Customer Reviews

Crystal Express

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The first time I read this I was blown away. These stories are chock full of ideas, and at the same time contain some of the most weirdly beautiful moments I've ever read in SF. The impact hasn't really lessened with any of the half-dozen re-reads in the time since. Highly recommended to any fan of intelligent SF (not space opera).

Divided into three sections; Shaper/Mechanist, Science-Fiction and Fantasy, Crystal Express provides a series of vignettes for the reader. Sterling's Shaper/Mechanist saga follows the developments of the two parties through war, peace and nervous antebellum. Starting with a story called the Swarm, the allegories are firmly underway; justifications for Caananite slavery in the name of science destroyed by sheer humanity (or entymology). Through a series of characters neurotic about their own societies, the Mechanists and Shapers represent the human need for perfection - with the reptillian Investors acting almost as Greek Chorus - and yet despite their advances we are still filled with horror. Sterling is offering a grim caveat that we need to retain our humanity, no matter what devices become viable to us. The last Shaper/Mechanist, Twenty Evocations, is in itself a series of short stories, encompassing the life of a Shaper and yet with the twist of each sinking deeper to what we conceive to be our souls. So much for the Shaper/Mechanists, then. What of the rest of the book? Amongst them are the romance and beauty of Green Days in Brunei; evocative and rich, though the storyline somewhat askewed; the twist at the end also questions our beliefs of what is beautiful and what should be pursued, and Spook, a delightful thriller-macabre, is essentially Heart of Darkness with an unexpected twist, and a few nods to the inhumanity of medical technology. The Fantasy section reinforces one's conception of Sterling as an iconoclast, his sly yet almost whimsical story of a man who attains eternal life without the expected regret destroys a thousand myths; wise men of an ancient city discuss their eternal reign and; in perhaps the strangest, yet most wildly exotic in its reality, deals with the coming of electricity to Japan. In this last, there are no allegories, aside from a sense that now Japan has lost all its magic and wonder, just human beauty and rich, rich, lovingly-researched detail

While waiting at a train station I was loaned this book by a friend and soon found myself interested in the stories. _Crystal Express_ is a wonderful introduction to the work of Bruce Sterling and I found it good enough to actually convince me to try and reread _Schismatrix Plus_. If you are a fan of the Shaper/Mechanist storyline then you should buy _Schismatrix Plus_ and leave this one behind.

Sterling is actually good in the short story genre whereas, some of his novels may drag a bit and be a bit scanty in character development the stories in this collection hpowever, are quite good in pacing and development.

One of the best moments was reading "Flowers of Edo" while on a train to Nara. The story of Japan's embrace of modern technology and the destruction of its past had a great resonance for me after seeing the hyper buzz of Tokyo. I felt that Sterling also showed more hope and charm of his romantic nature with "Green Days in Brunei".

The most daring work within a standard narrative format were all the Shaper/Mechanist stories. The other stories were interesting in ideas and themes, but nothing outside the scope of regular science fiction or fantasy themes found elsewhere.

Before slapping heavier works on your plate such as, _Global Head_ or _Disctraction_ pick up this book of his early work when he was learning his craft and was willing to dare a little bit more.

A good collection of stories, the highlights of which are, in general, the various Shaper/Mechanist tales and Spook. It is the fantasy inclusions that are weaker and let the overall rating down a bit. Basically you can call this one a 4.25, but not quite, so gets a 4 rating overall.

Crystal Express : SPIDER ROSE - Bruce Sterling
Crystal Express : CICADA QUEEN - Bruce Sterling
Crystal Express : SUNKEN GARDENS - Bruce Sterling
Crystal Express : TWENTY EVOCATIONS - Bruce Sterling
Crystal Express : GREEN DAYS IN BRUNEI - Bruce Sterling
Crystal Express : SPOOK - Bruce Sterling
Crystal Express : THE BEAUTIFUL AND THE SUBLIME - Bruce Sterling
Crystal Express : TELLIAMED - Bruce Sterling
Crystal Express : THE LITTLE MAGIC SHOP - Bruce Sterling
Crystal Express : FLOWERS OF EDO - Bruce Sterling
Crystal Express : DINNER IN AUDOGHAST - Bruce Sterling


Nose For Profit pet interest trade real rescue transformation.

4.5 out of 5


Wellspring of Investors.

4 out of 5


Regal terraforming judgement.

4 out of 5


Shaper/Mechanist list.

3.5 out of 5


Mini country definitely getting away from it all for engineer boy if the best his mates can get him is Foster's.

3.5 out of 5


Super spies not like us.

4.5 out of 5


Copying what a dragonfly does is rather complex.

3.5 out of 5


Dark Girl From the Sea.

2.5 out of 5


Youthful waters arrangement.

4 out of 5


Local art ideas, one demon.

3 out of 5


Prophetic annoyance.

3.5 out of 5