In 'Fall; or, Dodge in Hell,' Neal Stephenson delves into the realms of virtual reality and the afterlife, exploring profound questions about consciousness and society. When tech mogul Richard 'Dodge' Forthrast dies and finds himself in a digital afterlife, he must navigate a fantastical new world that mirrors the complexities of human existence. As Dodge attempts to establish order in this chaotic realm, a cast of eccentric characters and philosophical dilemmas challenges his perception of life and death. With rich world-building and thought-provoking themes, the novel examines the implications of digital immortality and the nature of reality itself. Join Dodge on his surreal journey, where the line between existence and simulation blurs, promising an unforgettable exploration of what it truly means to be alive.
By Neal Stephenson
Published: 2019
"The mind is an uncharted territory, a vast expanse where the lines between reality and imagination blur, and the digital realm becomes a new frontier for exploring existence."
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Seveneves, Anathem, Reamde, and Cryptonomicon returns with a wildly inventive and entertaining science fiction thriller—Paradise Lost by way of Philip K. Dick—that unfolds in the near future, in parallel worlds. In his youth, Richard “Dodge” Forthrast founded Corporation 9592, a gaming company that made him a multibillionaire. Now in his middle years, Dodge appreciates his comfortable, unencumbered life, managing his myriad business interests, and spending time with his beloved niece Zula and her young daughter, Sophia. One beautiful autumn day, while he undergoes a routine medical procedure, something goes irrevocably wrong. Dodge is pronounced brain dead and put on life support, leaving his stunned family and close friends with difficult decisions. Long ago, when a much younger Dodge drew up his will, he directed that his body be given to a cryonics company now owned by enigmatic tech entrepreneur Elmo Shepherd. Legally bound to follow the directive despite their misgivings, Dodge’s family has his brain scanned and its data structures uploaded and stored in the cloud, until it can eventually be revived. In the coming years, technology allows Dodge’s brain to be turned back on. It is an achievement that is nothing less than the disruption of death itself. An eternal afterlife—the Bitworld—is created, in which humans continue to exist as digital souls. But this brave new immortal world is not the Utopia it might first seem . . . Fall, or Dodge in Hell is pure, unadulterated fun: a grand drama of analog and digital, man and machine, angels and demons, gods and followers, the finite and the eternal. In this exhilarating epic, Neal Stephenson raises profound existential questions and touches on the revolutionary breakthroughs that are transforming our future. Combining the technological, philosophical, and spiritual in one grand myth, he delivers a mind-blowing speculative literary saga for the modern age.
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“The mind is an uncharted territory, a vast expanse where the lines between reality and imagination blur, and the digital realm becomes a new frontier for exploring existence.”
Fall
By Neal Stephenson
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Neal Stephenson is a renowned American author known for his speculative fiction and historical fiction works, which often explore themes of technology, philosophy, and society. His notable works include 'Snow Crash,' a seminal cyberpunk novel that introduced the concept of the Metaverse; 'Cryptonomicon,' which intertwines World War II history with modern cryptography; and the 'Baroque Cycle,' a trilogy that blends historical narrative with speculative ideas about science and politics. Stephenson's writing style is characterized by its intricate plots, richly detailed worlds, and a penchant for intellectual exploration across a variety of disciplines, making him a significant figure in contemporary literature.
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