Termination Shock
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4.2 • 10 Ratings
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
A visionary new science fiction thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Seveneves, Anathem. Reamde, and Cryptonomicon.
Intricately imagined and richly plotted, Termination Shock is trademark Stephenson--a gripping and propulsive epic of the modern world that shows this remarkable author at his very best.
Neal Stephenson's sweeping, prescient new novel transports readers to a near-future world where the greenhouse effect has inexorably resulted in a whirling-dervish troposphere of superstorms, rising sea levels, global flooding, merciless heat waves, and virulent, deadly pandemics.
One man has a Big Idea for reversing global warming, a master plan perhaps best described as "elemental." But will it work? And just as important, what are the consequences for the planet and all of humanity should it be applied?
As only Stephenson can, Termination Shock sounds a clarion alarm, ponders potential solutions and dire risks, and wraps it all together in an exhilarating, witty, mind-expanding speculative adventure.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
“Neal Stephenson is a landmark author in your life,” George Stroumboulopoulos says. “Once you read him, you are in. He has the ability to create a world that you recognise, are excited by, fear, yet can’t quite make out. In an era of hyper-connective disconnect, Neal’s writing is even more impactful.” With such high praise, it’s easy to see why Strombo chose Termination Shock as his first book club pick. This mind-bending thriller will have you contemplating how far we should go to offset climate disaster. Stephenson begins the tale in a weather-wrecked near future, where Texas billionaire T.R. Schmidt is planning to shoot sulphur into the atmosphere to cool the planet—and he’s not asking permission. A myriad of characters coalesces to either aid or hinder his plan, including a hog-hunting veteran, a Canadian Sikh with identity problems, and even the queen of the Netherlands. With his devotion to scientific details and extensive backstories, Stephenson keeps the story humming along. The story is dense, but in a wildly entertaining way that’s never in danger of collapsing under its own weight. There could be a drinking game based on the number of times you’ll wonder, “Wait, could that really happen?” That plausibility is what makes Termination Shock so brilliant.
