Dante done in the 70's

This book was originally written in 1970's so some of the language is a bit dated. Additionally some of the characterizations of women are likewise from a time when the women's movement was just starting to raise the consciousness of individuals, so sexist language and sterotypes still pervade this book (ironically underscored by the male narrator doing female voices). Reading this book, you can almost visualize the gold lamae shirt (unbuttoned to the navel) and choker chain around the neck of its primary antagonist Alan Carpenter (or Alan Carpentier as its pronounced through at least part of it). Once you get past the dated elements, the plot is an interesting retelling of Dante's Inferno with reference to Dante throughout. As Carpenter trudges through the circles of Hell his guide explains to him the sins that each level punishes.

Throughout it all the most interesting thing is the constant questions of justice. How can a just God demand punishment for all ETERNITY for acts done in a finite lifetime? The value of this book is its attempt to grapple with this question. In the end it is as influenced by C.S. Lewis as it is by Dante (which becomes explicit in the sequel)and it is clear that the author is not the agnostic skeptic that his protagonist is. Still it ends up being an interesting discussion of a weighty issue.

Two things I would note. The book should be considered long midrash on Dante, as a result it does not move very quickly and if you are not intrigued by the religious elements in it, it will not be for you (as a professor of Religious Studies I ended up liking it). So while its categorized as sci-fi/fantasy its really more religious fiction. Second, on the upside if you have always wanted to read Dante but 14th century poetry is not really your thing, this is an entertaining way to get much of it and may compel you in the end to re/turn to the original.

19 people found this helpful

I couldn't push past the first 10 minutes.

The narrator is awful. Another "HWCWRT?" (How Would Christopher Walken Read This?) type.

Except I would have enjoyed Mr. Walken's disdain for punctuation and emphasis of random words.

2 people found this helpful

Can't miss this

I love this book. The audiobook is even better.

Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle paint an incredibly detailed, wildly imaginative and thought-provoking take on Dante's Inferno as seen through the eyes of a recently deceased science fiction writer. His theories on the whys and hows of Hell from the point of view of an agnostic are very clever and even gave me doubts at times as to whether they were really dead, and trying to make rational sense of the extraordinary experiences of Hell echoes what a normal person would feel like if dropped into Dante's imaginative take on hell.

I genuinely like Carpenter and Benito, and it was a pleasure watching their friendship grow. The assorted cast of other damned make for a colorful background as well, and it was great seeing the changes brought from this book take shape in the sequel, Escape from Hell.

As impressive as the writing is the performance - Tom Weiner does a wonderful job of narrating the story and the characters, adding an extra dimension of tone and depth to an already thoughtful book. I'd want this man to narrate my life.

All in all, a fantastic book and an even better audiobook. I'd also highly recommend the sequel, Escape from Hell.

4 people found this helpful

Journy through hell

What did you love best about Inferno?

I bought this book because of my love for the writings of Niven and Pournelle who introduced me to great science fiction years ago. It tells the story of Carpenter, a science fiction writer, who finds himself in Dante's hell and initially thinks it is something created not by God, who he doesn't believe in, but more as a science fiction world. Lessons are learner, companions are added during the journey and beliefs are questioned. I had trouble getting into the book as I had forgotten the review and was looking for a different style. Once I got into it I had trouble turning off my Ipod. The narration was great

3 people found this helpful

Second Read

This was a great read the first time. To hear it read made it so much better.

3 people found this helpful

Where am I going and why am I in this hand-basket?

What did you love best about Inferno?

A modern-day journey through hell with Benito Mussolini as your guide? What could be more bizarre. Revisiting this story 45 years after I first read it? Priceless! Listening to if after re-reading Dante's Inferno? The best.

What other book might you compare Inferno to and why?

Dante's Inferno, of course. This is a bizarre twist on that tale with a science fiction writer as the protagonist.

What about Tom Weiner’s performance did you like?

This was a pretty straight-forward reading. There really wasn't anything special about it.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, because I was paying close attention to correct my 45-year-old memory of this book.

Any additional comments?

I don't know whether this book is a classic or not, but was a great read. A journey of growth on a trip through hell. Even though hell isn't real and there is no life after death, it's a great topic for fiction.

2 people found this helpful

Dante's Inferno, the sequel...

Interesting read, well written and humorous. I found it entertaining to listen to, and was well read. It is not as detailed as Mr. Nivens other novels, but worth the listen. This is a short review, I am aware, but I am not inspired to write a longer one. It is about one guys travel through hell, the people he meets and his personal discovery, which is a large part of what hell seems to be about.

2 people found this helpful

Better the second time around

I read Inferno years ago. I was skeptical that an audiobook could rival my own minds eye from the read page. I was surprised and amazed by the vivid nature of hearing the spoken word. I would recommend listening to anything once read to gain new insight and watching a 'mind's eye' sequel to past experience. Still glowing from this scorching modernization of Dante's classic.

2 people found this helpful

Niven went to hell and got a lousy T-shirt

Inferno by the writing duo of Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle is the tale of a sci-fi writer who dies and ends up in hell. He traverses through Dante's imaginings of hell as he seeks to escape. There is much humor throughout as at first, the assumption of a science fiction expert is that rather than hell, he has been brought back to life by a future, more advanced society. Gradually, he accepts death and a real hell to an ever increasing scientifically implausible set of conditions. Besides all the various torments, hell is also overloaded with bureaucracy that is worse than the punishments.

Niven and Pournelle do an admirable job of first recreating Dante's version of hell, while providing much in the way of plausible technological solutions to the properties of hell, initially being viewed as an amusement park called Infernoland. Rather than merely a place of punishment, hell is more a place where people go who want to be punished (or at least don't leave once there), while there is some degree of mobility to the innocent. There is much in terms of the philosophical nature of sin itself.

While overall not a bad narration, there is an older quality to the rendition that comes across more as simply read, rather than performed. Pacing is brisk that makes for a quick listen.

We are in the hands of ultimate power and ultimate sadism

I liked the voice actor, he did an excellent job and I’d like to hear some of his other work. I just couldn’t really get into this story. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either, just pretty mediocre all around. In the end, all of the characters were thinly written and ultimately forgettable. The main character spends the better part of the book refusing to believe that he’s actually in hell. This is comical at first, but it wears thin pretty quickly and overstays its welcome far too long. Ultimately, I’m glad the story was relatively short otherwise I don’t know that I would have been able to finish. I’m also glad that I picked this up on sale, paying full price would have only added to my disappointment.