Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom
by Cory Doctorow
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On The Skids In The Transhuman Future 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 show more 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.... show lessTags
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Member Reviews
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. It had all the right elements, a weird non-dystopic/non-utopic future that was both epic but insular. Doctorow's writing is fluid and entertaining. I just wanted a bit more at the end. The third act wrap-up felt a bit flaccid. I do think the Bitchun Society is ripe for a mini-series. Are you listening Sci-Fi (Syfy)?
This book features a man living in utopian society which has eliminated death, and money. It features the main character, who lives and works in a futuristic Disneyland, solving his own "murder" (he got better). Everything in this society is run by a type of popularity contest similar to the Black Mirror episode "Nosedive". The book explores the consequences of this system, and of the elimination of death, in an engaging and thought-provoking way. I wouldn't have thought it would be possible to have meaningful conflict in a utopian society, but Doctorow pulls it off. I'm probably going to read this book again, because I found the philosophical ideas interesting, and I wouldn't mind owning a copy.
In the future, it's a time of endless luxury and transhumanism reigns. Everyone is wired, their personalities are backed up, and death is a choice. If your current body dies, you can simply grow a new cloned one and program it with your backup consciousness/personality. And Whuffie scores - are constantly updated as a means of how much respect should be afforded to you. Whuffie works like money, in that it’s easier to get stuff if you have a lot of it, and people also judge you based on your Whuffie. And yet, in this dystopic future of cyborg extremes, we can't escape the grasp of nostalgia - and the vice-like grip Disney in particular has had on America and the world.
Disney World remains a primary tourist attraction, and its most show more ardent supporter is clueless protagonist Jules, who works there with girlfriend Lil. When a new team of engineers plan to remake the old-school Disney attractions like the Hall of Presidents and the Haunted Mansion into virtual reality all-sensory assaults, Jules feels strangely protective. Is his nostalgia clouding his judgement? He’s already died and been rebooted three times, so it’s not that big a deal, but when Jules’s competitors have him shot and killed, it’s still irritating. Meanwhile, Jules is trying to help out his suicidal friend Greg and also wondering why he shouldn’t just do like more and more of the bored population and simply deadhead—go intro cryogenic sleep until the world gets more interesting.
Jule's needs to find out who killed him, and find a way stop the ad-hoc group from destroying something precious before he decides to deadhead. Can he figure the mystery out while navigating his love life and helping his friend Greg? You must read to find out.
Cory Doctorow's Down and Out in the Magic Kindgom is packed full of intriguing and disturbing ideas, and sizzles and pops with a frenetic speed and some fun language. This sci-fi thriller is reminiscent of John Scalzi, Andy Weir, Philip K. Dick, and Black Crouch, so if you like those authors, you'll dig this. I found the ending to be a bit rushed and the solution to the mystery to be a bit obvious/unsatisfactory. However, this book is very fun to read and the ideas presented within (such as choosing your time to die, the uploading of consciousness, new sources for currency, the nostalgia for "old technology" versus new technology), are all thought provoking ideas. The novel explores the inherent problems with immortality, and the approaches that people might have to it in the real-world. It explores how a purer meritocracy might differ from our current capitalist society (spoiler: not much) and the potential weaknesses of that system. And yet, it's basic storyline misses the landing.
I enjoyed this quite a lot but you can tell that this is an early Doctorow novel. It's full of great ideas, but the ending execution is lacking. It just lands rather quickly.
But still, this is a minor complaint for me. The storyline isn't necessarily complex, because it acts simply a device for exploring the strengths and weaknesses of this (potentially) utopian future. And I found that to be intriguing.
Come for the fascinating exploration of ideas. show less
Disney World remains a primary tourist attraction, and its most show more ardent supporter is clueless protagonist Jules, who works there with girlfriend Lil. When a new team of engineers plan to remake the old-school Disney attractions like the Hall of Presidents and the Haunted Mansion into virtual reality all-sensory assaults, Jules feels strangely protective. Is his nostalgia clouding his judgement? He’s already died and been rebooted three times, so it’s not that big a deal, but when Jules’s competitors have him shot and killed, it’s still irritating. Meanwhile, Jules is trying to help out his suicidal friend Greg and also wondering why he shouldn’t just do like more and more of the bored population and simply deadhead—go intro cryogenic sleep until the world gets more interesting.
Jule's needs to find out who killed him, and find a way stop the ad-hoc group from destroying something precious before he decides to deadhead. Can he figure the mystery out while navigating his love life and helping his friend Greg? You must read to find out.
Cory Doctorow's Down and Out in the Magic Kindgom is packed full of intriguing and disturbing ideas, and sizzles and pops with a frenetic speed and some fun language. This sci-fi thriller is reminiscent of John Scalzi, Andy Weir, Philip K. Dick, and Black Crouch, so if you like those authors, you'll dig this. I found the ending to be a bit rushed and the solution to the mystery to be a bit obvious/unsatisfactory. However, this book is very fun to read and the ideas presented within (such as choosing your time to die, the uploading of consciousness, new sources for currency, the nostalgia for "old technology" versus new technology), are all thought provoking ideas. The novel explores the inherent problems with immortality, and the approaches that people might have to it in the real-world. It explores how a purer meritocracy might differ from our current capitalist society (spoiler: not much) and the potential weaknesses of that system. And yet, it's basic storyline misses the landing.
I enjoyed this quite a lot but you can tell that this is an early Doctorow novel. It's full of great ideas, but the ending execution is lacking. It just lands rather quickly.
But still, this is a minor complaint for me. The storyline isn't necessarily complex, because it acts simply a device for exploring the strengths and weaknesses of this (potentially) utopian future. And I found that to be intriguing.
Come for the fascinating exploration of ideas. show less
This might be a book that would benefit from the Unshelved Book Club style of reviews.
Why I picked it up: Great concept. Speculative Sci-fi and Disney with a title that alludes to one of the greatest fictional autobiographies? Yes please. I've read a few other books by Doctorow and looked at some reviews for this one before starting so I will admit that I was a little apprehensive going in.
Why I finished it: I almost didn't. The first half of the book is trying. It's very clearly a first novel and Doctorow takes some time to find his stride. The great ideas on what it means to be human in a post-human world are what kept me reading despite not feeling like the execution of the writing was necessarily worth it. I can tell you the exact show more moment I decided it was good enough to finish: page 130 of 206. That is pretty far in to a short book but from that point on I couldn't wait to read it. I finished it because I had to know what conclusions the author had come to about these fairly lofty ideas he had set forth to discuss. I also found that the title was more than just a clever allusion, but rather the style and themes were very much akin to Orwell's work. Just, you know, in a futuristic Walt Disney World where popularity and reputation is money, yet it's just as easy to hit the very bottom and keep on living.
A lot of reviews said they found the main character unlikable, which I didn't find at all. I think maybe that we're just not used to the idea that a protagonist can be so human. Also I think you have to try and put yourself into this not so distant future and not judge the characters based on our society, but rather based on theirs.
Who I'd give it to: Someone who is a fan of Disney, but not someone who would read it just for the fact that it's set in Disney World. I do think knowing the layout and rides is beneficial, but as someone who has never been, it's not necessary. Someone who likes science fiction but will read it as more than just a "genre novel". The best thing about sci-fi is it's ability to discuss humanity by removing it. I think approaching it with a good background of English lit makes it a better read compared to just reading it as a surface skimming speculative romp through Disney. show less
Why I picked it up: Great concept. Speculative Sci-fi and Disney with a title that alludes to one of the greatest fictional autobiographies? Yes please. I've read a few other books by Doctorow and looked at some reviews for this one before starting so I will admit that I was a little apprehensive going in.
Why I finished it: I almost didn't. The first half of the book is trying. It's very clearly a first novel and Doctorow takes some time to find his stride. The great ideas on what it means to be human in a post-human world are what kept me reading despite not feeling like the execution of the writing was necessarily worth it. I can tell you the exact show more moment I decided it was good enough to finish: page 130 of 206. That is pretty far in to a short book but from that point on I couldn't wait to read it. I finished it because I had to know what conclusions the author had come to about these fairly lofty ideas he had set forth to discuss. I also found that the title was more than just a clever allusion, but rather the style and themes were very much akin to Orwell's work. Just, you know, in a futuristic Walt Disney World where popularity and reputation is money, yet it's just as easy to hit the very bottom and keep on living.
A lot of reviews said they found the main character unlikable, which I didn't find at all. I think maybe that we're just not used to the idea that a protagonist can be so human. Also I think you have to try and put yourself into this not so distant future and not judge the characters based on our society, but rather based on theirs.
Who I'd give it to: Someone who is a fan of Disney, but not someone who would read it just for the fact that it's set in Disney World. I do think knowing the layout and rides is beneficial, but as someone who has never been, it's not necessary. Someone who likes science fiction but will read it as more than just a "genre novel". The best thing about sci-fi is it's ability to discuss humanity by removing it. I think approaching it with a good background of English lit makes it a better read compared to just reading it as a surface skimming speculative romp through Disney. show less
Like I often do, I went into this book blind, not knowing anything about the plot, and I assumed the title was some sort of a metaphor for a superficial society. In fact, most of the book is actually set within Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.
My progress through the book went something like this:
1. At the end of the prologue, I was positive I would hate this book.
2. At the end of chapter 1, I decided there might be some hope after all.
3. Somewhere around the middle of the book, I realized my Kindle had permanently affixed itself into my hands.
4. When I finished the book, on the same day I had started it, I just sat there thinking, “How on Earth am I going to rate this?”
This is a science fiction story that takes place in the show more future, and life on Earth has changed a lot. Everybody’s brain is hooked up directly to an Internet-like interface that people can use to pull up information at any time. The way people react to you, to the things you do and the way you act, are instantly translated into a “Whuffie” score. This works as a sort of currency; there’s no longer any actual money. There’s also no more death. You can make a “backup” of yourself whenever you want and, if you die, a clone is grown and your memories are restored from the backup. This has become so common-place that nearly everybody will have themselves killed just to avoid sitting through a long trip in “real time”.
The world-building was pretty interesting. The characters were also interesting but, in retrospect, not very likeable. The plot itself is a little thin, basically centering on an argument about whether to change the attractions in the Liberty Square section of the Magic Kingdom. It doesn’t sound like a particularly exciting plot, especially to somebody like me who has no attachment to the Magic Kingdom whatsoever, but the book held my interest anyway.
I’m not sure how I felt about the ending. In the prologue, we were pretty much told how the story would end, but the reader doesn’t know enough at that point to understand what they’ve been told. Still, if you have any sort of reading retention skills, you’re probably going to know how the story ends long before it happens. It was the stuff that happened a little bit before the very end that surprised me more. I don’t think I was very satisfied by the ending, even if it seemed appropriate in a way. I like to at least see some sense of change, preferably improvement, at the end of a story, but I didn’t feel like anything significant had changed by the end.
I’m torn between giving this three or four stars. LibraryThing makes this easy; I can just give it 3.5 stars. But on Goodreads, do I round up or round down? I decided to round down because I don’t think I enjoyed this quite on the same level as what I would usually expect from a four-star book.
If you made it this far and you’re interested in trying the book, I found it for free at the author’s web site: http://craphound.com/ show less
My progress through the book went something like this:
1. At the end of the prologue, I was positive I would hate this book.
2. At the end of chapter 1, I decided there might be some hope after all.
3. Somewhere around the middle of the book, I realized my Kindle had permanently affixed itself into my hands.
4. When I finished the book, on the same day I had started it, I just sat there thinking, “How on Earth am I going to rate this?”
This is a science fiction story that takes place in the show more future, and life on Earth has changed a lot. Everybody’s brain is hooked up directly to an Internet-like interface that people can use to pull up information at any time. The way people react to you, to the things you do and the way you act, are instantly translated into a “Whuffie” score. This works as a sort of currency; there’s no longer any actual money. There’s also no more death. You can make a “backup” of yourself whenever you want and, if you die, a clone is grown and your memories are restored from the backup. This has become so common-place that nearly everybody will have themselves killed just to avoid sitting through a long trip in “real time”.
The world-building was pretty interesting. The characters were also interesting but, in retrospect, not very likeable. The plot itself is a little thin, basically centering on an argument about whether to change the attractions in the Liberty Square section of the Magic Kingdom. It doesn’t sound like a particularly exciting plot, especially to somebody like me who has no attachment to the Magic Kingdom whatsoever, but the book held my interest anyway.
I’m not sure how I felt about the ending. In the prologue, we were pretty much told how the story would end, but the reader doesn’t know enough at that point to understand what they’ve been told. Still, if you have any sort of reading retention skills, you’re probably going to know how the story ends long before it happens. It was the stuff that happened a little bit before the very end that surprised me more. I don’t think I was very satisfied by the ending, even if it seemed appropriate in a way. I like to at least see some sense of change, preferably improvement, at the end of a story, but I didn’t feel like anything significant had changed by the end.
I’m torn between giving this three or four stars. LibraryThing makes this easy; I can just give it 3.5 stars. But on Goodreads, do I round up or round down? I decided to round down because I don’t think I enjoyed this quite on the same level as what I would usually expect from a four-star book.
If you made it this far and you’re interested in trying the book, I found it for free at the author’s web site: http://craphound.com/ show less
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 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 show more 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. show less
The key to writing science fiction, then, seems to be finding a 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 show more 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. show less
Cory Doctorow's first novel, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, heralds the arrival of a major literary talent. On the surface just another science-fiction novel, Doctorow's prose practically crackles with intriguing ideas.
Jules is barely a century old. He is living his dream of working in and maintaining Disney World. Yes, that Disney World. In this future of no money, no worries, people work together in ad-hocs (groups that meet for a specific purpose). Leaders are determined by their Whuffie, essentially a popularity rating as determined by everyone living. In this future of fantastic concepts, the two most interesting and important are that everyone backs up their minds in a huge collective computer, and that immortality through show more cloning is not just a reality, but an everyday occurrence.
Early in the book, Jules gets murdered, which turns out to be the fourth time he has died. But it's the first time he has been killed. Jules' murder is just part of a fascinating plot centering around a war between two ad-hocs for the soul of the Magic Kingdom.
Cory Doctorow meshes all of these outlandish ideas into a novel of power and skill. His story is told on many levels, with a surprising complexity and the perfect touch of humor. Like all good science fiction, Doctorow tackles the issues of today, tomorrow. Morality, cloning, socialism, poverty, right to die, freedom of choice, pratfalls of hubris, and the cult of celebrity are all explored in what may be the best debut science-fiction novel since Neuromancer.
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom is not for everyone. If you prefer your literature linear or your ideas staid, then give this one a pass. Using the tropes of the genre to blaze a new path, it showcases the talents and skills that popular literature needs to survive and thrive in the 21st century.
This review originally appeared in The Austin Chronicle
Link: [http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:148399] show less
Jules is barely a century old. He is living his dream of working in and maintaining Disney World. Yes, that Disney World. In this future of no money, no worries, people work together in ad-hocs (groups that meet for a specific purpose). Leaders are determined by their Whuffie, essentially a popularity rating as determined by everyone living. In this future of fantastic concepts, the two most interesting and important are that everyone backs up their minds in a huge collective computer, and that immortality through show more cloning is not just a reality, but an everyday occurrence.
Early in the book, Jules gets murdered, which turns out to be the fourth time he has died. But it's the first time he has been killed. Jules' murder is just part of a fascinating plot centering around a war between two ad-hocs for the soul of the Magic Kingdom.
Cory Doctorow meshes all of these outlandish ideas into a novel of power and skill. His story is told on many levels, with a surprising complexity and the perfect touch of humor. Like all good science fiction, Doctorow tackles the issues of today, tomorrow. Morality, cloning, socialism, poverty, right to die, freedom of choice, pratfalls of hubris, and the cult of celebrity are all explored in what may be the best debut science-fiction novel since Neuromancer.
Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom is not for everyone. If you prefer your literature linear or your ideas staid, then give this one a pass. Using the tropes of the genre to blaze a new path, it showcases the talents and skills that popular literature needs to survive and thrive in the 21st century.
This review originally appeared in The Austin Chronicle
Link: [http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid:148399] show less
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Author Information
119+ Works 25,806 Members
Writer and activist Cory Doctorow was born in Toronto, Canada on July 17, 1971. In 1999 he co-founded a free software company called Opencola and served as Canadian Regional Director of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. For four years he worked as European Affairs Coordinator for the Electronic Frontier Foundation and in 2007 won show more its Pioneer Award. His first novel, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, won a Locus Award for Best First Novel. His short story collection A Place So Foreign and Eight More won a Sunburst Award, and his bestselling novel Little Brother received the 2009 Prometheus Award, a Sunburst Award, and the John W. Campbell Memorial Award. Doctorow also writes nonfiction books and articles, and he co-edits the blog Boing Boing. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Awards
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Belongs to Publisher Series
Gallimard, Folio SF (308)
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom
- Original title
- Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom
- Original publication date
- 2003
- People/Characters
- Julius; Lil; Dan; Debra; Suneep; Kim Wright
- Important places
- Walt Disney World, Orlando, Florida, USA
- First words
- 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 ... (show all)of the workplace and of work.
- Quotations
- You don't want to be a post-person. You want to stay human.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)We've both got a lot of living to do before we know what's what.
- Publisher's editor
- Nielsen Hayden, Patrick
- Blurbers
- Sterling, Bruce; Lessig, Lawrence; Link, Kelly; Frauenfelder, Mark; Schroeder, Karl; Rucker, Rudy (show all 12); Rheingold, Howard; Rushkoff, Douglas; O'Reilly, Tim; Schneier, Bruce; Dozois, Gardner; Kapor, Mitch
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Statistics
- Members
- 2,666
- Popularity
- 6,942
- Reviews
- 125
- Rating
- (3.52)
- Languages
- English, French, German, Spanish
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 24
- ASINs
- 10