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Book Review - Fractal Paisleys
I'm not sure how long it takes for authors to actually become famous, but I'm fairly certain that Paul di Filippo is going to be a cult icon after he's dead.
I'm also sure that most of you are going "Paul di Who?"
Allow me to help. I can sum up the author in just six words: GO BUY HIS BOOKS RIGHT NOW.
Fractal Paisleys is his second collection of short stories (out of four). The first one was about the biotech revolution. This one is trailer park fiction. The next one is about alternate authors (like, what if Anne Frank had moved to America and starred in the Wizard of Oz?). His novel/s, the Steampunk trilogy (which you may have actually heard of) defined a totally new genre: Victorian cyberpunk.
You may have noticed a pattern forming here. If you have, please let me know--because as far as I can tell every book is a whole new bag of tricks. PdF is a mine of bizarre, creative, funny, ahead-of-their-time ideas. And despite the fact that most of his plots are absolutely (and wonderfully) ludicrous, he pulls them off with a panache and humanity that leave you begging for more. He is totally unique in the world of fiction--in every single story he writes.
This collection was marvelous. The stories were touching and silly, the characters were bizarre and memorable, the ideas were original and the aliens were alien. I handed this book to a friend within ten minutes of finishing it-- and that's after I traveled halfway across the United States to get it.
Rating: **** (out of four)
Recommendation: I just gave it four stars! What more do you want?
I'm also sure that most of you are going "Paul di Who?"
Allow me to help. I can sum up the author in just six words: GO BUY HIS BOOKS RIGHT NOW.
Fractal Paisleys is his second collection of short stories (out of four). The first one was about the biotech revolution. This one is trailer park fiction. The next one is about alternate authors (like, what if Anne Frank had moved to America and starred in the Wizard of Oz?). His novel/s, the Steampunk trilogy (which you may have actually heard of) defined a totally new genre: Victorian cyberpunk.
You may have noticed a pattern forming here. If you have, please let me know--because as far as I can tell every book is a whole new bag of tricks. PdF is a mine of bizarre, creative, funny, ahead-of-their-time ideas. And despite the fact that most of his plots are absolutely (and wonderfully) ludicrous, he pulls them off with a panache and humanity that leave you begging for more. He is totally unique in the world of fiction--in every single story he writes.
This collection was marvelous. The stories were touching and silly, the characters were bizarre and memorable, the ideas were original and the aliens were alien. I handed this book to a friend within ten minutes of finishing it-- and that's after I traveled halfway across the United States to get it.
Rating: **** (out of four)
Recommendation: I just gave it four stars! What more do you want?