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%T The Silicon Man
%A Charles Platt
%I Bantam Spectra
%D March 1991
%O paperback, US$4.50
%P 253
%G 0-553-28950-0
Charles Platt gives us an excellently detailed tale of virtual reality and
techno-apotheosis. The clearest influence to show up here is the speculations
of Hans Moravec, AI researcher and radical transhumanist (on whom the "mad
scientist" Dr. Gottbaum may be partly modelled). In some other ways the book
is reminiscent of Bear's Blood Music. Though it's a novel of
ideas, background and character and action are not slighted. The reader is
led by well-measured stages to realize just what Dr. Gottbaum and his friends
have cooked up in their labs. Then we are shown the consequences, of which I
cannot speak in detail lest I spoil the book --- but they are fascinating.
And, in an interesting switcheroo, the people who've been set up as heavies
through the novel turn out to have had the right idea all along. The results
are tasty and thought-provoking. Highly recommended.
%T Return of the Breakneck Boys
%A Geary Gravel
%I Del Rey
%D March 1991
%O paperback, US$3.95
%P 217
%G 0-345-36947
This sequel to A Key For The Nonesuch (RR#78) is just as much silly fun as it was.
I'm beginning to think Gravel is one of those rare and precious
writers who is incapable of doing even formula adventure fiction
badly. Recommended.
%T World Spirits
%A Aline Boucher-Kaplan
%I Baen
%D March 1991
%O paperback, US$4.50
%P 402
%G 0-671-72043-0
Kaplan does a nice job of world-building here, somewhat in the
style of Melissa Scott or early LeGuin. On Chennidur, most things are
poison to humans and a religion has grown up around the elaborate
dietary code necessary for their survival. The aristocrats of the
troinom hold the majority of `underranks' in subjection, and
offworlders are confined to one tiny enclave. It is undercover agent
Aurial il Tarz's job to open Chennidur for trade. This is not going
to be easy when the only allies she can find are a xenophobic
fundamentalist underground. What makes all this work is that the
author never does quite the expected --- and eventually, you find out
how adaptive Chennidur's system really is. Recommended.
Up to Eric's Home Page | To Index | Sun Jun 23 11:41:54 EDT 1991 |
Eric S. Raymond <esr@snark.thyrsus.com>