The SF Site: New Books in Science Fiction and Fantasy

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Bruce Sterling

Eric Dinyer

A Good Old-Fashioned Future
Bantam Spectra (paperback, 279 pages, $6.99/$9.99 Can)
Publication date: June 8, 1999
The latest collection of short stories from one of the field's most dynamic personalities, and the author of Distraction and Heavy Weather. "Bruce Sterling is internationally celebrated as the literary link between the information age and speculative fiction. Now he delivers his third collection of short fiction, seven stories ranging from steely extrapolation to cruel and clever satire -- including the never-before-published novella, "Taklamakon." Never before published unless you want to count the October/November issue of Asimov's SF and Gardner Dozois' upcoming Year's Best Science Fiction volume, that is.
Review by Ken Newquist

Art: Cliff Nielsen

Distraction
Bantam Spectra (hardcover, 439 pages, $23.95/$32.95 Can)
Publication date: December 15, 1998
Latest novel of near-future shenanigans from the author of Heavy Weather, Holy Fire and Islands in the Net. This one looks like it was deeply influenced by Sterling's recent sojourn through Russia, as he watched what it was like for a superpower to crumble into near-complete economic collapse. The year is 2044, and the US is broke following the collapse of "the information economy." Cities are privately owned, Caucasians are a distrusted minority, the army goes unpaid, and the country is governed by permanent "Emergency Committees." Outside urban areas it's a no-man's land, with roving gangs that are a nation unto themselves and roads blocked by Armed Forces personnel taxing travellers to stay solvent. Oscar Valparaiso is the campaign manager for an honest candidate who's just been elected Massachusetts Senator. He should be celebrating -- and would, if it weren't for a few tiny secrets in his background. For one thing, he's the son of a Latin drug baron. And he's not completely human.

Schismatrix Plus
Ace trade paper
In the words of ACE, "every word Bruce Sterling has ever written on the Shapers-Mechanist Universe" in one volume. Sterling is one of the most gifted writers at work in the field today, don't miss this economical collection of some of his early work.

Holy Fire
Bantam Spectra hard cover
The newest from the talented author of Heavy Weather offers a fascinating portrait of the 21st Century where the medical profession is the dominating power, the elderly live longer and the young are outcasts.

Heavy Weather
Bantam Spectra paperback
The Troupe are storm runners in the Southwestern badlands of the U.S.--an area laid waste by the greenhouse effect. Now they are caught up in the chase for the mother of all storms. Sound familiar?

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