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Title: Schismatrix Plus: Includes Schismatrix and Selected Stories from Crystal Express by Bruce Sterling ISBN: 0-441-00370-2 Publisher: Ace Books Pub. Date: December, 1996 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.68 (28 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Unity in diversity
Comment: Sterling's book is a briliant extrapolation of possible outcome of current technological trends. Genetic enhancment, nanotechnology and human/machine interface are used as starting points for an intense narrative that uses the whole Galaxy as it's background.
The charracters are vivid and well thought out. The fact that Sterling's heroes are changed humans allows him to play around with multiple SF ideas that have been the property of the genre for a long time but never taken to their logical and extreme concclusions.
Sterling's faith in human potential and possibility of evolution through conquering of space and new technologies gives a pleasing end to a stimulating and enjoyable read despite showing two divergent strains (whence the title) behind the driving impulse of humanity's evolution.
Not just an extremely well written novel, food for thought and new ideas as well are rewards of what is probably his best novel. In this edition are also collected stories from same Shaper/Mechanist universe which makes it a worthwhile addition to any real SF fan's collection.
Rating: 4
Summary: Good book...
Comment: But not amazing. Sometimes it read like a history text book (ie rather flat though conveying interesting information) and other times sucked me in till I found myself 50 pages down the road and well into the wee hours of the morning ^_^
Some of the ideas have definitely not aged well (in terms of being quite as believable) but it's still a good collection. 1 220 page novel and 4-5 short stories comprise the book, plus an introduction.
I still like Heavy Weather better than any other Sterling book, but this will still be a goof addition to your scifi library.
Rating: 4
Summary: Primordial brain-soup for the cyber-swimmer
Comment: Why is this book classed into the cyberpunk genre? I have no idea, because it is pretty distant from the likes of Gibson or Stephenson. If you've been turned off by the amoral bladerunneresque computer-noir of the typical cyberpunk novel, you won't find it here. What you will find is an epic comprising the 150+ year journey of a man through the social and technolical changes spawned by advanced biology, human-machine integration and life extension therapy.
In the universe of this book, there are two factions vying for control of mankind's destiny. First is the Shapers, who disdain machines and focus on the biological sciences and improvement of man through genetic engineering. The other is the Mechanists, who utilize computers and machines to enhance and extand their capabilities.
While it isn't the most stellar prose in terms of plotting or characters, it is chock-full of gooey, sweet ideas. He admits to writing in a "crammed prose" style in the introduction; but unlike Gibson, he does so without putting you to sleep.
After the novel there are a set of short stories also set in the Shaper/Mechanist universe. These are excellent. Other reviewers liked them more than the novel itself, and I'm inclined to agree.
One of the reviewers on the back cover calls Sterling "better than drugs," and I have come to appreciate the comparison: I feel like I'm having idea-flashbacks even now. This is good stuff!
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Title: Zeitgeist by Bruce Sterling ISBN: 0553576410 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 31 July, 2001 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan ISBN: 0345457684 Publisher: Del Rey Pub. Date: 04 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: Neuromancer by William Gibson ISBN: 0441569595 Publisher: Ace Books Pub. Date: January, 2003 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Signal to Noise by Eric S. Nylund ISBN: 0380792923 Publisher: Eos Pub. Date: 08 June, 1999 List Price(USD): $7.50 |
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Title: Quicksilver (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 1) by Neal Stephenson ISBN: 0380977427 Publisher: William Morrow Pub. Date: 23 September, 2003 List Price(USD): $27.95 |
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