Termination Shock: The thrilling new novel about climate change from the #1 New York Times bestselling author

Neal Stephenson makes a comparatively late addition to the cli-fi genre with a novel whose title sounds like the name of a heavy metal band. Characteristically, he sets the scene with his very first sentence:"Houston's air was too hot to support airplanes."in the same way he opened his novel "Seveneves" by saying that the moon blew up "with no warning and for no apparent reason". This book is set in some unspecified time in the near future (there's a clever reference to "COVID-19, COVID-23 and COVID-27" on p29) when the effects of climate change (like the atmosphere being too warm for planes to fly) have become more extreme. The heroine of the story is Saskia, the Queen of the Netherlands, a low-lying country which is painfully susceptible to the effects of rising sea-level. Despite her title, Saskia is a typical Stephenson character: sensible, resourceful and accomplished - thus, as the story opens, she's trying to land her plane in Texas, having piloted it across the Atlantic.She's meeting with T.R. Schmidt, an oil billionaire, who's attempting to reverse global warming with a solar geoengineering scheme - more specifically, by injecting sulphur into the atmosphere, forming aerosols which cool the atmosphere by reflecting solar radiation back into space. As usual in Stephenson's books, the details of how this is done and the way technical issues are overcome are presented clearly, but the fact that Schmidt is doing this unilaterally has geopolitical repercussions, illustrating the fact that the effects of geoengineering may not be spread evenly around the world. Tensions develop between countries like the Netherlands who would benefit from the scheme, and those like India, who apparently wouldn't. Meanwhile, China uses sophisticated cyberwarfare techniques to influence the debate in the Netherlands about geoengineering (a feature of this future world is that, despite the increased effects of climate change, there's still no consensus about what to do about it).I'm a big fan of Stephenson's books, so - despite its usual heft - read this one very quickly. Its subject is timely: whilst reading it, I had a conversation with someone who'd experienced this summer's hurricanes in Florida, describing record storm surges that overwhelmed houses that - it unfortunately turned out - were insufficiently elevated. The characters are skillfully delineated - for example, one of them who works in the (London) City was "fresh out of a posh education, sent down to the City for seasoning and to rack up some millions and find a wife who would enjoy picking out curtains in Sussex" [p155]. Recommended.

I think this is a return to form for the author. His mix of witty prose with excellently educational and entertaining info-dumps is back. If high literature is what you are after, look elsewhere, but if you like learning new things whilst enjoying an engaging story then carry on. You get to learn about "the line of actual control", wild pig hunting, the practicalities of landing a jet, automating the functioning of an enormous gun, fighting with a stick, the Dutch monarchy, and that's before you start on all the stuff about climate change and rising sea levels.I would say that tonally and structurally the book most closely resembles his previous book Reamde, so if you saw that as a fairly ripping yarn, then you should enjoy this one too.

Pretty good story. Many themes around contemporary USA, climate change and geopolitics come together in a story that ultimately is about Jack Shaftoe and Eliza from Baroque Cycle They have new names, and jobs, but are recognisably the same people. Like his previous long works, the ending is rather abrupt - but it's a good yarn with no real heroes or villans set in a believable world.

As slow and inexorable as Sea Level rise itself, Stevenson's latest epic tome plods along at a pretty glacial pace. Two seemingly unrelated character arcs sort of propel it along, seemingly having nothing to relate to each other until finally the penny drops and they clash in a quite satisfying and exciting enough climax. But it does take quite a while to get there, and there are rather too many extended info-dumps along the way.In keeping with the author's ongoing fascination with the lives of European royalty, one strand follows the tribulations of the Queen of the Netherlands and her interactions with the inevitable eccentric Texan billionaire and his secretive climate engineering project in the Chihuahua desert.The other storyline sees shiftless and unfocussed Laks, a Canadian Sikh, 'finding himself' in the martial arts scene of the Punjab before being propelled to internet stardom as a volunteer stick-fighter on Indian side in the battle for territory at 'Line of Actual Control', high in the Himalayas.It takes a couple of hundred pages for anything much to happen (the less said about trials and tribulations of Texan pig hunters and smugglers in the swampy hinterlands of a flooded Houston, the better). As a kick-of, it compares very badly with the visceral first chapter of Kim Stanley Robinson's 'Ministry of the Future'.Fortunately it gets better from there, and Stevenson manages to posit a few questions for the reader to ponder. The author may not have a 'position' to push unless it is 'do something which will buy time for other efforts to bear fruit'.A pretty fair addition to the thoughtful side of the 'Cli-fi' genre.

I'd say this is the best since the trilogy and Cryptonomicon. Threads woven together with art and expertise, science (mostly) understandable by a lay reader. Global politics ditto. Saskia and Rufus a bit obvious, but not belaboured.

I've read all of Stephenson's novels, love them all, and this is no exception. Although at first I almost gave up on it, the first third does plod along and I got mired in all the backstory of the ancestors of some of the characters, which felt like it lasted over a 100 pages. But once I got through that the story picked up and moved along at a good pace.Stephenson writes some of the best characters I've ever read, each with very distinct personalities. I really enjoyed Saskia and Red, my two faves in this novel. He has a style of writing that is witty and smart, makes you want to just read a bit more before getting back to whatever one needs to do... but then you end up reading a few more pages, then a few more... was late for a few meetings because of this book!As for it's message on climate change, I can see how things could play out this way. I doubt countries themselves will be able to really effect any impactful changes, it'll probably need some crazy rich entrepreneur to just do something, kind of like SpaceX.Hang in there, it's worth it!

All of the stories mixed with the topic of climate change are very interesting. I enjoyed it very much. A great book.

"Termination Shock" by Neal Stephenson is a tour de force in speculative fiction, seamlessly blending themes of climate change, geopolitics, and technological innovation into a compelling narrative that feels eerily prescient. As a reader deeply engaged with the intersection of science fiction and reality, I found myself captivated by Stephenson's masterful storytelling and thought-provoking insights.One of the most striking aspects of the novel is its portrayal of the dire consequences of climate change and the urgency of addressing it. Through vivid imagery and meticulous world-building, Stephenson paints a haunting picture of a world ravaged by extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and environmental degradation. What truly resonated with me was the realization of the immense carbon footprint we're leaving for future generations to grapple with. Stephenson's portrayal of this reality serves as a wake-up call, reminding us of the urgent need for action to mitigate climate catastrophe.Moreover, "Termination Shock" brilliantly explores the intersection of geopolitics and geoengineering, offering a glimpse into a future where nations vie for control over resources and influence through ambitious technological solutions. Stephenson's portrayal of the geopolitical tensions that arise when these forces collide is both gripping and thought-provoking. The prospect of a third world war sparked by the convergence of geopolitics and geoengineering feels chillingly plausible, serving as a stark warning against the dangers of unchecked technological advancement.What sets "Termination Shock" apart is Stephenson's ability to craft a narrative that feels both speculative and deeply grounded in reality. His meticulous attention to detail and expert storytelling create a world that feels as though it could be our own, making the novel's warnings all the more urgent and compelling.In conclusion, "Termination Shock" is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of our planet and the potential consequences of inaction in the face of climate change. Neal Stephenson's masterful blend of science fiction and social commentary makes for a truly unforgettable reading experience that will leave readers both entertained and profoundly moved.

Neal Stephenson back to his very best. I don't know why he does collaborations, but none of these stack up well against the books he writes alone. He is one of my top 5 writers in the world for both his ideas, and writing skills 😄

Le livre est intéressant, mais pas passionnant. Dommage de la part de cet auteur que j'adore.