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Spellbinding Sep 24, 2003 (17 of 17 found this helpful)
Neil Gaiman called this book a "roller coaster ride of fusion fiction" and it's easy to understand why. This delightful and diabolically intricate creation transforms from caterpillar to butterfly by way of gothic fantasy, mystery, apocalyptic science fiction, mythology, eschatology, a coming of age story, and even a romance. Ambitious novels like this run the risk of seeming all over the map, but Idlewild hangs together beautifully, with influences from each genre synthesized and reinvented through the pen of an imaginative and strikingly original storyteller.
Sagan begins with a pinpoint focus on his flawed but likeable antihero, who must solve the riddle of his amnesia, and gradually widens the scope to explore a deeper mystery that involves the whole of humanity. Multiple plotlines thread together seamlessly as hidden layers are revealed. This is a rich, dark, compelling tale that refuses to insult the reader's intelligence. Dialogue crackles and sparkles, and the protagonist's inner monologue builds to a furiously witty fever pitch.
My only complaint would be the pacing. It's one of the fastest novels I've ever read, and I tore through it so quickly that I'm left wanting more. That's about as negative as I can be here. Idlewild is simply that good, one of those rare books that stays with you long after you've closed it.
Highly recommended for everyone, and especially for fans of Neil Gaiman's Sandman series.
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A promising and assured debut Aug 25, 2003 (14 of 14 found this helpful)
A smooth blend of virtual reality and suspense, impressively reminiscent (to this reader anyway) of Iain M Banks (particularly The Bridge) crossed with Neal Stephenson (Snow Crash) with just a touch of Ender's Game thrown in. With the Author's heritage you might perhaps have expected a harder SF slant but this is set in the near future and is a more contemporary book touching on themes of genetics, AI/VR, and even, in an subtle way, certain comic book conventions which are used to good effect (groups of related 'special' people, each with defined characteristics and allegiances/rivalries).
I suggest that the book is best read knowing as little as you can about the plot (i.e. try and avoid reading the dust jacket description)...allowing you to enjoy unravelling events along with the main protoganist who starts the story with amnesia.
This is very much an 'origins' story and whilst it stands alone well (in the way the film Unbreakable does), I would be very surprised if a follow-up was not planned. I'm looking forward to it.
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The best book I've read in the past few months Mar 13, 2004 (12 of 12 found this helpful)
Sagan's first novel surprised me in that I rather expected it to be fantasy, based on the cover. The first part of the book carried me along in that notion, but then I discovered it was so much more.
This is by no means a polished work, but it is very very good for a first novel. I've read a lot of sf, and this still managed to surprise me (plotwise). Which was refreshing.
It might not be knock your socks off good, but it's definitely worth reading. I'll be nominating Sagan for the Campbell award (best new SF Author) this year.
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A Promising Debut Novel from a Marvelous Storyteller Sep 13, 2003 (12 of 12 found this helpful)
The virtual reality tale has become a mainstay of science fiction, a frequently used template for books and films that explore the increasingly intimate interplay between human beings and technology. It is territory well worth exploring, as more and more human-to-human interaction in the real world is modeled and replicated in the digital environment of the Internet, an environment that is as pervasive as it is profound in its effect on civilization. But as with any genre, the difference between mainstay and cliché is defined by the skills of the storyteller.
With IDLEWILD, his first novel, author Nick Sagan has distinguished himself as a storyteller of considerable talent. Sagan, the son of the late scientist and author Carl Sagan, has crafted a story that delivers everything one expects in a cyberpunk/virtual reality novel. But IDLEWILD throws enough curves at the reader to keep the story well out of reach of the clichés that might otherwise mark it as yet another cut-and-paste virtual reality clone.
IDLEWILD opens as a young man awakens in the middle of a field, having been rendered unconscious by some unidentified trauma. He is unable to remember who or where he is. His environment reveals itself to be a fantastic place, populated by strange creatures with strange powers. As his memory slowly returns he realizes that this fantasy world is a virtual environment of his own creation and the strange creatures are his classmates in Idlewild, an exclusive midwestern prep school that uses sophisticated virtual environments as classrooms.
Gabe, the young man, learns that the trauma he suffered was a potentially fatal electric shock and that the massive current surged through his body as he lay wired into his virtual reality world. Gabe suspects that the shock was no accident and begins a cautious investigation of his classmates and of Ellison, the artificial intelligence that acts as the virtual headmaster of the school. Who would want to kill him, and why? As Gabe digs deeper into the mystery, the lines between the real and the virtual worlds blur and with each answer comes a new question. Gabe's paranoia increases as he learns that even his own perceptions are suspect.
To describe the storytelling technique Sagan uses in IDLEWILD would be to reveal too much of this intricate tale. But it can be safely revealed that Sagan has deftly juggled multiple storylines to produce a slick cyberpunk whodunit with a tight and energetic narrative and an apocalyptic kick. Good stuff from a writer with a bright future.
--- Reviewed by Bob Rhubart from Bookreporter.com
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Thoroughly Engaging Nov 3, 2003 (11 of 11 found this helpful)
One thing I can say for Sagan, he knows how to put you in the scene. From the first page, his writing takes you straight to the action and you can practically taste the atmosphere his characters have been dropped into. Every description comes through crystal clear, almost making me feel like I was watching a movie, rather than reading a book.
The premise is clever. Much like the protagonist, the semi-amnesiac Halloween, the reader is forced to learn what's going on through painful, frustrating investigation. This drags out the suspense, making you want to know the truth as quickly as possible.
I take off only one star b/c the surprise twist was not exactly earth-shattering. The last twenty pages was a bit of a chore to read, but I still recommend this book on its "fun-ride" value.