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Summary: Religous insight disguised as science fiction
Review: The most subtle of traps, with entertaining prose leading to a critical re-examination of the reader's relationship his Supreme Being. On the third reading, I noticed that my desire to become involved in sprituality was insatiable. In addition, a thought-provoking commentary on the obligations that each human has for his fellows. Well Done! to MM. Niven & Pournelle
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Summary: A Brilliant blend of history & modern philosophy
Review: Any who have experienced Dante's legendary Inferno know it to be a true indication of the philosophy of the age, as well as a terrifying view into the depths of misery. There are few now, however, who can relate to Dante's cold and unforgiving philosophy, for the philosophy of the early Rennaissance is not that of today. In the modern inferno the reader can experience hell through the eyes of a modern observer and, instead of coping with Dante's unquestioning acceptance, connect with the atheism and demand for justice of our modern philosophy. In addition he encounters modern historical figures such as Billy the Kid and the man who ordered the raid on Dresden, men who actually mean something to a modern reader instead of an endless string of obscure and unimportant Florintine politicians whom history has long since forgotten. In addition we can have a lot more fun on the journey because while Dante merely passed over the bolgias, Carpenter lands in the thick of them. As Carpenter exp
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Summary: Dante's Inferno... American style.
Review: "Inferno" is an interesting look at Dante's vision of hell updated for the 20th-21st centuries. Niven, along with Jerry Pournelle, explores the medieval idea of Hell through the eyes of a cynical author that dies by jumping off a balcony during a party while drunk. He ends up in Hell convinced it is an elaborate simulation run by aliens from an unimaginable future. He must escape Hell by traversing all nine levels with his companion "Benito". "Inferno" makes a worthwhile companion novel for anyone who has ever attempted to grind their way through the original..
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Summary: I agree
Review: There are many times that I thought, in the course of reading the original "Inferno" by Dante, that somehow somebody should make it into a movie. I agree with the reviewer below: Niven and Pournelle's prose adaptation appeals to a very broad audience, with its contemporary damned and down-to-earth agnostic version of Dante to narrate; it would be very simple (with the right CG effects, of course) to make this into an entertaining movie.
The story zips along smoothly, making the book very hard to put down. I actually finished it in about 4 hours because there really is no 'good' place to stop. I especially enjoyed the fact that the authors remained true to the original concept of Inferno, while at the same time updating and commenting on the original. From this book's perspective Dante and Virgil were the pioneers of hell-travel, and the Inferno is the guide-book these modern-day travelers mentally refer to throughout the novel.
A wonderfully imaginative and - surprisingly - positive book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It's not too hard to pick up a copy used; go find one!
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Summary: An updated Classic
Review: This was the first book by Niven I read. It started me on a five year science fiction reading jag. I liked his modernization of the original upon which it was based. Often original Classics are tedious and unintersting. I believe as times change so should literature. However beautiful, profound or whatever the original Classic might have been, in "now time" it's a drag. This is especially more so with literature that has to be translated not only from one time period to another, but also from one language to another.
Inferno could've been rendered in many different ways interestingly. The Niven/Pournelle version was excellent. Stories like this should be made into movies.
Back in the '50s there were comic books called Classics. These took famous items of literature and rendered them into a very condensed, graphic versions of the original. They were a good familiarization and intoduction to such literature. This version of Inferno, although it takes greater liberty with the original, does much the same thing as those Classic comics only in an adult version.
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Summary: Great!!
Review: A man wakes up in Hell. All around him people are going through incredible tortures. Some he can help while others are impossible to help. So begins his journey to try to escape Hell.This was such a well written interesting short novel. Very philosophical in nature. The authors give a new slant on explaining the reason for Hell and how to get out of it. I will not give away the surprise ending but it really came as a surprise and did work well.
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Summary: best book....ever
Review: This book is one of the most amazing books Ive had the pleasure to read, not often the science fiction fan, Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle put a fun and informative new age twist on a amazing piece of italian liturature, ie Dante's Inferno, not only does this book make its own powerful impression about our own imaginations, it also inspires us to pick up the original, and have a better understanding for the basics in it. The adventures of our poor missplaced hero Allen Carpentier (not Carpenter, mind you) and his education through the many ironic and over appropriatly tourturous stages of Hell. I rarely read books twice, this one i have read more then 37 times, it is a keeper, make sure to have at least 3 hours time on your hands, assuming you are a fairly speedy reader, because you wont be able to put this one down!
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Summary: Somebody needs to get off the stick, and make this movie!
Review: For some reason this seems to be the only Niven/Pournelle collaboration not in widespread print. Indeed that's sad because this is probably one of the more distinctive of their collective musings, if still definitely having their mark on it. The title was no doubt easy to pick, in case you're wondering if the book has anything to do with that wacky long work of poetry by a certain Italian poet, you're absolutely right. A science fiction writer dies and for some strange reason gets sent to hell, which of course he then proceeds to break down into science fiction terms (figuring he must have gotten sent into the future . . . "Infernoland" I love it!) while events and settings around him defy all sense of logic and physics. It's a rollicking ride through the netheregions, the boys barely give you time to catch your breath as Carpentier attempts to replicate Dante's journey through the place to get the heck out of there. Along the way he runs into the twentieth century versions of sins, some of which you might disagree with, since a bunch are political in nature but I found most of them fairly funny and the authors don't hit you over the head with their social commentary. He also runs into some notorious historical figures and the identity of his guide is at first so seemingly obvious that you can't believe that they had the gall to actually include him in the book and then you wonder how come Carpenter doesn't realize until long after you do. A great companion to Dante's poem, it raises a few religious questions just to give you something to think about but overall it's a fun read.
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