When Gravity Fails

by George Alec Effinger

English language

Published July 30, 1987

ISBN:: 978-0-87795-851-2

(31 reviews)

When Gravity Fails is a cyberpunk science fiction novel by American writer George Alec Effinger, published in 1986. It was nominated for the Nebula Award for Best Novel in 1987 and the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1988. The title is taken from "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues", a song by Bob Dylan: "When your gravity fails and negativity don't pull you through". Taking place in a futuristic Middle-Eastern setting, the series reverses some of the usual expectations of a future world order by painting the West in decline while Muslim countries seem to prosper. The book's other main themes are the effects of drug use and alternate personality technologies, as well as the personal interactions and increasing isolation of a flawed protagonist. It is the first book in Effinger's Marîd Audran series, named after the protagonist, and was followed by A Fire in the Sun in 1989 and …

2 editions

Robin Marx reviewed When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger

Review of 'When Gravity Fails' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This sleek cyberpunk novel is set in the Middle East after the decline and Balkanization of the Western superpowers. It focuses on Marîd Audran, a low-level fixer in the Budayeen, the seamy red light district of an unnamed city. When a number of his acquaintances are viciously murdered, he finds himself breaking a number of his personal rules—including becoming entangled with powerful underworld figures and adopting personality-changing cybernetic enhancements—in an effort to find the chameleonic killer.

While very different in terms of subject matter, this book reminded me a bit of the contemperaneous "Hardwired" by Walter Jon Williams: solid cyberpunk fiction that includes popular cyberpunk genre hallmarks while adding some innovation of its own. Like many of the best cyberpunk novels, "When Gravity Fails" draws inspiration from hardboiled detective novels, peppering the narrative with shady cops, dangerous mob bosses, femmes fatale, sympathetic bartenders, and a world-weary protagonist. On the other …

Steen Christiansen reviewed When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger

Review of 'When Gravity Fails' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

A Marlowe mood filled with exoticism.

ceoln reviewed When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger

Review of 'When Gravity Fails' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

Solid early cyberpunk, very noir. Definitely worth a read.

Zivan reviewed When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger

Review of 'When Gravity Fails' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

A Cyber punk Novel with all the tropes: Sex, Drugs, Body Modification and Crime.

Setting the events in the Muslim world does make it a bit special. Giving it a nice spin.

At first I read that the book was first published in 2005 and that felt very strange, technology-wise and considering the post 9/11 ind second Iraq war events. But then I saw that it was actually published in 1987 and things stared making more sense. The 2005 date is probably the AudioBook version.

I enjoyed the bitter sweet ending.

Fulminata reviewed When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger

Review of 'When Gravity Fails' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This book holds up better than I expected. Despite a couple big misses (like the lack of anything resembling the internet), a lot of the "futuristic" background details feel contemporary or slightly out of date instead of completely off base.

This means that the few misses in predicting tech trends didn't detract from the story for me, and the story is a good one that plays with the nature of identity in the guise of a murder mystery.

Michael @ Knowledge Lost reviewed When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger

Review of 'When Gravity Fails' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

It’s been awhile since I’ve been so amerced into a science fiction world like this; I think the last time was with China Mieville’s The City and The City. The city of Budayeen something I’ve not experienced before, the blend of Middle Eastern culture and religion really bring this to life in a unique way. Marîd Audrian makes for a great protagonist; he is hard boiled, reminds me a lot of the private detectives in the pulp genres.

When Gravity Fails is a brilliant example of Tech Noir (so Science Fiction Noir) it has a twisted case for Marîd to investigate, which leads him on a fantastic adventure. It kind of reminds me a little of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher in the sense that it takes the best elements of the pulp genre and mixes it with a hard hitting protagonist in a will build speculative fiction world.

The world is gritty and the story is full of sex, drugs and murder, it offers a lot the think about in regards to the modifications and technology on offer in Budayeen; if you can chance every aspect of your body, mind and personality, would you do it and what are the side effects? I can’t wait to dive further into this world and see what Marîd gets up to in the next book. Recommended for fans of Science Fiction and pulp novels or even just fans of The Dresden Files; actually I would probably recommend it to anyone that wants to read a captivating book.

fluxmind reviewed When Gravity Fails by George Alec Effinger

Review of 'When Gravity Fails' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Wow this book was really good. The fact that it takes place in an Arab state makes it even better. Having been to various Arab countries, I really thought it was well thought out. I literally couldn't put this book down. I will now read everything this author has ever written.