-- [ From: David Christenson * EMC.Ver #2.5.3 ] --
> I really liked Carter's style; it's a bit ornate, but beautiful. And I
also
> liked the way the various pop-in modules worked, particularly the
African ones.
I agree with you here. Carter has a fluid prose style, and the use of
simile and metaphor to help evoke virtual experiences was very effective
. The presence of a wired-up Africa at the fringes of the narrative was
effective.
> The last part of the book is talky by conventional sf standards, but I
saw it
> not so much as a narrative lump, but rather as a kind of "My Dinner
with
> Andre"-style conversation or Platonic dialogue between a couple of
fascinating
> people.
Since much of that section was in the form of an interview, it made
narrative sense. And it was pretty interesting - but I still felt a bit
info-dumped-upon.
> The gender-bending material is interesting, particularly if you know
something
> about Carter him/herself. Check out Carter's home page. It should be
easy to
> find through any search engine.
I encountered Carter at Diversicon here in Minneapolis last year. As
intriguing in person and on panels as in print - very challenging to our
gender-obsessed society, as well as a learned conversationalist in many
areas.
Anyway, I didn't want to imply that I disliked, or was not impressed by,
the book. I haven't read a lot of cyber-themed fiction, and I figgered
it would be tough going, but Carter juggled plenty of information and
character development without losing me. (I understand this book is
still in the running for a Nebula, BTW.)
-- David Christenson - ldqt79a@prodigy.com"The most merciful thing in the world is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents." - H.P. Lovecraft
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