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Matt Ruff
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Sewer, Gas and Electric: The Public Works Trilogy (Public Works Trilogy) Paperback – September 10, 2004

by Matt Ruff (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 270 ratings

From the New York Times Bestselling author of Lovecraft Country, now an HBO series.

High above Manhattan android and human steelworkers are constructing a new Tower of Babel for billionaire Harry Gant, as a monument to humanity’s power to dream. In the festering sewers below a darker game is afoot: a Wall Street takeover artist has been murdered, and Gant’s crusading ex-wife, Joan Fine, has been hired to find out why. The year is 2023, and Ayn Rand has been resurrected and bottled in a hurricane lamp to serve as Joan's assistant; an eco-terrorist named Philo Dufrense travels in a pink-and-green submarine designed by Howard Hughes; a Volkswagen Beetle is possessed by the spirit of Abbey Hoffman; Meisterbrau, a mutant great white shark, is running loose in the sewers beneath Times Square; and a one-armed 181-year-old Civil War veteran joins Joan and Ayn in their quest for the truth. All of whom, and many more besides, are caught up in a vast conspiracy involving Walt Disney, J. Edgar Hoover, and a mob of homicidal robots.

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  1. Print length
    464 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Grove Press
  4. Publication date
    September 10, 2004
  5. Dimensions
    5.75 x 1.25 x 8.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0802141552
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0802141552
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The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Ruff is a protean talent. . . . Very much in the absurdist tradition of Pynchon, Heller, Robbins, and Vonnegut." -The Washington Post "A dizzying rampage . . . will leave readers gasping for breath, mainly from laughter." -The San Francisco Chronicle "A careening riot. . . . Ruff's second novel can only enhance his reputation as a fantasy writer with imagination to burn." -Kirkus Reviews "This exuberantly silly tale will find an audience among admirers of Steve Erickson and David Foster Wallace." -Publishers Weekly

From the Back Cover

"A post-millennial spectacular-dizzyingly readable." -Thomas Pynchon" A turbocharged neo-Dickensian hot rod [with] plenty of intellectual horsepower." -Neal Stephenson

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grove Press; Reprint edition (September 10, 2004)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 464 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0802141552
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0802141552
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.05 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.75 x 1.25 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 270 ratings

About the author

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Matt Ruff

Matt Ruff

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Matt Ruff was born in New York City in 1965. He is the author of seven novels, including Fool on the Hill, Bad Monkeys, Set This House in Order, The Mirage, and Sewer, Gas & Electric. His 2016 novel Lovecraft Country has been adapted as an HBO series by Jordan Peele, Misha Green, and J.J. Abrams. His latest novel, 88 Names, was published by HarperCollins on March 17, 2020.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
270 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book highly entertaining, describing it as one of the funniest things they've ever read. The pacing receives positive feedback for being fast-paced. The book's pacing receives mixed reactions, with some customers appreciating its twists while others find it horrible.

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14 customers mention "Readability"14 positive0 negative

Customers find the book highly readable and entertaining, describing it as one of the funniest things they've ever read.

"...Revels in its own semi-magical universe — they say that truth is stranger than fiction, but fiction that believes that can be stranger still...." Read more

"...Very engaging - I wanted to read and read. Not enough was tied up at the end for me." Read more

"...Probably not; however, the flow of Ruff's lyrical writing style and excellent comic relief empowers the reader with a sense of hope...." Read more

"...(and couldn't wait to finish them to find out what happened), this one was just ok...." Read more

3 customers mention "Pace"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's fast pace.

"One of the strangest things I have ever read. Moves along at a rocket’s pace, drunk on lunacy and completely unpredictable...." Read more

"...It's fast-paced, funny, thought-provoking, and thoroughly entertaining. With characters that make you laugh, and inspire you to cheer for them...." Read more

"My favorite Matt Ruff novel. Fast, funny, irreverent, and dangerously accurate 20 years after it was written." Read more

8 customers mention "Pacing"5 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some appreciating its twists throughout, while others find it horrible.

"...But it's also torque-y a la Vonnegut. Somehow, Ruff "sees" people at their most primitive levels and describes them to a tee...." Read more

"...It is a very odd book. There's almost no way to describe it simply...." Read more

"My favorite Matt Ruff novel. Fast, funny, irreverent, and dangerously accurate 20 years after it was written." Read more

"Just great!! Twists all of the time, and like no other book I have read." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Vandrecken
    5.0 out of 5 stars insane, joyful, unnerving
    Reviewed in the United States on December 1, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    One of the strangest things I have ever read. Moves along at a rocket’s pace, drunk on lunacy and completely unpredictable. Revels in its own semi-magical universe — they say that truth is stranger than fiction, but fiction that believes that can be stranger still. What a book.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Stanley Townsend
    4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling if complicated
    Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    I liked this almost as much as Fool on the Hill. At first I thought there were just too many characters to keep track of (and care about) and, to some extent, this remained through to the end. Very engaging - I wanted to read and read. Not enough was tied up at the end for me.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Middlebunny
    5.0 out of 5 stars SG&E- a Great Read
    Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2002
    Verified Purchase
    Brilliant! Genocide, electronic slaves, eco-crusaders, the politics of power, social responsibility...how do you construct a novel with all these elements without frightening or boring your reader to death? Matt Ruff knows: a true artist. He extends reality to the point of what is seemingly fantastic; but, is it really? Probably not; however, the flow of Ruff's lyrical writing style and excellent comic relief empowers the reader with a sense of hope. All I can say is... WOW!!! This is a must for anyone's personal library. A rating under 4 doesn't do this book justice. I've given it a 5.

    PS: FOTH is a very different book but another great example of Ruff's amazing talent.

    update: 6/20/06
    I originally wrote my review in 2002 and just realized this book is no longer available on Amazon. Although I still have my old copy, I wanted another clean, unhandled copy for safekeeping. This was an amazing book and I simply can't understand why everyone does not have a copy of it.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Angela L.M. Stopper
    3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as his other books
    Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I love Matt Ruff's other work. This one just didn't do it for me. Where I couldn't put his other books down (and couldn't wait to finish them to find out what happened), this one was just ok. I didn't find myself counting the hours until I could read it again.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
    Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    I had no expectations going into this, but really really enjoyed it. It's fast-paced, funny, thought-provoking, and thoroughly entertaining. With characters that make you laugh, and inspire you to cheer for them. I absolutely recommend this.
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  • Mitchell H R
    4.0 out of 5 stars I could not guess the storyline.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I could not guess the storyline. That is why I kept reading.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • Dan the Gun Toting Book Junkie
    5.0 out of 5 stars If you want normal fiction, look elsewhere. You want unique, look here.
    Reviewed in the United States on June 13, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This was a re-purchase for my Kindle as I have owned it in paperback for years.

    It is a very odd book. There's almost no way to describe it simply. But there are sharks in the New York City sewers, anarchists with a submarine, a billionaire beaten to death with his own copy of Atlas Shrugged (the electronic Artificial Intelligence "ghost" of Ayn Rand forced to argue with people who don't like her), an evil computer under Disneyland, and a lot of other weirdness.

    In all, fun read.
    11 people found this helpful
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  • Joseph Horton
    5.0 out of 5 stars Richard Condon meets Kurt Vonnegut
    Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 1999
    Verified Purchase
    At the risk of expressing a monority opinion, I laughed out loud a lot of times reading this novel--one of the funniest things I've ever read. It's dense plot-wise, a la Condon, with characters reminiscent of his earlier stuff. But it's also torque-y a la Vonnegut. Somehow, Ruff "sees" people at their most primitive levels and describes them to a tee.
    Situations arise that I'd love to have been able to think up myself. No wait a minute--I ~did~ while I was in college. *That's* why I liked this so much! Ah--understanding from writing reviews. I knew they were useful for something.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Mr. N. J. Pettefar
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 8, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Great stuff, really fun and reasonably enthralling.
    Report
  • Thomas
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fesselnd, verrückt, kreativ
    Reviewed in Germany on May 8, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    Eine verrückte, surreale Zukunftsvision wird hier von Matt Ruff konstruiert, in der der Leser immer wieder zum Schmunzeln gebracht wird.
    Report
  • Arnaud
    5.0 out of 5 stars Génialement loufoque
    Reviewed in France on April 13, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    Du très Grand Matt Ruff, j'ai adoré, ce livre est un mix entre de la science fiction, du non-sense et un récit d'aventure. Du jamais vu, ça se dévore !
    Report
  • dave
    5.0 out of 5 stars great read. Well devised and great build up
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 4, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    great read. Well devised and great build up.
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