Book: Nick Harkaway's "The Gone-Away World"

I often say that I like the weird and unusual.  Nick Harkaway's "The Gone-Away World" fits the bill nicely.

The book tells the story of a future war and it's aftermath.  A new weapon that makes thing 'go away' is used and the world is torn asunder and the lives of our protagonist are turned upside done ... or perhaps it's inside out.  The story is told by an unusual character, one I cannot elaborate about without ruining the experience for a potential reader.  As I read the book and learned more about the narrator I suspected something was up.  Something didn't feel right.

About two thirds through the book the secret is revealed and then the book, already wandering around the odd side of life, transcends into the surrealistic.  What do I mean by this?  One word: Ninjas.  Freakin' Ninjas.

The book is a fascinating, unconventional romp that dares to take a hard left turn way too early.  The last third or so is too long and mind blowing.  Moving the great revelation later in the book might have helped but it might not have worked either.

I struggled with my feeling when I put this review together.  Did I like it or not? [I did.]  Did the revelation come too early? [Probably ... probably not.]   Did Harkaway go too far?  [What is too far?  More questions]  In the end I would have to say that I liked it and would recommend it for anyone with an off beat sense of reality.