As mentioned in my last entry (so long ago, I know, and I would say that I was sorry if I thought that anyone actually read this thing...does anyone actually read this thing?) The Golden Apple picks up right where The Eye in the Pyramid left off.
The one thing that I happily noticed after the first handful of pages was that the storyline was much more coherent than in the first book. For the most part, the reader followed one character through upwards of 15-20 pages before a change of scenery and or character took place. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a following a narcotics-induced storyline just as much as the next person but my brain can only endure so much cacophonous literary jarring in my skull before I need a linear chain of events to prevent a gradual mental overdose. While the authors do at times revert to their old evil ways of the first book but this time it is used more as device to move the story and add to the ambiance as opposed to causing a story earthquake to keep the reader off-kilter for the entirety of the book.
In any case, a very distinct chain of events is starting to develop and the characters that you know and love from the first book (as well as a couple of new ones - yes, the cast gets bigger - in addition to characters that were hinted at) begin taking their position on the chessboard. Here's a quick rundown of all of the poop that is being loaded in that cannon over there that is aimed at this here giant fan:
First off, we've got Fernando Poo. (Somebody is going to need to help me with this one, I think. I'm still a little confused about Fernando Poo and exactly what was going on...) As near as I can tell, the President of the United States thinks that the Chinese and the Russians have soldiers there and threatens to do something very nasty if they don't leave. Nuclear warfare seems too blah of a threat according to the president. Something nastier type of stick needs to be shook at the bad guys. Enter Anthrax Leprosy Pi, which leads us to our next major uh-oh.
Anthrax Leprosy Pi, the newest and worst form of Anthrax that was being threatened to be used against the Reds, has escaped from the secret lab that it was invented in via the contaminated inventor. Who passed it along to a prostitute. Who died while blowing her pimp. All of this in Las Vegas. Did I mention that it spreads to everybody the carrier comes in contact with? You can probably see where this is going. The government sees where this is going as well and is coming to the conclusion that Martial Law should be declared in the United States until this whole mess can be sorted out.
Fortunately on the other side of the Atlantic, a giant rock festival is being put together in Ingolstadt. No, wait, that's a bad thing. Why, you may ask, is a rock concert in Ingolstadt that in all appearances looks to be an international version of Woodstock a bad thing? Did I mention the leigon of dead Nazis at the bottom of a nearby lake that will be brought back to life when the AMA starts playing and kill everyone present thus immanentizing the Eschaton (read: "starting Armageddon") and helping bastards like Hitler (yes, he's still alive and hanging out comfortably in a nearby Ingolstadt hotel) achieve transcendental illumination.
Alrighty then, the poop is packed, the fuse is at the ready, now where's my lighter?
On the other end of the board, 00005 is in Fernando Poo, Saul, Barney, and John Dillinger are on the trail of Anthrax Leprosy Pi, and Hagbard, George, Joe, Otto, John Dillinger (huh?) Mavis, Stella, and anyone else on the Lief Erickson that I may have left out are on their way to Ingolstodt to watch to world burn. Or stop it from burning. Or something. Maybe.
Meanwhile the Dealy Llama is doing...not a damn thing. What is with that guy?
The review of the finale to this series, Leviathan, will be up shortly. Meanwhile, if you have no idea who the people are or what is going on in this review, go out to your local bookstore and pick up The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson or you can order it online here: http://www.amazon.com/Illuminatus-Trilogy-Pyramid-Golden-Leviathan/dp/0440539811 because apparently you have some catching up to do. If, on the other hand, you have read the book and still have no idea who the people are or what is going on in this review, please let me know so we can compare notes, I'm still a little confused...
The one thing that I happily noticed after the first handful of pages was that the storyline was much more coherent than in the first book. For the most part, the reader followed one character through upwards of 15-20 pages before a change of scenery and or character took place. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a following a narcotics-induced storyline just as much as the next person but my brain can only endure so much cacophonous literary jarring in my skull before I need a linear chain of events to prevent a gradual mental overdose. While the authors do at times revert to their old evil ways of the first book but this time it is used more as device to move the story and add to the ambiance as opposed to causing a story earthquake to keep the reader off-kilter for the entirety of the book.
In any case, a very distinct chain of events is starting to develop and the characters that you know and love from the first book (as well as a couple of new ones - yes, the cast gets bigger - in addition to characters that were hinted at) begin taking their position on the chessboard. Here's a quick rundown of all of the poop that is being loaded in that cannon over there that is aimed at this here giant fan:
First off, we've got Fernando Poo. (Somebody is going to need to help me with this one, I think. I'm still a little confused about Fernando Poo and exactly what was going on...) As near as I can tell, the President of the United States thinks that the Chinese and the Russians have soldiers there and threatens to do something very nasty if they don't leave. Nuclear warfare seems too blah of a threat according to the president. Something nastier type of stick needs to be shook at the bad guys. Enter Anthrax Leprosy Pi, which leads us to our next major uh-oh.
Anthrax Leprosy Pi, the newest and worst form of Anthrax that was being threatened to be used against the Reds, has escaped from the secret lab that it was invented in via the contaminated inventor. Who passed it along to a prostitute. Who died while blowing her pimp. All of this in Las Vegas. Did I mention that it spreads to everybody the carrier comes in contact with? You can probably see where this is going. The government sees where this is going as well and is coming to the conclusion that Martial Law should be declared in the United States until this whole mess can be sorted out.
Fortunately on the other side of the Atlantic, a giant rock festival is being put together in Ingolstadt. No, wait, that's a bad thing. Why, you may ask, is a rock concert in Ingolstadt that in all appearances looks to be an international version of Woodstock a bad thing? Did I mention the leigon of dead Nazis at the bottom of a nearby lake that will be brought back to life when the AMA starts playing and kill everyone present thus immanentizing the Eschaton (read: "starting Armageddon") and helping bastards like Hitler (yes, he's still alive and hanging out comfortably in a nearby Ingolstadt hotel) achieve transcendental illumination.
Alrighty then, the poop is packed, the fuse is at the ready, now where's my lighter?
On the other end of the board, 00005 is in Fernando Poo, Saul, Barney, and John Dillinger are on the trail of Anthrax Leprosy Pi, and Hagbard, George, Joe, Otto, John Dillinger (huh?) Mavis, Stella, and anyone else on the Lief Erickson that I may have left out are on their way to Ingolstodt to watch to world burn. Or stop it from burning. Or something. Maybe.
Meanwhile the Dealy Llama is doing...not a damn thing. What is with that guy?
The review of the finale to this series, Leviathan, will be up shortly. Meanwhile, if you have no idea who the people are or what is going on in this review, go out to your local bookstore and pick up The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson or you can order it online here: http://www.amazon.com/Illuminatus-Trilogy-Pyramid-Golden-Leviathan/dp/0440539811 because apparently you have some catching up to do. If, on the other hand, you have read the book and still have no idea who the people are or what is going on in this review, please let me know so we can compare notes, I'm still a little confused...
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