M Banks and Clarke and Asimov and Philip K Dick and Charles Stross. In my opinion.
I came to Nick through "Karla's Choice". The new George Smiley novel but written by John LeCarre's son Nick. It was all I hoped it would be so I had to start reading his own books. I am so glad I did. I now have another 6 of his books I want to read and I would recommend it to all that like taut writing, a story that takes you on a journey and ideas that make you think and that are along the lines of the above authors I have mentioned.
Fantastic
Hits the Rambo-Hawkins sweet spot dead centre. A great romp.