Looking for a (probably obscure!) book title please!

[Jeezypeepers]

Hi mumsnet hive; my partner is nipping my head about a book he says is amazing but can't remember the title. The main thing he remembers is that there's a divide between simulation and reality, some people upload to simulation when they die; and the important bit is that at the very end of the book there is a joke that you'll know you're in the simulation because the tallest mountain in the world is called 'something stupid like Mount Everest'.

This is clearly a WILD long shot but I really feel if anyone can help; the vipers can! Any ideas?

Have you tried bunging in a few things into and AI like Chat GTP, Gemini or Co Pilot ...it might throw back something that jogs your partner's memory?

I'm not sure about the Mount Everest bit but I read a book called Walkaway by Cory Doctorow and some people were uploaded to simulation when they died so they essentially stayed alive in a simulated form.

I haven't read them but from a quick Google Permutation City and Accellerando deal with similar themes in case that rings any bells

ChatGPT said:
The book your friend is recalling appears to be Fall; or, Dodge in Hell by Neal Stephenson. This speculative fiction novel delves into themes of mind uploading and the dichotomy between simulated and physical realities. The narrative centers on Richard "Dodge" Forthrast, who, after being declared brain-dead, has his brain scanned and his consciousness uploaded into a digital afterlife. Within this virtual realm, Dodge constructs a world from his memories, which gradually evolves into a medieval fantasy landscape. As more individuals are uploaded, the simulation becomes increasingly complex, leading to philosophical and existential explorations about reality and identity.

While the specific joke about "Mount Everest" being a sign of the simulation isn't explicitly documented in summaries or reviews, Stephenson is known for his intricate and often humorous takes on technology and reality. It's plausible that such a jest appears in the book's concluding sections, aligning with its themes of questioning perceived truths and the constructed nature of reality.

If this doesn't seem to match the book in question, another possibility is Permutation City by Greg Egan. This novel also explores simulated realities and consciousness, though it doesn't specifically mention the "Mount Everest" joke.
For a more recent take on simulated realities, When We Were Real by Daryl Gregory examines a world where people discover they're living in a simulation, leading to various societal and personal upheavals.

Thanks guys, will see if it's any of these! For some reason I thought the Everest thing would make it easier to find, but searching AI just keeps bringing up Everest simulations 🙈