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HARD-BOILED WONDERLAND AND THE END OF THE WORLD



HARD-BOILED WONDERLAND AND THE END OF THE WORLD
BY HARUKI MURAKAMI

This original, fast paced book is written by best selling novelist, Haruki Murakami, and is set in futuristic Tokyo. It is unique, not just in his attention to detail of it being set in the near future, but also because it is actually two completely distinct stories, switching back and forth through every other chapter.

The narrator, along with all other characters, remains unnamed throughout the entire novel. In a world run by an organization called “the System”, our protagonist lives his life as a Calcutec, the last survivor of a government experiment. This has left him with a completely rewired mind, after having had electrodes that decipher coded messages implanted into his brain. His job is to launder classified information, and is hired by a sewer dwelling scientist, who needs him to decode certain data involving a dangerous project named “The End of the World”. He is led on a strange journey battling underground enemies known as INKlings, drunken nights of Wild Turkey Whiskey, promiscuity, and a fantasy-like parallel universe, in which he is unable to find peace within his own consciousness.

I read this interesting, creative novel ten years ago, and have since then, read many of Murakami’s other works. His bold style of writing is always captivating, dark, and oddly humorous. Even for those of you that are not science fiction fans (I usually HATE Sci-Fi), this is definitely a must for anyone that enjoys smart, well-written fiction.

OTHER AWESOME BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR: The Elephant Vanishes, A Wind Up Bird Chronicle, Dance Dance Dance, A Wild Sheep Chase. READ THEM!!!


Jenny
June 15th, 2005