Meet New Books
Meet New Books
Book Cover

When Gravity Fails

Save:
Find on Amazon

George Alec Effinger's 'When Gravity Fails' is a cyberpunk detective noir novel set in a future Middle Eastern world where the protagonist, Marid Audran, navigates a dark and gritty society filled with sex, drugs, and murder. The story follows Marid as he becomes entangled in solving a mystery while exploring themes of identity, faith, and societal issues in a world where technology plays a significant role in modifying personalities.

Effinger's writing style combines elements of hard-boiled detective fiction with cyberpunk, creating a unique and immersive world that blends traditional noir storytelling with futuristic technology. The narrative delves into the complexities of the characters and the setting, offering a fast-paced and intriguing read that keeps readers engaged from start to finish.

Characters:

Characters are multifaceted, with the protagonist embodying internal conflict and moral complexity, set against a rich cultural backdrop.

Writing/Prose:

Effinger's writing is immersive and detailed, emphasizing character depth and emotional complexity with a noir flair.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative blends science fiction with mystery, set in a gritty urban environment, focusing on a protagonist entangled in murder investigations while laying groundwork for future installments.

Setting:

The setting is a vividly imagined, gritty urban ghetto in a future Middle Eastern context, filled with cultural richness and technological speculation.

Pacing:

Pacing evolves from slow to engrossing, with character development shaping the narrative flow.
Chiriga’s nightclub was right in the middle of the Budayeen, eight blocks from the eastern gate, eight blocks from the cemetery. It was handy to have the graveyard so close-at-hand. The Budayeen was a...

Notes:

The story takes place in a future Middle Eastern ghetto called Budayeen in 2172.
It combines elements of science fiction, murder mystery, and noir detective fiction.
The main character, Marid Audran, is notable for resisting technological modifications unlike most residents.
The book explores themes of identity, responsibility, and faith, often through a lens of Islam.
The novel is one of the early examples of the cyberpunk genre, published in 1987.
Technology in the book includes personality modifications and brain implants, which allow users to alter their abilities or personalities.
The portrayal of gender identity is complex and includes prevalent themes of sex change and prostitution.
Despite the advanced technology, the book's societal depiction retains a gritty, realistic feel reminiscent of the '80s urban landscape.
Marid is depicted as a troubled but honorable detective, often seen as a lone wolf in a corrupt world.
Effinger's writing includes rich cultural references and a unique approach to storytelling that deviates from traditional science fiction norms.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include drug use, graphic violence, and themes related to sexuality and identity.

Has Romance?

There are romantic elements present, but they are not the central focus of the narrative.

From The Publisher:

In a decadent world of cheap pleasures and easy death, Marid Audrian has kept his independence the hardway. Still, like everything else in the Budayeen, he's available…for a price.

For a new kind of killer roams the streets of the Arab ghetto, a madman whose bootlegged personality cartridges range from a sinister James Bond to a sadistic disemboweler named Khan. And Marid Audrian has been made an offer he can't refuse.

The 200-year-old "godfather" of the Budayeen's underworld has enlisted Marid as his instrument of vengeance. But first Marid must undergo the most sophisticated of surgical implants before he dares to confront a killer who carries the power of every psychopath since the beginning of time.

Wry, savage, and unignorable, When Gravity Fails was hailed as a classic by Effinger's fellow SF writers on its original publication in 1987, and the sequence of "Marid Audrian" novels it begins were the culmination of his career.

Ratings (4)

Incredible (2)
Loved It (1)
Liked It (1)

Reader Stats (13):

Read It (4)
Want To Read (6)
Not Interested (3)

About the Author:

A winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards, George Alec Effinger was the author of What Entropy Means to Me and Schrodinger's Kitten. He died in 2002.

 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.