Chapter by Chapter features me reading one chapter of the selected book at the time and reviewing it as if I were a reviewing an episode of a TV show or an issue of a comic. There will be spoilers if you haven’t read to the point I have, and if you’ve read further I ask that you don’t spoil anything further into the book. Think of it as read-along book club.
Well, here we are at the final chapter. We’ve been through a lot with Mr. QuaidHauserBrubaker. (Thought I forgot the cover ID that didn’t need an implant, did you?) Alas, it’s time to see how he activates the machine, what changes knowing the alien makes, and how Anthony works with Paul Verhoeven’s attempt at an ambiguous ending.
Final Chapter: Decision
Interesting to read Quaid discussing how the turbine creates air, but he’s cut off from describing the terraform process by Richter. What follows is a well-done description of a fight scene as Quaid breaks out the hologram watch again. Except for parts of Quaid’s final battle with Richter on the elevator I could see it all happen in my head.
The No’ui addition actually screws up one moment, as Cohaagen tries to convince Quaid that the machine will destroy the planet. That trick might have worked if Hauser hadn’t come across the true origin of the turbine, making Quaid’s hesitation a bit harder to take here than in the movie when Hauser was just guessing at stuff. As for the ambiguous ending…Anthony says the heck with it and gives us this line.
He was through with dreaming; reality was much better.
So to Anthony this definitely happened and not part of the Rekall dream. Which makes sense if you think about it. Rekall gave false adventures, but while you were supposed to believe it was real you also had to be able to return to your life. A life where Melina wouldn’t exist, Mars would still be without air, and his best friend and wife were suddenly not dead or trying to kill him. If Quaid really had lost his mind at Rekall when the embolism supposedly happened, he imagined one doozy of an adventure, but at least it had a happy ending I guess. But I tend to go with the “it happened” theory.
As for the book itself, what did I think overall? If time allows me to actually write something, see the next Clutter Report for my final review.
And in March I’ll break out the next novel. It’s a long one and it’s the story I wish we had gotten instead of J.J. Abrams’ production. I’ll leave that teaser there.
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