Ever wanted to read a collection of stories that were based in a place that feels like one we know, but not quite as we know it? How about an interesting take on science fiction and cyberpunk? Robot Artists and Black Swans by Bruce Sterling is an interesting take on both concepts.
This book has an interesting quirk as it is written through Bruce Sterling’s alter ego (or should I dare say alternate universe version), Bruno Argento. This is rather interesting, and I have not seen anything done quite like this before—maybe it is a quirk to intrigue the market? The stories range from historical to somewhat futuristic, and all predominantly set in Italy, which makes the alternate universe/alter ego seem to be more believable. The writing is not dense, and felt definitely more snappy than the standard science fiction novel that we’re all used to.
The book is split into seven short stories that seemed separate, but also not separate at the same time. This was intriguing as most short story collections I have read don’t often have a common theme surrounding them, so this was definitely something that was super refreshing. The writing style was also rather different to what I was expecting, but it is not a bad thing either as variety is the spice of life.
Out of all the stories, Robot in Roses—the last story in the collection—was the most enjoyable as the story really draws you in as it had a mysterious aspect to it about where the robot artist came from, and who owned it. The writing for this story was well written, there was the required amount of conflict and complexity expected in a futuristic sounding cyberpunk story, and the pacing was enjoyable throughout the story. Whilst it was somewhat difficult to connect with the characters, they did contribute to the overall enjoyment of the story and even provided some laughs as some points. Robot in Roses seemed to stand out more than Black Swan did, although it was still quite a notable read.
The five other stories within the collection were enjoyable as well, however, none truly stood out to me greatly, even after a second reading. It was interesting to see that some of the stories focused on bloggers, as well as hints of politics and society, but mostly in a historical sense.
Overall, this collection of short stories are definitely an interesting take on the science fiction and cyberpunk genres. The shortness of the stories, as well as the lighter writing is something I haven’t come across in science fiction books in quite some while and it felt rather refreshing to me. If I had to recommend one short story in this book, it would be Robot in Roses, because of the robot chair, naturally. This book would definitely appeal to those who enjoy short story collections, as well as both futuristic and historical stories (whether on their own or as a cyberpunk or science fiction).
Robot Artists and Black Swans is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of March 30th 2021.
Will you be picking up Robot Artists and Black Swans? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
The Godfather of Cyberpunk has emerged in this new collection of Italian-themed fantasy and science-fiction stories. Bruce Sterling now introduces us to his alter ego: Bruno Argento, the preeminent author of fantascienza. Sterling, writing as Argento, skillfully combines cutting-edge technology with art, mythology, and history.
“It’s all here, this time with an Italian flavor: the inventive tech, the meticulously detailed futures, the stylish and sardonic prose, the creative adjectival combinations.”
—Nancy Kress, author of Beggars in Spain
In the Esoteric City, a Turinese businessman’s act of necromancy is catching up with him. The Black Swan, a rogue hacker, programs his way into alternate versions of Italy. A Parthenonpean assassin awaits his destiny in the arms of a two-headed noblewoman. Infuriating to both artists and scientists, a robot wheelchair makes uncategorizable creations.
Bruno Argento is the acknowledged master of Italian science fiction. Yet that same popular fantascienza author also is known in America—as Bruce Sterling. In Robot Artists and Black Swans, we present the first collection of their uniquely visionary Italian-themed fiction, including tales never before published in English.
Added to my list.