I couldn't finish this novel within a novel. The first half, about the manned-mission to Mars told in the first person was completely captivating--funny, moving and filled with Vonnegut-styled content and absurdity. (The book is dedicated to Vonnegut.) But the second part, which shifts back to earth, lost me. I just didn't care anymore. I'm not giving up yet--I think Moody has gotten a bad rap by the literati in the past. But right now, I'm just not motivated to read it. Well, what I've read in many other reviews here on Goodreads is certainly true. This book is in dire need of an editor! It is way too long, Moody introduces endless characters, often just as a means to start yet another rant about one of the many, many subjects addressed in his work, including (in no particular order) but not limited to: moral implications of physical/bodily enhancements (in sport), the space race, NASA (and other government agencies), abuse of power, drug trafficking, artificial intelligence, (interstellar) law and property rights, cybersex, bad scientific practice, animal rights, love (male-male, male-female, father-daughter...), burning man, the demise of American (western) economy, the inevitable rise of the east, petty struggles of superiority, and many more. For me, not one of the topics is thought through to the end and almost never goes beyond a simple rant, offering no lessons, insights, let alone solutions, and even very little food for thought.Without any substantial loss in quality I believe this book could be cut down to 300 pages...Nonetheless, I enjoy Moody's writing and people who know me, know that I'm always ready for a good rant myself. I was thoroughly entertained, especially by the story told in book I (the enveloping story as well as book II were not so much to my liking). This book, with a great editor, could have been 4 star material, but in it's lengthy presentation it is no more than 3 stars for me (mainly because it touches many aspects that I'm familiar with and interested in) but probably only 2 stars for the majority of people.
Do You like book The Four Fingers Of Death (2010)?
A 600 page book about an author who writes a 500 page introduction to a 5 word book.
—sassy1
It reads like a cheap KV imitation. I gave up on it.
—Trina
