Book - Down and out in the Magic Kingdom

[wdwnutz]

Has anyone read this book by Cory Doctorow? Was it any good?

[Dragongirlx]

I have read it and while the idea of the plot was good I felt the writing was rushed and confusing and it gave me a headache trying to read it.
However I did love the descriptions of the rides and park.

[magicalmom]

I'm a speculative fiction junkie, and liked this book a lot - it's kind of dark, though. There's also a great book called The Free Lunch - it's either by John Varley or Spider Robinson (I forget) also speculative fiction, about a kids who's living in a Magic Kingdom analogue.

[PopPhan]

I'm a speculative fiction junkie, and liked this book a lot - it's kind of dark, though. There's also a great book called The Free Lunch - it's either by John Varley or Spider Robinson (I forget) also speculative fiction, about a kids who's living in a Magic Kingdom analogue.

Definitely Spider Robinson! I'm a big fan of his Callahan's series and have read most of his other works. As a great Robert A. Heinlein fan, Spider has often used ideas from Heinlein's books as basis for his writings -- in this case the idea of TANSTAAFL (There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch) from "Stranger In A Strange Land"

Here is a brief overview of the book directly from Spider's website...

THE FREE LUNCH (Tor paperback, July 2002)--a new novel of near-future adventure. Twelve-year-old genius Mike, fleeing a life that's become unendurable, literally takes refuge in a dreamworld: he goes underground at Dreamworld, the world's biggest and best high-tech amusement park, a place so magical he hopes to live there, in hiding, forever. Fortunately he's taken under the wing of Annie, a wise old midget who's been "under" for thirteen years now, quietly backstopping the park's maintenance crews. But as Annie's showing Mike the ropes, Very Strange Things begin happening in Dreamworld. For one thing, more employees are now leaving at night than entered during the day...and some of them are armed, and quietly stalking each other! Only Annie and Mike are in a position to investigate...and slowly grasp the incredible truth, about a scheme that--unless they prevent it--will change everything, forever. If it turns out there IS such a thing as a Free Lunch...do we dare eat it? A midget recluse and a runaway preteen genius must decide the ultimate fate of a world they've both rejected...

[magicalmom]

Thank you! I really enjoyed both books - I'm thinking it's time to head over to the library and check them out again!