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on May 8, 2017
I highly recommend Cory Doctrow's novel, Walkaway. Yes, the characters in Walkaway are not deeply developed. And, yes, jargon and slang infiltrates the dialogue like kudzu unfurling in a temperate forest baked by climate-change. However, Doctrow's amazingly successful world building made it easy for me to get past those issues. This novel is a member of a rare species, a Must Read that is also fun to read.
The world that Doctrow creates in Walkaway is one of the most difficult to pull off, I think. It is a world very close in time to our own, and very like our own. The science and technology we read about is not unobtainable, and although the airships used by Walkaways to flyaway bring Steampunk to mind, this is not a Steampunk world. Socially and economically, the world in Walkaway follows paths already in place in "our" world.
There is much commentary in Walkaway, on topics ranging from political to economic to social. The commentary is primary embedded in character dialogue, and that approach works about 85% of the time. Admittedly, there are points when spoken ideologic observations work against the development of an character into someone we can believe in and care about. In my opinion, this drawback does not affect the overall success of the novel.
Of course it is difficult to write about the conversations that occur in Walkaway without treading into Spoiler Territory. However, I think most readers will find that novel contains thoughtful observations that go beyond, and push the reader to think beyond, introductory level concepts. For example, (and this will not be a spoiler), when a member of the 1% and a Walkaway debate the value of charitable non-profit foundations set up by the wealthy... the usual glowing accolades accorded to selfless wealthy individuals who "give away" so much money are refuted by the Walkaway. These foundations are not created out of the goodness of your heart, she asserts. They are created so the rich, like you, can stay in control of where their money goes, running the world like it is another of their private cooperations. Expressing this viewpoint, I think, calls for a certain fearlessness. Walkaway contains the fearless expression of many such observations.
Of note, I admit to being inclined personally toward a "Bernie" viewpoint, and lean far away from Trump's ideology. So I embraced most of the observations and comments I read in Walkaway. However, readers with different viewpoints may well react to the novel with less delight than I did. I hope, however, that the majority of readers will take on, and finish the novel, even if the urge strikes to walk away.
The world that Doctrow creates in Walkaway is one of the most difficult to pull off, I think. It is a world very close in time to our own, and very like our own. The science and technology we read about is not unobtainable, and although the airships used by Walkaways to flyaway bring Steampunk to mind, this is not a Steampunk world. Socially and economically, the world in Walkaway follows paths already in place in "our" world.
There is much commentary in Walkaway, on topics ranging from political to economic to social. The commentary is primary embedded in character dialogue, and that approach works about 85% of the time. Admittedly, there are points when spoken ideologic observations work against the development of an character into someone we can believe in and care about. In my opinion, this drawback does not affect the overall success of the novel.
Of course it is difficult to write about the conversations that occur in Walkaway without treading into Spoiler Territory. However, I think most readers will find that novel contains thoughtful observations that go beyond, and push the reader to think beyond, introductory level concepts. For example, (and this will not be a spoiler), when a member of the 1% and a Walkaway debate the value of charitable non-profit foundations set up by the wealthy... the usual glowing accolades accorded to selfless wealthy individuals who "give away" so much money are refuted by the Walkaway. These foundations are not created out of the goodness of your heart, she asserts. They are created so the rich, like you, can stay in control of where their money goes, running the world like it is another of their private cooperations. Expressing this viewpoint, I think, calls for a certain fearlessness. Walkaway contains the fearless expression of many such observations.
Of note, I admit to being inclined personally toward a "Bernie" viewpoint, and lean far away from Trump's ideology. So I embraced most of the observations and comments I read in Walkaway. However, readers with different viewpoints may well react to the novel with less delight than I did. I hope, however, that the majority of readers will take on, and finish the novel, even if the urge strikes to walk away.
on May 6, 2017
Doctorow fast forwards our present, extrapolating to what seems like a highly likely version of the future. The underlying but never subtle messages contained in this and his other books continually give me pause and force me to reflect on the socio economic structures that we let bind our lives.
Not a book to pick up lightly it contains profound and life changing concepts. Make sure you are prepared for that.
Not a book to pick up lightly it contains profound and life changing concepts. Make sure you are prepared for that.
on May 14, 2017
Walkaway embiggens the smallest reader. It looks at our future, with the same sort of hopefulness as Gene Roddenberry's Star Trek.
Also, get the audiobook, the narration makes it totally worth it.
Also, get the audiobook, the narration makes it totally worth it.
on April 28, 2017
Cory Doctorow's Walkaway is a tour de force. I discovered his books four years ago and am constantly blown away by his ability to use his stories to show us the future. In Walkaway, the world is rapidly deteriorating due to the concentration of capital by a few powerful families. When one of the daughters of a powerful "zotta" joins the Walkaway movement, her father will stop at nothing to get her back.
on May 2, 2017
Cory Doctorow yet again proves an inspiration to Resistors everywhere. Walkaway throws magical new ideas of what the future can be like, if only we are willing to take that leap of faith. It's going to be a tough road, but we can do it.
on May 21, 2017
I have been waiting for this, it did not disappoint. Let's all hope that the future is somewhere near where this puts us.
on May 14, 2017
As usual, an original story to make you think/hope/worry/dream. It's very plausible but scary as hell like any good near future story. I couldn't put it down.
on May 3, 2017
My certain Hugo nominee. In a post scarcity world, how do we build a post scarcity society? If this book is a guide, we walk away into the first days of a better humanity.
