Inferno

This is such a great book to understand The Divine Comedy, By Dante.

A science fiction writer gets drunk, falls out a window, and wakes up in a bottle. Fitting punishment? You decide, but it's a fun start to a novel exploring the levels of Hell--and all the fascinating characters therein. Alan "Carpentier" (actually a snobbish twist on his actual name, Carpenter) travels down, ever downward, through Hell with his guide (no description here; part of the fun is figuring out who the guide was in life). To get out of Hell, one must go down through the worst parts. Demons are aplenty, as are the infamous characters from human history--everyone from Billy the Kid to lesser-known sinners from Carpentier's life. Morality and Religion are explored, but this is basically a light-hearted romp through Hell (if that is possible), though the description of tombs and punishments are graphically impressive. The real story, of course, is the heart--and soul--of the main character as he travels through the subterranean world and finally comes to grips with himself. The sequel to this book, many years after the original, is almost as good as the original and includes "new sins" that Dante never imagined(reviewed separately).

I agree that this is one of Niven/Pournelle's best. In fact, it's not just one of my favorite science fiction novels of all time, but one of my favorite novels, period. It works both as an adventure story and as an exploration of the clash between traditional religious views and modern sensibilities. There's also some nice social satire and commentary. It even takes on a pretty big theological issue (if God loves us, why is there eternal punishment) and actual commits to an answer rather than pussyfooting around. As some of the other reviewers mention, I'm not sure why this doesn't get mentioned more often as a great novel.

The publisher's review, listed above as the product description, isn't accurate. Carpentier wasn't pushed from his luxury apartment; he fell in a freak, drunken accident from a hotel window during a science fiction convention. He doesn't feel like he's landed a great opportunity for a book; he feels disgusted and dismayed at the human suffering around him. He isn't determined to meet Satan; he's determined to get out of there. So, for a correct description, after his sudden death, science fiction writer Allen Carpentier finds himself along the shores of Hell, with a strange guide who wishes only to be known as Benito, a Hell visited once before by Dante Alighieri. This Hell has changed some, and Carpentier visits some places Dante missed, but where Dante mocked the denizens of Hell, and meekly followed as he was led, Carpentier shows pity and mercy to those he meets, and he's determined to take control of the situation he finds himself in. We're treated to a delightful cast of characters, some from history and others from an imagined future world. This is a masterwork from the pen of two great authors, and it is not to be missed.

This is an absorbing retelling of the Inferno with the main character not a tourist but a deceased SF writer, Carpentier, who is hoping that there is indeed a way out of Hell. Carpentier is soon persuaded that there is no way out going up and starts on a journey through the circles down and in, meeting assorted modern American sinners on the way down. His travelling companion, an Italian, points out that he tended to notice sinners of his own kind and so does Carpentier. The ending is thought-provoking and I found the book worth rereading. Recommended.

A guest at the annual convention of science fictions writers chug-a-lugs a quart of sour mash and falls from a hotel balcony. So begins a late Twentieth Century jaunt through Hell, characters updated and guided by none other than Benito Mussolini. Il Duce is something of an anti-hero in comparison to Dante's Virgil but hey, it's the 20th Century. See the do-gooder who outlawed diet cola, a mass of adipose sitting moveless on the plane of jars. Imagine the disgust of the protagonist upon learning that Vonnegut has been mis-assigned to the portion of the Nether World reserved for writers of science fiction. One of the earliest, if not the first collaboration of these two brilliant writers. Possibly somewhat dated at the turn of the century but boomers will enjoy it.