Going, Going, Gone
Encyclopedia
Going, Going, Gone is a 2000 alternate history novel by Jack Womack
. As the sixth and final installment of his acclaimed Dryco series, the novel was the subject of much anticipation and speculation prior to its release, and critically well-received.
in an alternate universe to the Dryco universe of the previous five iterations of the series, Going, Going, Gone nevertheless disposes of several of the series' characters in its closing chapters. Its protagonist is Walter Bullitt, an egocentric expert in psychoactive substances who freelances for various branches of the United States
government spy apparatus. Though he passes
for white
, Bullitt is in fact of African-American descent in a world where almost all full-blooded members of that race died sometime in the early twentieth century in an apparently engineered plague
and all black music
is banned. Walter becomes subject to increasingly strange experiences, hearing voices and seeing ghosts from a parallel
New York which is blending into his one. Walter is taken to this alternative New York which has been flooded and moved north, populated by black people and an analogue of television absent from his world. The novel ends with the two epistemic worlds converging into a New York which is, in the words of critic Paul Dukes a "morally better place than either of the two which composed it".
called it an "intriguing, clever novel", with the potential for crossover appeal as well as for satisfying fans of the series. Biopunk
author and reviewer Paul Di Filippo
hailed the work as a groundbreaking achievement:
Publishers Weekly compared the novel's prose
with that of Anthony Burgess
, but conjectured that the vernacular "may annoy some readers". The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction also singled out Womack's prose for attention, commenting:
Jack Womack
Jack Womack is an American author of fiction and speculative fiction. He lives in New York City with his wife and daughter, and works as a publicity manager for the Orbit and Yen imprints of Hachette Book Group USA....
. As the sixth and final installment of his acclaimed Dryco series, the novel was the subject of much anticipation and speculation prior to its release, and critically well-received.
Plot summary
Set in 1968 New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in an alternate universe to the Dryco universe of the previous five iterations of the series, Going, Going, Gone nevertheless disposes of several of the series' characters in its closing chapters. Its protagonist is Walter Bullitt, an egocentric expert in psychoactive substances who freelances for various branches of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government spy apparatus. Though he passes
Passing (racial identity)
Racial passing refers to a person classified as a member of one racial group attempting to be accepted as a member of a different racial group...
for white
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
, Bullitt is in fact of African-American descent in a world where almost all full-blooded members of that race died sometime in the early twentieth century in an apparently engineered plague
Ethnic bioweapon
An ethnic bioweapon aims to harm only or primarily persons of specific ethnicities or genotypes.- History of ethnic bioweapons :One of the first fictional discussions of ethnic weapons is in Robert A...
and all black music
African American music
African-American music is an umbrella term given to a range of musics and musical genres emerging from or influenced by the culture of African Americans, who have long constituted a large and significant ethnic minority of the population of the United States...
is banned. Walter becomes subject to increasingly strange experiences, hearing voices and seeing ghosts from a parallel
Parallel universe (fiction)
A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
New York which is blending into his one. Walter is taken to this alternative New York which has been flooded and moved north, populated by black people and an analogue of television absent from his world. The novel ends with the two epistemic worlds converging into a New York which is, in the words of critic Paul Dukes a "morally better place than either of the two which composed it".
Critical reception
Going, Going, Gone was well-received critically. Publishers WeeklyPublishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
called it an "intriguing, clever novel", with the potential for crossover appeal as well as for satisfying fans of the series. Biopunk
Biopunk
Biopunk is a term used to describe:# A hobbyist who experiments with DNA and other aspects of genetics.# A technoprogressive movement advocating open access to genetic information....
author and reviewer Paul Di Filippo
Paul Di Filippo
Paul Di Filippo is an American science fiction writer. He has been published in Postscripts...
hailed the work as a groundbreaking achievement:
Publishers Weekly compared the novel's prose
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
with that of Anthony Burgess
Anthony Burgess
John Burgess Wilson – who published under the pen name Anthony Burgess – was an English author, poet, playwright, composer, linguist, translator and critic. The dystopian satire A Clockwork Orange is Burgess's most famous novel, though he dismissed it as one of his lesser works...
, but conjectured that the vernacular "may annoy some readers". The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction also singled out Womack's prose for attention, commenting:
Related topics
- The Man in the High CastleThe Man in the High CastleThe Man in the High Castle is a science fiction alternate history novel by American writer Philip K. Dick. It won a Hugo Award in 1963 and has since been translated into many languages....
, a similar alternate history novel by Philip K. DickPhilip K. DickPhilip Kindred Dick was an American novelist, short story writer and essayist whose published work is almost entirely in the science fiction genre. Dick explored sociological, political and metaphysical themes in novels dominated by monopolistic corporations, authoritarian governments and altered... - Slipstream, a genre which crosses speculative and literary fiction