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Holy Fire

Bruce Sterling
Hugo '97 Nomination

Interesting theme, fascinating characterizations and environment­but no plot! Wonderful descriptions and mesmerizing setting but not much happens.

For the first half of the book, I thought this would be the no-competition winner of this year's Hugo Award. But instead of using the developed, all-encompassing and realistic future environment to house some suspense and action, the second half of the book mainly just develops more environment and setting and falls into our choice for a close second.

With clear insight, Sterling poses near-future likelihoods, challenges, and dilemmas. For example, what happens to society as medical advances increase both longevity and mental clarity? As old people continue in their professions and positions instead of retiring and dying? As the natural conservatism of old age stops relinquishing power and influence to the younger, more daring and experimental new generations?

What happens when cyberspace becomes so accessible and pervasive that anyone can quickly learn almost anything about anyone? (In one case, old and outmoded computers, systems, and software become a prevalent method for encoding secrets.

A good book for sociological speculation and mind-challenging concepts­ "there's a quality in a good translation that you can never capture with the original.", "it takes a lot of maturity to live with genuine disillusionment.", "The thrill of the uncanny lies in the piquancy of oxymoron.", "under their aegis the ancient building had achieved the silk-padded atmosphere of a digital bordello. A Roman house of assignation for man-machine liaisons."

And it has it's element of humor: "I can see that you're not human any longer, and I can accept that. It's fine, it happens. But you are my mother. You can't run off and do this to us."

We have most of the elements for a great book but unfortunately end with a sense of disappointment.

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