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Straße der Verlassenheit by Ian McDonald
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Straße der Verlassenheit (original 1989; edition 1991)

by Ian McDonald

Series: Desolation Road (1)

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7802928,229 (3.75)81
It all began thirty years ago on Mars, with a greenperson. But by the time it all finished, the town of Desolation Road had experienced every conceivable abnormality from Adam Black's Wonderful Travelling Chautauqua and Educational ‘Stravaganza (complete with its very own captive angel) to the Astounding Tatterdemalion Air Bazaar. Its inhabitants ranged from Dr. Alimantando, the town’s founder and resident genius, to the Babooshka, a barren grandmother who just wants her own child—grown in a fruit jar; from Rajendra Das, mechanical hobo who has a mystical way with machines to the Gallacelli brothers, identical triplets who fell in love with—and married—the same woman.… (more)
Member:falkman
Title:Straße der Verlassenheit
Authors:Ian McDonald
Info:Lübbe (1991), Broschiert
Collections:Your library, Currently reading, To read (inactive)
Rating:
Tags:novel, science fiction, contemporary

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Desolation Road by Ian McDonald (1989)

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» See also 81 mentions

English (28)  Spanish (1)  All languages (29)
Showing 1-5 of 28 (next | show all)
In his first novel, quietly and without anyone noticing*, McDonald re-made Bradbury's Mars for a new generation. All the magic, the weirdness and the wonder is there, plus all the gizmos of our time and a few more besides.

*including the UK publishing industry for too long a time, alas!
1 vote RobertDay | Nov 17, 2021 |
This is a highly unusual novel. It is labeled science fiction, though much of it could have been set in the late 19th, early 20th century American West. It involves the founding and evolution of a small settlement on the surface of Mars. Though many years in the future, for very long stretches, technology is virtually non-existent. Travel is largely by train, there are antique airplanes and dirigibles. While there is reference to orbiting space stations and circumstances on Earth, the community operates largely as a Western cow town.

Then, BOOM, you have time travel. The kind of weaponry you might expect on 22nd century Mars makes an appearance. Magical realism crops up from time to time. There are segments of economic evolution that bring to mind early 20th century labor unrest. Like I said, a highly unusual novel.

I read the author’s River of Gods, and thought it fantastic; The Dervish House less so. I believe this book was first published in the 1980s, though this edition was printed in 2009. As an aside, whoever proofread it, should be fired. It is littered with misspellings and typeset errors. In any event, it is strange, though moderately entertaining. I suspect many will find it not to their taste. ( )
  santhony | Jul 26, 2021 |
An excellent book. Superbly weird and weirdly superb. It's a sort of magical realist/sci-fi book of a sort I've never read before. Or even heard of. Very original.

The characterization and thematic development are especially outstanding 'for a sci-fi book' as well as in general. If his name was 'Borges', he'd be read in literature departments instead of just winning award in the SF ghetto.

There's no hyperbole in the entire history of hyperboles that can adequately capture how much I appreciated this novel. If I had the time and the money, I'd go out and buy the rest of McDonald's books right now. ( )
1 vote ralphpalm | Nov 11, 2019 |
This read like a rich series of fables linked together in a progress from a rural idyll to an industrial destruction. It has the energy of his later works, but I prefer the riotous phrases and characters in e.g. River of Gods. ( )
  jkdavies | Jun 14, 2016 |
Desolation Road by Ian McDonald follows thirty years in the lives of the citizens from one small town in Mars. This is a future Mars, after Mars has undergone terraforming to prepare it for human habitation. The town of Desolation Road, a remote oasis in the desert, was founded by Dr. Alimantando when he was following a green person across the desert. At the beginning we meet the characters in short chapters as each new town person stumbles into Desolation Road, a town that should not exist, and then follow the pivotal roles each person plays in the destiny of the town and the Martian civilization. And, while all the characters are quite interesting, not all of them are sympathetic.


Desolation Road was originally published in 1988 and then re-released for a new audience in 2009. Several reviewers have pointed out that McDonald is the first writer to successfully apply elements of magical realism to science fiction. In many ways this gives the novel almost the feel of a folktale, but at other times it had the feel of a western. Basically, this is a difficult novel to describe. Really, read the description - we go from Adam Black's Wonderful Travelling Chautauqua and Educational 'Stravaganza to the Babooshka who just wants her own child-grown in a fruit jar to the Gallacelli brothers, identical triplets who fell in love with and married the same woman. In some ways it is almost a collection of short stories based on the town but in the end it does pull itself together for a very complete novel.


I also need to note that McDonald's characters follow a Martian year for their ages, but that is never explained. (A Martian year is almost twice as long as Earth's year, so , when a 9 or 11 year old is having adult experiences it might be good to note that they are, in fact, adults. There was one drawback to this newer edition - the proof reading is lacking

McDonald has a way with words that I really appreciated so it made reading Desolation Road a pleasure.
Obviously, as seen from the description, I think it should also be clear that it is at times quite funny. For example, this is the reason for the name of the town:
"Desolation Road," he slurred, drinking down the final glass of peapod wine. "You are Desolation Road. And Desolation Road it remained, even though Dr. Alimantando realized when he sobered up that he had not meant Desolation Road at all, but Destination Road. pg. 18

Highly Recommended; http://shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com/
( )
2 vote SheTreadsSoftly | Mar 21, 2016 |
Showing 1-5 of 28 (next | show all)
Within the covers of the book, one finds love and hate, romance and betrayal, rationalism and mysticism. And through it all, the sense of how a place, a real, authentic place, can shape peoples’ lives. For, even when characters leave Desolation Road, they do not escape the town’s influence.
 
Desolation Road ... surprises, delights, then surprises and delights again. Spanning centuries, the book includes transcendent math, alternate realities, corporate dystopias, travelling carnivals, post-singularity godlike AIs, geoengineering, and mechanical hobos, each integral to the plot.
 

» Add other authors

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Ian McDonaldprimary authorall editionscalculated
Cooke, Jacqueline NassoCover designersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Edwards, LesCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Harrison, MarkCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Kubiak, MichaelÜbersetzersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Lofaro, JerryCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Martiniere, StephanCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Sigaud, BernardTraductionsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Youll, PaulCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed

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To all the numerous people who helped raise Desolation Road from the dust, and especially to Patricia- architect, constant supporter, and First Lady of the town.
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For three days Dr. Alimantando had followed the greenperson across the desert.
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It all began thirty years ago on Mars, with a greenperson. But by the time it all finished, the town of Desolation Road had experienced every conceivable abnormality from Adam Black's Wonderful Travelling Chautauqua and Educational ‘Stravaganza (complete with its very own captive angel) to the Astounding Tatterdemalion Air Bazaar. Its inhabitants ranged from Dr. Alimantando, the town’s founder and resident genius, to the Babooshka, a barren grandmother who just wants her own child—grown in a fruit jar; from Rajendra Das, mechanical hobo who has a mystical way with machines to the Gallacelli brothers, identical triplets who fell in love with—and married—the same woman.

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