Hal smoking dope secretly down in the pump room. Gets call from Orin who is in AZ. Canadian separatism comes up, then a discussion of Ennet Rehab House where people used to be forced to eat rocks. Nice humorous touch--prefer eating rocks to talking to do-gooders . . . next a long (too long) comic scene describing a brick layer who misuses pulley system and yo-yos back and forth, up and down, each time injuring some new body part. Funny at first, but . . . description of Hawaii 5-O as compared to Hill Street Blues. Hawaii 5-O hero is tough guy who does things, solves problems, man on his own. Hero of HSB is bureaucrat, post-Modern hero, who is a hero in the way he manages all the complexities around him, criminals, co-workers, etc. but still gets job done. Liked this section even though I've never seen either program. . . Another black humor section follows. Woman has artificial heart in her purse, attached to her body, working as heart. Purse snatcher steals it and kills her . . . next is a discussion of the negatives of video phones, again insightful, funny, but too long. A little editing is a good thing!
Follows Sadie and Sam (Mazer) from childhood to mid-thirties when both are feeling old and a bit out of it in the gaming world. Characters are well-rounded, develop throughout the novel in interesting way. Plot is involved but sensible. Not a single, "Oh, come on!" moment. The book could have been faster paced. Odd, since the main topic is video games which are not for their speed of engagement and Gabrielle Zevin clearly knows her video games. Recommended by Michael Connelly in an interview. He also has Bosch pick up the book in his novel, Resurrection Walk, as Bosch tails a possible witness to a crime as she moves through a bookstore. Sadie and Sam do not get together at the end, which is good. Marx killed by homophobic nutcase who really wants to kill Sam, but Sam isn't there. Marx is father of Sadie's child.
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