Product Description
It is a few decades after a revolutionary technology has given humans the ability to resurrect the dead. The ever-increasing population of the risen dead is segregated into areas called necrovilles. Here they have created a wild culture, untouched by the restrictions of the law - except that the dead cannot stray into the realm of the living, nor the living into the teeming necrovilles, after nightfall. It is November 1, the Day of the Dead. Virtual artist Santiago Columbar, creator of drugs and 'ware that melt and reconfigure reality for his many disciples, has grown bored with the realities at his command. There is one reality he has yet to try, the culmination of his life as an artist: He will venture into the forbidden streets of the Saint John dead town, and there walk willingly into the open arms of death. At Santiago's invitation, four of his friends will meet in Saint John to record his death and resurrection. On their way to witness Santiago's transformation, as the necroville erupts into the first volley of a revolution against the living, each will face danger and adventure in the wild streets of the dead...and find that life has changed forever.
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  Couldn't finish it, 2008-07-07
This book could not catch my interest, which I consider surprising as the subject should be compelling. I will try again in the future.
Terminal Cafe will stir some thoughts...., 2002-04-16
Imagine waking up, and realizing that you are dead? In the world created here by McDonald, nanotechnolgy has led to a method for reanimating dead people. Unfortunately, those reincarnated get to spend eternity as a vast slave/labor class, supporting the world of the living. Needless to say, this sets up a predictable scenario of rebellion. However, where that scenario goes is unpredictable and, in my opinion, quite interesting. Author McDonald has created a lush "dead" culture, and most of the story takes place in the Necroville of Tijuana on the night before and day of "Day of the Dead." The main characters are a group of artists who meet in the titular cafe annually on this holiday to catch up with each other. The details and substory lines grow and expand for the first half of the book, making it a bit hard to keep everyone and all their actions sorted out. For the second half, it begins an ever-tightening spiral, pulling all the details and characters back together until their final reunion. Cyberpunk flavor without being too self-referential of the genre. The language has a lot of Spanish influences due to the setting and it provides a nice mix of feelings and expressions.
Incomprehensible, 2001-12-03
This was one of the very, very few books that I actually could not read. At all. The combination of bad writing, ridiculous premise and an excessive collection of side plots makes this book only marginally more entertaining than a core dump in hex. Now, I could be wrong - maybe the book gets better later on. However, I haven't been able to read enough of the book to actually find out. I'd suggest Cyteen (by C.J.Cherryh) or Diamond Age (by Neal Stephenson) as books that deal with some of the issues that Terminal Cafe supposedly covers; however, these two books are pretty well written, so that a human being can actually comprehend them.
One of the all-time most inventive!, 2001-08-24
Ian Mcdonald seems to have an uncanny understanding of the human condition, of the primal urges and fears that drive us. If you changed the rules which govern life and death, which govern the very evolution of the human race, what will come of those urges and fears? That to me is the central question of Terminal Cafe. Once you've been dead, of what are you afraid? Nothing. If you can manipulate flesh and machine with equal ease, what could you be? Anything. One of my Top 5 favorite SF novels. Ian McDonald stands head and shoulders above the crowd of SF authors.
A Towering Achievement, 2000-07-19
(I always wanted to say that.) At once repulsive and enthralling, this book is a must-read for those who are not too easily offended. Reminded me of Varley's Steel Beach, though much darker.
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