Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Pocket Books (1976), Edition: 5th Printing, 237 pages
Description
Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML: An unearthly voice hisses unholy welcome, and the late, great Allen Carpentier begins his one-way journey into the dim nether regions where flame-colored demons wield diabolically sharp pitchforks and tormented vixens reign forever in a pond of sheet ice. Here, in this land of torment and terror, he discovers the amazing truth of the ultimate adventure that lies beyond the grave. After being thrown out of the window of his luxury apartment, science fiction writer Allen Carpentier wakes to find himself at the gates of Hell. Feeling he's landed in a great opportunity for a book, he attempts to follow Dante's road map. Determined to meet Satan himself, Carpentier treks through the nine circles of Hell, led by Benito Mussolini, and encounters countless mental and physical tortures. As he struggles to escape, he's taken through new, puzzling, and outlandish versions of sin recast for the present day..… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Archren
“Inferno” is one quirky novel. It is the second book written by the powerhouse writing duo of Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, coming two years after “The Mote in God’s Eye.” Let’s stop for a minute and marvel in the accomplishment implied by the fact that the all-time classic “The
That said, “Inferno” doesn’t quite live up to its predecessor. It is a straight-up retelling of Dante’s Inferno, with a dead science fiction writer, Allen Carpentier (don’t look too closely at the implications of the name), as the hero instead of a dreaming poet. His guide is a remarkably strong Italian gentleman named Benito. There are many in-jokes here, especially regarding the science fiction community. The people one meets in Hell are now heavily weighted towards Americans as opposed to Italians, a fact that even the characters remark on. Mostly the tour hits all the same high points as Dante’s, but it does turn out that there are some corners that Dante missed, lending new originality to the tale.
The pacing is not equal to the best work from these writers, and the politics can get heavy-handed and struck me as a bit naïve. However, it is not wall-to-wall political satire. There is a real ambiguity here between what Carpentier expects this to be (some sort of alien future consruct), and what it appears to be (a real, honest-to-God afterlife). Carpentier has to go through some real soul-searching as to what his purpose in this new life might be. There are some scenes in here that move away from the almost mad-cap adventure story to be genuinely moving. On the whole it is uneven, but short and certainly interesting. I would recommend it as a light read, and definitely if you’re interested in seeing another facet of the Niven/Pournelle oeuvre.
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Mote in God’s Eye” was the first book out of the gate for this pair.That said, “Inferno” doesn’t quite live up to its predecessor. It is a straight-up retelling of Dante’s Inferno, with a dead science fiction writer, Allen Carpentier (don’t look too closely at the implications of the name), as the hero instead of a dreaming poet. His guide is a remarkably strong Italian gentleman named Benito. There are many in-jokes here, especially regarding the science fiction community. The people one meets in Hell are now heavily weighted towards Americans as opposed to Italians, a fact that even the characters remark on. Mostly the tour hits all the same high points as Dante’s, but it does turn out that there are some corners that Dante missed, lending new originality to the tale.
The pacing is not equal to the best work from these writers, and the politics can get heavy-handed and struck me as a bit naïve. However, it is not wall-to-wall political satire. There is a real ambiguity here between what Carpentier expects this to be (some sort of alien future consruct), and what it appears to be (a real, honest-to-God afterlife). Carpentier has to go through some real soul-searching as to what his purpose in this new life might be. There are some scenes in here that move away from the almost mad-cap adventure story to be genuinely moving. On the whole it is uneven, but short and certainly interesting. I would recommend it as a light read, and definitely if you’re interested in seeing another facet of the Niven/Pournelle oeuvre.
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LibraryThing member Dhympna
I found this book in a local Indie store and I will freely admit that the cover (facing out) was what caught my attention first. I have long been a Niven fan, but also being a medievalist--I could not resist the lure and promise this trade paper tome held.
I took my new prize home and flipped open
There are certain points--such as homosexuals being labeled as serious sinners--that might turn off some readers. This novel should come with a caveat concerning what it is based on and when it was written. I was unsure whether I would like, or buy, Benito Mussolini as Vergil's replacement...but towards the end I found his role as a guide oddly fitting.
I found it to be a light and engaging read that I, at times, attempted to over analyze. One comes away with the sense that the concept of Sin is in the eye of the beholder. What gluttony encompasses, for example, is redefined. Gluttons are not just those who are morbidly obese or those who eat and drink too much. Gluttony is any obsession over food and drink thus the overly health conscious might also find themselves sentenced to the third circle.
At the heart of the work, Niven and Pournelle answer the question of what would hell look like in 1976 and what were the possible repercussions of Dante's and Virgil's journey--what has changed?
I took my new prize home and flipped open
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the publishing information and quickly realized how long ago this work had been in print. From the historical point of view--in terms of when this was written and being a historian who specializes in the era in which Dante was active--Niven and Pournelle did an excellent job.There are certain points--such as homosexuals being labeled as serious sinners--that might turn off some readers. This novel should come with a caveat concerning what it is based on and when it was written. I was unsure whether I would like, or buy, Benito Mussolini as Vergil's replacement...but towards the end I found his role as a guide oddly fitting.
I found it to be a light and engaging read that I, at times, attempted to over analyze. One comes away with the sense that the concept of Sin is in the eye of the beholder. What gluttony encompasses, for example, is redefined. Gluttons are not just those who are morbidly obese or those who eat and drink too much. Gluttony is any obsession over food and drink thus the overly health conscious might also find themselves sentenced to the third circle.
At the heart of the work, Niven and Pournelle answer the question of what would hell look like in 1976 and what were the possible repercussions of Dante's and Virgil's journey--what has changed?
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LibraryThing member witchystine
An excellent retelling of Dante's classic, but with a different twist at the end. The story goes beyond a retelling simply fit for twentieth century readers. A must-read for sci fi and religious fiction fans. A classic in its own right.
LibraryThing member knitwick
A thinly veiled retelling of Dante's Inferno with some modernized punishments and a dose of humor. Overall, an enjoyable morality story that is easier and shorter to read than the original; however, each reference to Dane's telling left me wanting to read Dante's version more...
LibraryThing member Wombat
I first read this book as a young teenager, and enjoyed it tremendously. My opinion is probably colored by this youthful encounter; I might not like it as much if I had first read it today.
Allen Carpenter is a science fiction writer. After he dies in a drunken accident he wakes up in the
Like Dante, Carpenter meets many damned souls in his descent through the Inferno. During this journey, he has to come to grips with the apparent cruelty of whoever or whatever condemned these souls the their eternal fates. For many of the damned are suffering fates that seem vastly out of proportion to their earthly crimes. Why, Carpenter wonders, would a moral God need to create such torment?
I enjoyed this book on three levels. First, it is a fun story---our hero has lots of adventures trying to escape from Hell. Second, I was fascinated by the description of Dante's Inferno, with each category of sinner carefully segregated and given a punishment that fits their crime. Along the way, the authors update many of the sins and punishments with modern touches. When I first read the book, this aspect was doubly interesting, as I hadn't yet read Dante. Finally, Carpenter's inner struggle to understand the purpose of Hell adds a bit of intellectual interest to the story. This isn't deep theology, but it adds a level to the book that makes it more than just a straight-forward fantasy adventure.
Allen Carpenter is a science fiction writer. After he dies in a drunken accident he wakes up in the
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"vestibule" of Hell, a Hell largely matching the description found in Dante's Inferno. Carpenter is a rationalist and a non-believer, so at first he tries find rational explanations for his new environment---his fans had his body frozen after his death and he has been revived in a Disneyland-like reconstruction of Dante's Inferno, built by a civilization vastly more advanced than ours. But as Carpenter descends the concentric circles of Hell, he is slowly forced to accept that he really is in Hell. Like Dante, Carpenter meets many damned souls in his descent through the Inferno. During this journey, he has to come to grips with the apparent cruelty of whoever or whatever condemned these souls the their eternal fates. For many of the damned are suffering fates that seem vastly out of proportion to their earthly crimes. Why, Carpenter wonders, would a moral God need to create such torment?
I enjoyed this book on three levels. First, it is a fun story---our hero has lots of adventures trying to escape from Hell. Second, I was fascinated by the description of Dante's Inferno, with each category of sinner carefully segregated and given a punishment that fits their crime. Along the way, the authors update many of the sins and punishments with modern touches. When I first read the book, this aspect was doubly interesting, as I hadn't yet read Dante. Finally, Carpenter's inner struggle to understand the purpose of Hell adds a bit of intellectual interest to the story. This isn't deep theology, but it adds a level to the book that makes it more than just a straight-forward fantasy adventure.
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LibraryThing member GlennBell
Pretty much total garbage. The concept is that the author has copied Dante's Inferno into a modern day situation. A science fiction author falls off a eight-story building in drunkeness, dies, and goes to hell. He meet Benito Musselini and others on a trip through the levels of hell and gets out
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through the frozen area on the seventh level of hell. The only worthwhile concept is that the purpose of hell is for people to learn and get out after learning. I did not like the Divine Comedy and this is worse. Don't waste your time. It is a shame that such talented authors could generate such dribble. Show Less
LibraryThing member Karlstar
I know others are not as big a fan of this book as I am, but this is an excellent reworking of Dante's Inferno. Updated for modern times, and without Dante's torturous monologues, its a fascinating revision. Read this after you read the Inferno sometime.
LibraryThing member Pool_Boy
I enjoyed this book quite a bit -- inventive perspective.
LibraryThing member rodrichards
I returned to this (having read it serialized in Galaxy magazine when it first came out back in the 70's) after reading Dante. It was fun, as I remembered, and a little corny/dated, and surprising Universalist! I'll be reading the sequel coming up (Escape from Hell) in February 2009.
LibraryThing member rodrichards
I returned to this (having read it serialized in Galaxy magazine when it first came out back in the 70's) after reading Dante. It was fun, as I remembered, and a little corny/dated, and surprising Universalist! I'll be reading the sequel coming up (Escape from Hell) in February 2009.
LibraryThing member ash119
I wasn’t sure I would like this book. I liked Dante’s Inferno well enough, more for its classical, mythology and historical references than for its theology, which was mostly lost on this 21st-century Reformed Protestant. But the idea of Dante’s Inferno being rewritten with a 20th-century
It’s a crazy ride through Dante’s vision of Hell (which I don’t remember well enough to compare, but it seems similar enough) updated for the 20th century with a modern, scientific, agnostic/atheist, “a good and loving God would never send people to Hell” protagonist who spends most of his journey trying to figure out scientific or scifi explanations for what he’s seeing (his general assumption being that some future, scientifically advanced human or alien "builders" have created an Infernoland, kind of a hellish Disneyland. I loved that.)
And, as a Christian, I wasn’t really expecting it to make me think about my theology much, but there were a lot of times I had to stop and ponder some things. Whether I agreed with it or not, I appreciated how the story made me think. The authors in the afterward stated they were using “(C. S.) Lewis’s theology and Dante’s geography” for Inferno, based on Lewis’s “The Great Divorce” which I haven’t read, but now want to.
If you like these authors at all, this is a good book to try. If you’ve read Dante’s Inferno, loved it or hated it, you’ll enjoy this book. If you read this and haven’t read Dante’s Inferno, you’ll probably want to read that, too. The sequel, “Escape From Hell,” has gotten mixed reviews, but I will probably try it.
This is the 2008 Kindle version – I had no problems with it on my Kindle, could even read the labels on the illustration of the 9 circles of hell at the beginning of the book on my Kindle II.
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science fiction author being led through Hell by Benito Mussolini (!) intrigued me enough to try it. And I really enjoyed it – read it straight through one evening. It’s a crazy ride through Dante’s vision of Hell (which I don’t remember well enough to compare, but it seems similar enough) updated for the 20th century with a modern, scientific, agnostic/atheist, “a good and loving God would never send people to Hell” protagonist who spends most of his journey trying to figure out scientific or scifi explanations for what he’s seeing (his general assumption being that some future, scientifically advanced human or alien "builders" have created an Infernoland, kind of a hellish Disneyland. I loved that.)
And, as a Christian, I wasn’t really expecting it to make me think about my theology much, but there were a lot of times I had to stop and ponder some things. Whether I agreed with it or not, I appreciated how the story made me think. The authors in the afterward stated they were using “(C. S.) Lewis’s theology and Dante’s geography” for Inferno, based on Lewis’s “The Great Divorce” which I haven’t read, but now want to.
If you like these authors at all, this is a good book to try. If you’ve read Dante’s Inferno, loved it or hated it, you’ll enjoy this book. If you read this and haven’t read Dante’s Inferno, you’ll probably want to read that, too. The sequel, “Escape From Hell,” has gotten mixed reviews, but I will probably try it.
This is the 2008 Kindle version – I had no problems with it on my Kindle, could even read the labels on the illustration of the 9 circles of hell at the beginning of the book on my Kindle II.
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LibraryThing member VVilliam
A fun romp through hell that carries a surprisingly worthwhile interpretation of modern hell. Having read Dante's Inferno helps. The narrator is excellent as well and I think listening to the book was much better than reading it would have been.
LibraryThing member RobertDay
After 'The Mote in God's Eye' (which came over to me like a very well-detailed Star Trek episode), this book was a surprise - satire, and specifically satire centring on the science fiction fan world. (By 'centring', I don't mean that that was its focus; rather, I use 'centring' in a dynamic sense,
Written in 1976, there will be aspects of this novel which don't sit easily with present-day readers, but I was amazed when I first read it on release.
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meaning that the science-fictional explanation is the one the protagonist keeps trying to get back to, and also one the authors keep returning to for some of the examples of the damned they show us in Hell) (or in the science fiction convention the novel starts in, which may or may not be the same!).Written in 1976, there will be aspects of this novel which don't sit easily with present-day readers, but I was amazed when I first read it on release.
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LibraryThing member lewispike
A sci-fi writer dies at a con, and goes to hell, apparently beseeching God's help on the way down to his death (he falls from a window).
He's guided through Hell by Mussolini, and at one level that's it.
This book is better than that though. The sci-fi writer analysing Hell as if an alien construct
It's a very fast read, and well worth it, especially if you know your Dante.
He's guided through Hell by Mussolini, and at one level that's it.
This book is better than that though. The sci-fi writer analysing Hell as if an alien construct
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is fascinating. The changes to Hell, as sins change nature are also beautifully done.It's a very fast read, and well worth it, especially if you know your Dante.
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LibraryThing member revslick
Science Fiction writer John Carpentier wakes to find himself in hell (or at least Dante's vision of hell). Upon his waking he sets out on a journey to get out, which is really a ruse. His real quest is why hell? What does it mean? Who would do such a thing? This is the hero's quest...
His journey
'we are in the hands of infinite power and infinite sadism'
the Republican and Democrat bickering over who is really right.
'it is tough getting these animals to work together.'
'at this... I worked to remove the mote from my own eye.'
great ending with constant movement..
His journey
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allows him to meet several famous characters and some interesting musings. my favorite are as follows:'we are in the hands of infinite power and infinite sadism'
the Republican and Democrat bickering over who is really right.
'it is tough getting these animals to work together.'
'at this... I worked to remove the mote from my own eye.'
great ending with constant movement..
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LibraryThing member BrianSchweitzer
A story idea that might make a romping fantasy adventure, this quickly turns into a rather boring morality tale, with a barely hidden right-wing social commentary thrown in for good measure.
The writing's fine, but the story itself makes this a book for my "never read again" shelf.
The writing's fine, but the story itself makes this a book for my "never read again" shelf.
LibraryThing member traci
Wow! I really enjoyed this. It's vividly descriptive of the sinners and their punishments; takes the reader on a wild ride; and brings the characters to life (no pun intended). It was a really fun read, despite the subject matter, and also made me pause to think about my own 'sins'. There's a nice
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revelation at the end that you get an inkling of; the authors do a great job of leading up to it. Overall, pretty satisfying to me. Show Less
LibraryThing member librisissimo
Substance: An update of Dante, with an sf writer protagonist. Per the authors's afterword, a deliberate attempt to meld Dante's vision with the theological insights of C. S. Lewis. Works for me. Since the book was written in 1976, one can only guess at the meaning of some of the "assignments" in
Style: Fast-paced action with the minimum necessary introspection required for the purpose. Some infrequent language, but generally lacking any R-rated material despite the Milieu).
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hell, but the classic American Worldview of the writers's of that era is noticeable in respect to the current chasm between Left and Right in the genre.Style: Fast-paced action with the minimum necessary introspection required for the purpose. Some infrequent language, but generally lacking any R-rated material despite the Milieu).
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LibraryThing member suzemo
I have been meaning to read this book for years. I love Dante's Inferno, and I love reading alternate versions of classics. I also really like reading Niven & Pournelle's work, so I thought this would be a great book.
As it is, the book was merely "meh" for me. The main character had some
As it is, the book was merely "meh" for me. The main character had some
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interesting adventures in the book, and met interesting people, to be sure. There was a lot of commentary/in jokes with regards to other sci-fi authors, and the book does seem a bit dated. It was worth reading, but I am thankful that it is relatively short. The book was just not quite what I was expecting. Show Less
LibraryThing member bibleblaster
I returned to this (having read it serialized in Galaxy magazine when it first came out back in the 70's) after reading Dante. It was fun, as I remembered, and a little corny/dated, and surprising Universalist! I'll be reading the sequel coming up (Escape from Hell) in February 2009.
LibraryThing member knfmn
Really an awesome book. I got interested in this book after taking a class that had me reading the original Inferno (yet again!). I like this version so much better than Dante's version.
LibraryThing member jefware
Alan Carpenter descends into hell with Benito Mousilini as a guide and Dante as an architect of worlds Told as only these masters of science fiction could.
LibraryThing member Jamski
I read this book when it first came out, when it was part of a wave of what I thought of as "pop" science fiction. Niven and Pournelle were on something of a roll, having won a truckload (star cruiser load?) of awards for "The Mote In God's Eye" and followed that with the hugely exciting "Lucifer's
Now, nearly forty years after it was first published, I saw a copy at a used-book store and decided I would like to read it again and see how well it has stood up. Quite well, it turns out! That it is a quick read certainly helps, in two ways…it's fast paced, and frankly, you'll want to keep reading to see what happens next as Allen Carpenter is led through the various circles toward the nether regions of Hell, and what he is told is an exit. Along with way he encounters many people he recognizes, and you'll find some of them familiar too. Admittedly, some of the references are a bit dated, but hey, I lived through that era and it still works for me. Younger readers are enoucouraged to do some googling to come to terms with some of the more dated items.
Then, in a weird twist I found myself wondering to which circle I might be sentenced for my various sins. Interesting: peaceniks and warhawks alike get skewered, as do environmentalists; sometimes the less-than-subtle editorializing becomes mildly annoying, but the story's pacing means it's usually over rather quickly. All in all it's interesting, evocative stuff, with an ending that pretty much demands a sequel…fortunately the pair obliged us with "Escape From Hell" in 2009. Now I must obtain a copy of that too!
Highly recommended!
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Hammer", not the first book to deal with the thought of a comet hitting the earth, but likely the most popular. "Inferno" though was a strange departure for this pair…a writer of sci-fi (naturally) dies and goes to Hell in what amounts to a 20th century update of Dante's epic. No, it doesn't SOUND like science fiction, but the lines were already blurred between it and fantasy, and this story straddles both genres nicely.Now, nearly forty years after it was first published, I saw a copy at a used-book store and decided I would like to read it again and see how well it has stood up. Quite well, it turns out! That it is a quick read certainly helps, in two ways…it's fast paced, and frankly, you'll want to keep reading to see what happens next as Allen Carpenter is led through the various circles toward the nether regions of Hell, and what he is told is an exit. Along with way he encounters many people he recognizes, and you'll find some of them familiar too. Admittedly, some of the references are a bit dated, but hey, I lived through that era and it still works for me. Younger readers are enoucouraged to do some googling to come to terms with some of the more dated items.
Then, in a weird twist I found myself wondering to which circle I might be sentenced for my various sins. Interesting: peaceniks and warhawks alike get skewered, as do environmentalists; sometimes the less-than-subtle editorializing becomes mildly annoying, but the story's pacing means it's usually over rather quickly. All in all it's interesting, evocative stuff, with an ending that pretty much demands a sequel…fortunately the pair obliged us with "Escape From Hell" in 2009. Now I must obtain a copy of that too!
Highly recommended!
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LibraryThing member kevn57
A classic based on a classic.
LibraryThing member sgsmitty
I had this on and off the list for decades I guess. I decided to listen to it since it was short and I needed something to cleanse my pallet after previous book. I was not sure if it would offend me or not but it did not considering the source. I guess the best part of the book was getting to learn
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about the source material (Dante Inferno) which I had not every read. Otherwise I did not find much about this book that impressed me but I did want to see how it ended. Fortunately it was short so I did not get bored. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Hugo Award (Nominee — Novel — 1976)
Nebula Award (Nominee — Novel — 1976)
Language
Original publication date
1976-05
ISBN
0671804901 / 9780671804909