Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Tor (New York, 2003). 1st edition, 1st printing. 208 pages. $22.95.
Description
Jules is a young man barely a century old. He's lived long enough to see the cure for death and the end of scarcity, to learn ten languages and compose three symphonies...and to realize his boyhood dream of taking up residence in Disney World. Disney World! The greatest artistic achievement of the long-ago twentieth century. Now in the keeping of a network of "ad-hocs" who keep the classic attractions running as they always have, enhanced with only the smallest high-tech touches. Now, though, the "ad hocs" are under attack. A new group has taken over the Hall of the Presidents, and is replacing its venerable audioanimatronics with new, immersive direct-to-brain interfaces that give guests the illusion of being Washington, Lincoln, and all the others. For Jules, this is an attack on the artistic purity of Disney World itself. Worse: it appears this new group has had Jules killed. This upsets him. (It's only his fourth death and revival, after all.) Now it's war....… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Whisper1
Disneyworld is now inhabited by factions of those who are techno geeks wanting an enhanced science fiction experience at the House of Presidents and the opposition group running the haunted house who want to enhance the technology but keep the experience personalized.
This science fiction book was
I simply could not relate to the mixed up story line where, in the future world, people don't die, they simply get reprogrammed from a back up model. I was lost on the terminology used and overall was confused by the points the author was trying to make.
I love Disneyworld! I liked the fact that the book was set in the magic kingdom. But, I realize I'm not an avid fan of this type of science fiction. Overall, I kept reading, hoping it would get better.
1/2 star.
This science fiction book was
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highly rated by LT members and reviewers on Amazon. I am in the minority.I simply could not relate to the mixed up story line where, in the future world, people don't die, they simply get reprogrammed from a back up model. I was lost on the terminology used and overall was confused by the points the author was trying to make.
I love Disneyworld! I liked the fact that the book was set in the magic kingdom. But, I realize I'm not an avid fan of this type of science fiction. Overall, I kept reading, hoping it would get better.
1/2 star.
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LibraryThing member ocgreg34
Julius is part of the Bitchun Society, living through his third lifetime after science found a way to eradicate death. All he wants to do now is to follow his dream of living in the Magic Kingdom. Happily, he's found a way to do that by moving in with his girlfriend Lil, a member of the ad hoc
Debra's already enjoyed much success with her efforts at Disney Beijing, and with all the Whuffie she's earned from all the well-wishers, she might get her way soon. Julian, who sees her as a threat to the centuries of fun and entertainment that the theme park has brought to the world, will do whatever it takes to stop her. The only problem is that he's been murdered so along with trying to stop a technological overhaul of his beloved Mansion, he needs to find out who killed him. With Lil and his friend Keep A-Movin' Dan, he sets out to the Magic Kingdom's soul.
A kind of cyber-mystery, Cory Doctorow's "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom" turns out to be a fun ride. I enjoyed the battle between the ad hocs, one side trying to maintain the Haunted Mansion as we know it today, with its Doom Buggies, ghosts twirling about the ballroom floor, mysterious chills wafting down corridors, and that wonderful song of Grim Grinning Ghosts playing non-stop throughout your head. The other side wants to make the attraction even more interactive by flash-burning ghostly tales directly into a guest's uplink so the thrills and scares are more realistic. This makes for a great backdrop to Julius tale of trying to find his killer while maintaining some kind of connection with Lil.
In Doctorow's universe, everyone is connected by an uplink. Anyone can ping someone, find out their background or Whuffie levels (which is worth more than money ever was), plug in to what millions of people are saying or doing, anywhere in the universe, call anyone through a cochlear implant just by thik king about it. (Sounds almost like the social media of today, doesn't it? Minus the implants, of course.) But Julius, after his murder, loses the connection and must figure out how to function and to survive without it, without something he takes for granted as always being there. I liked the twist of watching him flounder without all the connectivity but still keep plugging on, not allowing it to keep him from his goal.
Anyone who enjoys science fiction or Disney or both will definitely love the story as much as I did.
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committee charged with taking care of the Haunted Mansion. But an enemy looms quite close on the horizon in the form of Debra, a new breed of Disney enthusiast who wants to bring the Haunted Mansion, as well as the rest of Disney World, up-to-date with technology.Debra's already enjoyed much success with her efforts at Disney Beijing, and with all the Whuffie she's earned from all the well-wishers, she might get her way soon. Julian, who sees her as a threat to the centuries of fun and entertainment that the theme park has brought to the world, will do whatever it takes to stop her. The only problem is that he's been murdered so along with trying to stop a technological overhaul of his beloved Mansion, he needs to find out who killed him. With Lil and his friend Keep A-Movin' Dan, he sets out to the Magic Kingdom's soul.
A kind of cyber-mystery, Cory Doctorow's "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom" turns out to be a fun ride. I enjoyed the battle between the ad hocs, one side trying to maintain the Haunted Mansion as we know it today, with its Doom Buggies, ghosts twirling about the ballroom floor, mysterious chills wafting down corridors, and that wonderful song of Grim Grinning Ghosts playing non-stop throughout your head. The other side wants to make the attraction even more interactive by flash-burning ghostly tales directly into a guest's uplink so the thrills and scares are more realistic. This makes for a great backdrop to Julius tale of trying to find his killer while maintaining some kind of connection with Lil.
In Doctorow's universe, everyone is connected by an uplink. Anyone can ping someone, find out their background or Whuffie levels (which is worth more than money ever was), plug in to what millions of people are saying or doing, anywhere in the universe, call anyone through a cochlear implant just by thik king about it. (Sounds almost like the social media of today, doesn't it? Minus the implants, of course.) But Julius, after his murder, loses the connection and must figure out how to function and to survive without it, without something he takes for granted as always being there. I liked the twist of watching him flounder without all the connectivity but still keep plugging on, not allowing it to keep him from his goal.
Anyone who enjoys science fiction or Disney or both will definitely love the story as much as I did.
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LibraryThing member irunsjh
I really liked this book. Being a fan of the Disney parks and ideals helped for sure. I liked the cyberpunk aspect of the book, while maintaining a very real perspective. I am sure that this sort of life is not something we will see in the very far future, but I do like the idea. Don't like what
A recommended book for fans of Neal Stephenson in my opinion.
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happened last year, go back to a time when it was better with no worries.A recommended book for fans of Neal Stephenson in my opinion.
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LibraryThing member kittyjay
The key to reading science fiction seems to be waiting. The author throws out a series of neologisms that baffle the reader, and your only chance to catch up is to keep plodding along until context allows you to sort out the meaning.
The key to writing science fiction, then, seems to be finding a
Doctorow does a fairly good job of walking that line - the first few chapters, I was a little confused, but I waited it out, and was able to sort it out - and I was glad I did. The ideas he comes up with are fresh enough to be intriguing, practical enough to make you think, and imaginative enough to make you interested.
The story focuses more on the adventure aspect, and while the book does involve a murder, it isn't really a mystery - the killer is pretty obvious from the beginning and seems to be almost secondary to the storyline.
The only real complaint I have is that the book revolves around a central theme of preserving history versus accepting change - and there are several pointed cybertechnological anecdotes to underline that question. I would have loved to see more of an exploration of some of the philosophical ramifications of the technology presented, and indeed, two of the main characters start in on those conversations, but the storyline takes precedence and cuts it off before they wade too deep.
Which is not to say that it wasn't enjoyable - the storyline is fun enough to read in a jiffy, and even if the narrative doesn't really take the time to explore some of the neater aspects, it gives you the seeds and allows you to run with it long after you've put the book down.
The key to writing science fiction, then, seems to be finding a
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fine balance between explaining that context so the reader doesn't feel perpetually lost and falling into an information-dump situation. Doctorow does a fairly good job of walking that line - the first few chapters, I was a little confused, but I waited it out, and was able to sort it out - and I was glad I did. The ideas he comes up with are fresh enough to be intriguing, practical enough to make you think, and imaginative enough to make you interested.
The story focuses more on the adventure aspect, and while the book does involve a murder, it isn't really a mystery - the killer is pretty obvious from the beginning and seems to be almost secondary to the storyline.
The only real complaint I have is that the book revolves around a central theme of preserving history versus accepting change - and there are several pointed cybertechnological anecdotes to underline that question. I would have loved to see more of an exploration of some of the philosophical ramifications of the technology presented, and indeed, two of the main characters start in on those conversations, but the storyline takes precedence and cuts it off before they wade too deep.
Which is not to say that it wasn't enjoyable - the storyline is fun enough to read in a jiffy, and even if the narrative doesn't really take the time to explore some of the neater aspects, it gives you the seeds and allows you to run with it long after you've put the book down.
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LibraryThing member mbg0312
I wanted to love this book - Doctorow won my admiration with his wonderful Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town - but I couldn't quite do it. I can't even identify why, but it just didn't sing. Well written? Check. Interesting premise and worldbuilding? Check. Original, fresh ideas? Several
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big checks. Some combination of the characterization and plotting just didn't quite work. Show Less
LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
First off, in full disclosure, I didn't finish the book.
Now, Onto why I didn't finish the book. Good things, its an interesting world and it feels very plausible, even with the book written in 2003. I'm not sure if I would want to live in this (almost) utopian society. Death has been overcome,
What I find most amazing about this book is the Bitchun Society that arose when energy became free, traditional work more or less became meaningless, and all of a sudden, the world population had a lot of time on its hands, and no worries about death. The society is so plausible, and this book is way ahead of its time. This book takes todays social networking (think twitter plus facebook, plus skype, and smart phones all rolled into one) and manages to extend the trend to the future. Whats really amazing about this is that the book was written in 2003! Before social networking was even on the American psyche! Truly amazing.
I tried. Really I did. But after attempt number two, I gave up. Why couldn't I finish this book. Well, the characters are not pleasant. I tried. I really tried. But I found jules to be a boring, egotistical, and whining character. The girlfriend to be to down to earth. The whole Disney world ad-hoc committees to be over-zealous and distasteful. The characters were well written, but they reminded me of that one person no-one likes in an office, the ones who go on and on about health problems, celebrity gossip, and thinks people actually care.
So, to conclude: the world is amazing, but the characters unlikable.
Now, Onto why I didn't finish the book. Good things, its an interesting world and it feels very plausible, even with the book written in 2003. I'm not sure if I would want to live in this (almost) utopian society. Death has been overcome,
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energy is now free and instead of money, a persons status is created from his commitment to the community. It works a bit like the "Like" button on Facebook. I call this an almost utopian society because human nature hasn't been changed. What I find most amazing about this book is the Bitchun Society that arose when energy became free, traditional work more or less became meaningless, and all of a sudden, the world population had a lot of time on its hands, and no worries about death. The society is so plausible, and this book is way ahead of its time. This book takes todays social networking (think twitter plus facebook, plus skype, and smart phones all rolled into one) and manages to extend the trend to the future. Whats really amazing about this is that the book was written in 2003! Before social networking was even on the American psyche! Truly amazing.
I tried. Really I did. But after attempt number two, I gave up. Why couldn't I finish this book. Well, the characters are not pleasant. I tried. I really tried. But I found jules to be a boring, egotistical, and whining character. The girlfriend to be to down to earth. The whole Disney world ad-hoc committees to be over-zealous and distasteful. The characters were well written, but they reminded me of that one person no-one likes in an office, the ones who go on and on about health problems, celebrity gossip, and thinks people actually care.
So, to conclude: the world is amazing, but the characters unlikable.
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LibraryThing member isabelx
On campus, they called him Keep-A-Movin' Dan, because of his cowboy vibe and because of his lifestyle, and he somehow grew to take over every conversation I had for the next six months. I pinged his Whuffie a few times, and noticed that it was climbing steadily upward as he accumulated more esteem
I'd pretty much pissed away most of my Whuffie—all the savings from the symphonies and the first three theses—drinking myself stupid at the Gazoo, hogging library terminals, pestering profs, until I'd expended all the respect anyone had ever afforded me. All except Dan, who, for some reason, stood me to regular beers and meals and movies.
In the post-scarcity Bitchun Society your status is based on your interactions with other people. If they respect you or your work your Whuffie score goes up, and if they don't your score goes down. The concept of Whuffie was interesting but how it works wasn't explained in enough detail. Strangely for a book set in Disney World, there were no child characters at all, and I was left wondering how Whuffie applied to children and teenagers. Would they be linked to their parents' Whuffie and if so would their actions affect their parents' Whuffie levels? At what age do they get their own Whuffie, and do they start from an average level, or from zero?
As it wasn't much more than 100 years since the Bitchun Society had beaten death, it is surprising that so many people had already decided that this living forever thing was getting boring and either committed suicide or deadheaded (went into cold storage), asking to be woken in a few hundred years, or ten thousand years, or even just when something interesting happens. It seems that boredom must be a big issue, since people also deadhead for much shorter periods, even to avoid experiencing a two-hour journey.
Unfortunately I have never been particularly interested in Disney and the author didn't succeed in rousing my interest, so I really couldn't have cared less whether Debra and her ad-hoc took over the whole of Disney World. The story did pick up towards the end and I enjoyed the last 10% more than the rest. I don't like protagonists who behave stupidly and irrationally, but in this case it turned out that there was a reason for Julius behaving so strangely, so I forgave him for it in the end.
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from the people he met.I'd pretty much pissed away most of my Whuffie—all the savings from the symphonies and the first three theses—drinking myself stupid at the Gazoo, hogging library terminals, pestering profs, until I'd expended all the respect anyone had ever afforded me. All except Dan, who, for some reason, stood me to regular beers and meals and movies.
In the post-scarcity Bitchun Society your status is based on your interactions with other people. If they respect you or your work your Whuffie score goes up, and if they don't your score goes down. The concept of Whuffie was interesting but how it works wasn't explained in enough detail. Strangely for a book set in Disney World, there were no child characters at all, and I was left wondering how Whuffie applied to children and teenagers. Would they be linked to their parents' Whuffie and if so would their actions affect their parents' Whuffie levels? At what age do they get their own Whuffie, and do they start from an average level, or from zero?
As it wasn't much more than 100 years since the Bitchun Society had beaten death, it is surprising that so many people had already decided that this living forever thing was getting boring and either committed suicide or deadheaded (went into cold storage), asking to be woken in a few hundred years, or ten thousand years, or even just when something interesting happens. It seems that boredom must be a big issue, since people also deadhead for much shorter periods, even to avoid experiencing a two-hour journey.
Unfortunately I have never been particularly interested in Disney and the author didn't succeed in rousing my interest, so I really couldn't have cared less whether Debra and her ad-hoc took over the whole of Disney World. The story did pick up towards the end and I enjoyed the last 10% more than the rest. I don't like protagonists who behave stupidly and irrationally, but in this case it turned out that there was a reason for Julius behaving so strangely, so I forgave him for it in the end.
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LibraryThing member JohnMunsch
My feelings about Down and Out are a little ambivalent. I thought it had wonderful ideas and in many ways the writing seemed of even higher caliber than in Jennifer Government. It all came down to plot and execution in the last quarter or third of the book. It felt rushed somehow near the end or
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anti-climactic or something. I haven't been able to put a finger on what exactly it was that disappointed me with the end of this book but I ended up that way. It was still very much worth reading because of the wonderfully inventive ideas and the interesting characters but don't expect a boffo finish. Show Less
LibraryThing member the_awesome_opossum
Disneyworld has apparently been colonized in the near future, becoming its own city-state with factions residing in the different lands. Julius is a cast member overseeing the Haunted Mansion, who falls into a political struggle with Debra, who maintains the Hall of Presidents. As Julius fights to
The book is chock-full of classic sci-fi conventions: death has been eradicated, everyone has a brain feed to everything all the time, there's space travel and ray guns and everything. And all of the characters are terribly unlikeable and make some pretty inscrutable decisions. Unfortunately these detract from a fun concept that could have been crafted into a good story.
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be heard in the supposed meritocracy (very clique-y and not so different from politics today) the story becomes a satirical look at what entertainment means, as a crowd pleaser versus having a basis in actual merit - or what 'merit' or reputation actually even mean.The book is chock-full of classic sci-fi conventions: death has been eradicated, everyone has a brain feed to everything all the time, there's space travel and ray guns and everything. And all of the characters are terribly unlikeable and make some pretty inscrutable decisions. Unfortunately these detract from a fun concept that could have been crafted into a good story.
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LibraryThing member francescadefreitas
I enjoyed this. I've never been to the Magic Kingdom, but the feeling of wistful nostalgia for a thing that cannot be perfectly frozen in time is familiar enough.
LibraryThing member rpuchalsky
A competently written techno-mystery SF book. I should have been more interested in it than I was, given that I generally like attempts to envision future post-scarcity anarchist societies. But this one envisions social credit being run via reputational economics a la every Web 2.0 person-rating
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site out there. That wasn't a new idea in 2003, it's not a new idea now, and it smells like the usual attempt to fence in something free that so enlivened the Internet bubble. Since the people in the book evidently are mostly satisfied with it without being under duress, you have to feel that they're really pretty dull. Show Less
LibraryThing member maepress
I wanted more out of this book. I was uncomfortable with the shallowness of the characters. I found myself bored and wishing that the main character would make some sort of decision.
LibraryThing member RoboSchro
"I lived long enough to see the cure for death; to see the rise of the Bitchun Society; to learn ten languages; to compose three symphonies; to realize my boyhood dream of taking up residence in Disney World; to see the death of the workplace and of work."
This was my first book by Cory Doctorow,
The ideas, as you'd expect, are great. The book is a clever look at a fairly plausible post-scarcity society. Luxury items are purchased with a currency based on respect and contribution -- the more you do for people, and the more they like what you do, the richer you get. I'd have liked more detail (Only basic sustenance is free -- but why? Is everywhere similar to the America he portrays?), more history of how society got to where he shows it -- but still, it's good stuff.
The characterisation, though, is poor. Jules, the protagonist, spends much of the book uncertain of his own motivation, possibly mad, certainly angry and obsessive. It's possible for a novel to succeed with an unlikeable hero, but it takes a very good writer to pull it off. Doctorow doesn't manage it. You often feel that Jules ought to fail, because he's being such an idiot.
He also misses a great opportunity with another character -- Dan, who's struggling for motivation in his life, who's only thrived when outside the comfort and safety of the have-it-all society. He has been visiting communities which have stayed isolated out of fear or mistrust or ideology, living with them, and convincing them to join everyone else. When he's convinced them all, he runs out of interest in living. But how does he feel about what he's done? Can he not see the conflict there? Doctorow doesn't even glance at these questions.
Also, Disney World as the rock upon which defenders of the "real" base their fight against the virtual? What's up with that? If it's meant to be ironic, the idea needed to be given more bite.
Cory Doctorow is great to have around, but on this evidence, he's not a great novelist.
This was my first book by Cory Doctorow,
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who has a good reputation, and whose work in internet-land I admire. I was looking forward to it, but I came away disappointed.The ideas, as you'd expect, are great. The book is a clever look at a fairly plausible post-scarcity society. Luxury items are purchased with a currency based on respect and contribution -- the more you do for people, and the more they like what you do, the richer you get. I'd have liked more detail (Only basic sustenance is free -- but why? Is everywhere similar to the America he portrays?), more history of how society got to where he shows it -- but still, it's good stuff.
The characterisation, though, is poor. Jules, the protagonist, spends much of the book uncertain of his own motivation, possibly mad, certainly angry and obsessive. It's possible for a novel to succeed with an unlikeable hero, but it takes a very good writer to pull it off. Doctorow doesn't manage it. You often feel that Jules ought to fail, because he's being such an idiot.
He also misses a great opportunity with another character -- Dan, who's struggling for motivation in his life, who's only thrived when outside the comfort and safety of the have-it-all society. He has been visiting communities which have stayed isolated out of fear or mistrust or ideology, living with them, and convincing them to join everyone else. When he's convinced them all, he runs out of interest in living. But how does he feel about what he's done? Can he not see the conflict there? Doctorow doesn't even glance at these questions.
Also, Disney World as the rock upon which defenders of the "real" base their fight against the virtual? What's up with that? If it's meant to be ironic, the idea needed to be given more bite.
Cory Doctorow is great to have around, but on this evidence, he's not a great novelist.
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LibraryThing member defrog
The debut novel by one of the co-founders of BoingBoing. I liked his book Eastern Standard Tribe, but not this one so much – possibly because it’s set in Disneyland and written with an obsessive enthusiasm for the place that I simply don’t share. It doesn’t help that Doctorow’s a little
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too good at creating protagonists that are, basically, annoying single-minded assholes. That’s my problem, not his, and it’s a decent story, but I just couldn’t get into it. Show Less
LibraryThing member name99
I guess I'm just out of touch with many readers, but this did *nothing* for me; less than nothing. I stopped two-thirds of the way through, absolutely uninterested in what might come next.
Doctorow appears to be trying to imagine the same sort of world as Iain M Banks, a world of unlimited
And what is with the Disney fandom? It's pathological.
Doctorow appears to be trying to imagine the same sort of world as Iain M Banks, a world of unlimited
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resources, but what he does with the concept is so much less interesting. And what is with the Disney fandom? It's pathological.
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LibraryThing member slpenney07
Summary: Living in Disney World isn't all it's cracked up to be when someone is trying to kill you.
The Take-Away: What if you could live forever without aging? What if the opponents to this plan were eliminated simply because they died and you didn't?
Cory Doctrow explores what happens when
And then there's the real drawback to this futuristic high school. To combat aging, a back of your memories and body can be made and uploaded into a clone whenever you want. No more illness or disease. If you get sick, just grow a new you. Changing your looks is easy too, including age lines, wrinkles, and bad joints. But what if something goes wrong with a back-up? Or you don't have the most recent one on file?
I can't say more without giving away a major plot point (and I might have said too much as it is) but it was this twist that I loved.
The other thing that I really liked was how Doctrow is managing his electronic rights. He has made an electronic copy available through DailyLit.com. A short segment is delivered to your inbox on a schedule you set-up. The next fragment is always a click a way.
Recommendation: I liked it, but it's not for everyone, I'm sure.
The Take-Away: What if you could live forever without aging? What if the opponents to this plan were eliminated simply because they died and you didn't?
Cory Doctrow explores what happens when
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humankind is "perfect." Wuffie, or popularity, is important because that regulates your basic necessities, but work is only what you "want" to do, since you use it to increase your Wuffie. Sounds like high school, right?And then there's the real drawback to this futuristic high school. To combat aging, a back of your memories and body can be made and uploaded into a clone whenever you want. No more illness or disease. If you get sick, just grow a new you. Changing your looks is easy too, including age lines, wrinkles, and bad joints. But what if something goes wrong with a back-up? Or you don't have the most recent one on file?
I can't say more without giving away a major plot point (and I might have said too much as it is) but it was this twist that I loved.
The other thing that I really liked was how Doctrow is managing his electronic rights. He has made an electronic copy available through DailyLit.com. A short segment is delivered to your inbox on a schedule you set-up. The next fragment is always a click a way.
Recommendation: I liked it, but it's not for everyone, I'm sure.
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LibraryThing member krypto
I found the technological ideas in Cory Doctorow's first novel fascinating and thought-provoking. The concept of 'Whuffie' - a reputation system by which anybody can award points to anybody for any reason, and everybody's score is public knowledge - is particularly memorable. There's not much of a
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plot, but the book is more about exploring a world in which want has been eradicated, and the ways in which people then choose to interact. There's a healthy dose of wonder, too. It's released under a Creative Commons license, so anybody can share, perform or copy the novel without permission. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ste100
It was good until I realized that this is blatant wish fufillment fantasy. One star.
LibraryThing member santhony
This very short, approaching novella length, novel is an amusing piece of writing by a highly acclaimed young writer of the "new" generation. While it was entertaining, I found it to be little more than that.
The premise involves a future society in which "death" has been abolished along with
The brains and memories of the inhabitants are frequently "backed up". In the event of death or disfigurement, a clone is generated and the downloaded memories installed therein. Those tiring of immortality can elect to "deadhead", essentially entering a state of suspended animation for periods of time. There are apparently no corporations as such. All "production" and services are provided by "adhocracies", commune like organizations.
This story is set in a future Disney World, where various ad hocs manage the theme park through a division of labor. A power struggle between two such ad hocs is the central theme of the story. An interesting concept, presented in an entertaining manner, but not in any way remarkable in my opinion. Nevertheless, it is worth the 3-4 hours it takes to polish off.
The premise involves a future society in which "death" has been abolished along with
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currency. All means of subsistence (food, clothing, shelter) are available without the need to work. Items of scarcity are allocated through the accumulation of "Whuffie", a currency substitute. Essentially, Whuffie is accumulated through the good will and good deeds which you perform for others. The brains and memories of the inhabitants are frequently "backed up". In the event of death or disfigurement, a clone is generated and the downloaded memories installed therein. Those tiring of immortality can elect to "deadhead", essentially entering a state of suspended animation for periods of time. There are apparently no corporations as such. All "production" and services are provided by "adhocracies", commune like organizations.
This story is set in a future Disney World, where various ad hocs manage the theme park through a division of labor. A power struggle between two such ad hocs is the central theme of the story. An interesting concept, presented in an entertaining manner, but not in any way remarkable in my opinion. Nevertheless, it is worth the 3-4 hours it takes to polish off.
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LibraryThing member cmc
I wasn’t sure about this book when I first started, but once the main character had been killed, it picked up dramatically and I quite enjoyed it.
I’m glad I did, as I’d purchased another book by Doctorow at the same time.
I’m glad I did, as I’d purchased another book by Doctorow at the same time.
LibraryThing member thebookpile
One of the most horrible books that I read in 2006. The only good part about this book is the fact that the line spacing is doubled in order to make it look longer than it actually is.
LibraryThing member tyroeternal
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom was an extremely engrossing read for me. As a small, futuristic, science fiction book it did a wonderful job. Doctorow did not build up a complete picture of the entire world during these events, or show all the pieces to the system, but he did a wonderful job of
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telling the main character's story and laying out his experiences. I was pulled in as the story unfolded, and satisfied with the length, style, and writing. Show Less
LibraryThing member mwhel
This futuristic tale points out some dystopian features of a society that has cured most of its historical problems. Everyone is fed and taken care of. The economy is no longer monetary but based on Whuffie points, a measure of a person's worth as exhibited by his actions. Aging and decease have
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been overcome by the ability to backup one's memory (conciousness?) and restore it to a new model. Individuals can elect to deadhead and lie dormant for extended periods of time when life gets too tedious or boring. Despite all of these marvels, several of the characters in this book can't overcome their very human lack of motivation and purpose. Show Less
LibraryThing member ohernaes
What becomes important when people live forever and scarcity is no longer an issue? The answer is "whuffie" - a sort of individual score based on other people's assessment of you - the social has become everything. This is presumably for the good, but power fighting, scheming and infighting of
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course have not stopped, so people are still "down and out". The hilarious setting is the Disney World, in which the protagonists work. Show Less
LibraryThing member gerleliz
In the future, what you have done earns you money. Interesting concept and story
Awards
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 2004)
Locus Award (Finalist — First Novel — 2004)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2003
Physical description
208 p.; 5.52 inches
ISBN
0765304368 / 9780765304360