When Gravity FailsWhen Gravity Fails
Score Classic
What it's about
In a future city in the Arab world, Marîd Audran is a small-time hustler in the Budayeen, a walled red-light district where people plug chips into their brains to change their personalities. When his friends start being murdered, Marîd is forced to hunt the killer, and to accept brain implants he has always refused.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. It's a classic of cyberpunk noir.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's violent and gritty.
By the numbers
- Readers26 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics57 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller15 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #191 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #289 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #554 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1928 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Gripping
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Quick answers
Is When Gravity Fails worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for both the Hugo and Nebula Awards. It ranks #1,928 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 64.6 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is When Gravity Fails about?
In a future city in the Arab world, Marîd Audran is a small-time hustler in the Budayeen, a walled red-light district where people plug chips into their brains to change their personalities. When his friends start being murdered, Marîd is forced to hunt the killer, and to accept brain implants he has always refused.
How long does it take to read When Gravity Fails?
About 7 hours (292 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after When Gravity Fails?
If you liked it, try Neuromancer by William Gibson or The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler.