No comments about Eurotour (Cyberpunk RPG).

5 comments about A Good Old-Fashioned Future.

1. It's nice to know that someone is still writing good tight cyberpunk stories. Overall, it's a format that suits Sterling quite well. I've read his novels, and they don't seem to be quite all there. It's the short stories that he really shines.

   All of his interesting sensibilities are there, and he has evolved to new concepts as time goes on and the future we expected changed. The Japanese mega-corp - a staple of early science fiction - is dead. Bruce was ahead of the curve in viewing Russia as an interesting place to do cyberpunk. Certainly as history unfolds, it remains an interesting place.

   Lastly, the evolution of the writing is good. It maintains the cyberpunk view of the world, undergoing some few modifications for the Internet as it came out, not envisioned, as well as the toys that make cyberpunk fun. Bio Drills that eat sugar, not eating and living on implanted fat for days. The whole Urban spider concept is a fun one that needs to be explored more.

   Overall, a must read for the old-school cyberpunk fan. Heck, it's a must read in general.




2. This uneven collection points up a lot of what was going wrong for Bruce Sterling in the 1990s: an overconfidence in his own ability to have his finger on the pulse and sometimes seemingly superficial understanding of other cultures replacing in-depth research.

   This is at its worst in stories like 'The Littlest Jackal', set largely in the Aland Islands between Finland and Sweden - I've been there, and he just seems to use the islands as an exotic locale without any real understanding of the culture or geography. This story also features the return of Leggy Starlitz, the shady gun-for-hire of several stories in Globalhead, Sterling's previous and equally uneven collection. Unfortunately where in those stories he was amusing, here he has out-stayed his welcome and become tedious. I know these stories are an ironic riff on the old cyberpunk assassin theme and the superficiality is probably intended, but still - I don't think it works.

   Also lightweight is Sacred Cow, which has a great concept (Bollywood film-makers come to Britain to take advantage of cheap labour in a country devastated by mad cow disease), but which largely fails to deliver more than a few cheap laughs. The title character of Deep Eddy (who gets a mention in a couple of other tales) is another of those irritating know-it-alls that Sterlings seems to specialise in at present. Will the geeks inherit the earth? Perhaps he's right, but it doesn't make for interesting characterisation here. Neil Stephenson does this a lot more effectively.

   However, there are some really good stories in this collection.

   I've lived in Japan, the setting for Maneki Neko, which in this context appears to suffer from the same faults as the lesser stories in demonstrating no more than a passing grasp of the culture in which it is set. However, having thought about this more, I realised that when I first read this story when it was published in F&SF's 'best of' collection, I really enjoyed its subtleties and humour (like many in that fine collection), and indeed its Japaneseness. Perhaps this time I reread it via Leggy Starlitz instead!

   The long Bicycle Repairman and Taklamakan, set in the same world as Deep Eddy, are also better, the former a fairly gritty urban tale in a set amongst techie squatters, the latter a effectively dusty and atmospheric tale of some of the same foreign techs and spaceships in central Asia. I also enjoyed the wobbly and wonky Big Jelly which is at least partly down to lunatic collaborator Rudy Rucker's all-round obsession with jellyfish!

   Sterling started to return to form with the novel, Holy Fire, but for fans of short fiction I suggest going back to his first satisfyingly varied collection, Crystal Express, which featured both early cyberpunk and more tradtional space-and-aliens sci-fi done equally well.

   Overall this collection suggests that Sterling isn't putting as much effort into his short fiction as he used to, but there are very few writers who start off writing short stories who continue to do them as well or as often as their careers progress. While there are some really worthwhile pieces in here, my reading of them at least was unfortunately coloured by the not so great ones.




3. Bruce Sterling rose to prominence in the 1980s as the master visionary and literary theorist of the cyberpunk movement. Although he has not left cyberpunk's sensibility behind, his newer fiction incorporates a wider range of themes, philosophical concepts, and just plain fun which is immediately engaging and entertaining as well as intellectually satisfying.

   The best of Sterling's fiction- and "A Good Old-Fashioned Future" definitely belongs in that category- extrapolates current events and trends into the near future, then gives them a baroque twist. Here, Sterling's combination of a mad-cow disease epidemic and the rise of Indian cinema combine to make "Sacred Cow" a darkly humorous exploration of reverse colonialism. Likewise, cultural warfare- whether between differing intellectual movements, government and squatting entrepreneurs, or ethnic minorities against their own state and each other- invests and links the three last stories in the book in a progression that is as intricate as it is involving.

   It's not all Bollywood and literary theory, though- Sterling loyalists will be pleased with the return of his irrepressible outlaw Leggy Starlitz. Scheming to free a group of islands from Danish control in order to set up a money-laundry, Starlitz's efforts are as amusing as they are, always, ultimately futile.

   All in all, this collection is excellently balanced between the foreboding and the comic, the earnest and the absurd, and it's a must-have both for Sterling fans and those who just want to know how good science fiction can be.




4. A Good Old-Fashioned Future, (...), is an anthology of seven stellar stories authored by Austin, Texas novelist and seer Bruce Sterling. These yarns were originally published in magazines -- such as Asimov's, Hayakawa's Science Fiction Magazine, Omni, and The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, -- that were sold between 1993 and 1998. And with the exception of one tale, they are all interlaced in some form or another, whether by scheme or character.
   
   My favorite story in this collection is "Big Jelly," a collaboration Sterling hatched with his close friend Rudy Rucker of Freeware fame. "Big Jelly," is an anecdotal account of the unintended consequences that result from a second-chance meeting between Tug Mesoglea, a gay San Jose computer programmer, and Revel Pullen, a straight Texas oil billionaire that dabbles in venture capitalism on the side. While not the longest story in AGOFF, "Big Jelly" does seem to have the most going on, conceptually. Also note the glib sense of humor, as in the initials of the story, and the backward names, "gut" and "lever." Lever Pullen... hehe. Coincidentally this is the one story that has little in common with the others. The other stories seem to take place anywhere from 30 and 70 years from now. Based on the quality of this story, I'd love to see a whole novel from this pair. Would that be too much to ask for? After all, Bruce did collaborate once before on The Difference Engine with William Gibson. What do you say Bruce?
   
   My second favorite parable in this group is "Deep Eddy," a forty-seven page recounting of Edward Dertouzas's pleasure trip from the metropolis of Chattanooga, Tennessee, into the dark heart of modern-day Dusseldorf, circa July 2035. "Deep Eddy," a ripe old 22, is a young man of amazing technical prowess, and while deemed a "security risk" upon his arrival on European soil, he's then assigned his own personal Security Guard who will escort him while he conducts his business in country -- and her name, we are led to believe, is simply Sardelle. These two curious specimens are then thrown together in a dangerous set of circumstances, as they attempt to reach the city center during a "Wende" -- a multi-cultural holiday of some type, wherein over a million people rapidly descend upon the city over the course of a few summer days. Ultimately this turns out to be a tale of both efficiency and charm, and is told by Sterling. with a firm grip on a "truly alien sensibility." In the final analysis, "Deep Eddy" and "Sardelle" are destined to part ways, but not until after they spend a couple of years together. I'd really like to see another story featuring Sardelle, perhaps set in the Canary Islands or Ibiza.
   
   And I suppose my third favorite gem from this volume would be "Bicycle Repairman," a chronicle that has garnered many accolades, and that has been reprinted in any number of other places, such as The Year's Best Science Fiction, Vol. 14, Hartwell's Year's Best SF2, and The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. "Bicycle Repairman" is set in the Chattanooga of 2037, and involves one Lyle Schweik, southern high-rise squatter and confederate mail-drop for one Edward Dertouzas, whom is set upon by comely Federal Agent Kitty Casaday, after receiving a mysterious delivery from former acquaintance "Deep Eddy," currently living it up in Spain. Only it turns out Casaday is incompetent, like most government workers, and as a result she is captured by a trap that Lyle had set up in his home. After some light coercion from Lyle's "unique friends," Kitty reveals her ulterior motives -- "spills the beans" so to speak. When you boil it down, this is a truly fascinating short-hop extension of "Deep Eddy," a classic Sterling short that the author decided to riff on a mere three years later. I'd really like to see another story featuring Eddy & Violeta Dertouzas, their two children and their in-laws -- set in a unified Middle East of 2048. Can you humor me Bruce?
   
   For the purpose of this review, and in favor of not boring you, I've decided to summarize only three of these adventures. The other four items in this anthology, Maneki Neko, The Littlest Jackal, Sacred Cow, and Taklamakan are just as good, in terms of quality. The trio of story lines I've decided to outline for you here are simply the ones that I most prefer to tout. *Sterling still pens short stories from time to time, but the realities of being a writer with a family to support generally make it a necessity that he concentrate solely on non-fiction books, such as *Tomorrow Now, or on science fiction novels, such as *Holy Fire. Which is too bad, since he's so truly adept at the art of the short story -- arguably a more elusive gift than the basic ability to complete a manuscript of novel length.
   
   If you seek out A Good Old-Fashioned Future based on my recommendation here, you'll also want to pick up Bruces@ older anthology, Globalhead, from 1992, and gobble up "Dori Bangs," perhaps the most melancholy short story ever set to paper. I highly recommend anything written by Bruce Sterling, and this volume is one of his better efforts. I have seven of his books -- four in hardback, and three in paperback. Zude. Eventually I'll own them all. Keep on writing Bruce, never change what you do, and please -- write faster!



5. This was the first Bruce Sterling I've read, fiction or non-fiction, and I definitely plan to read more. Sterling is ostensibly a cyberpunk author, which (I think) means that his stories feature marginal characters (e.g., terrorists, bicycle repairing squatters, skyscraper climbers, neuter industrial spies, etc.) in gritty, if not necessarily grim, near-future circumstances. Whatever subgenre of science fiction he belongs to, Sterling is a literate, intelligent writer who sees the line between science and science fiction growing ever hazier and whose speculative extrapolations are all the more frightening and engaging because they are so close to the contemporary reality. (For example, in aptly titled story "Sacred Cow," Anglo-Americans and Western Europeans have been decimated by the slow plague of "mad cow" disease---a chilling possibility---leaving Bollywood to take up the cinematic slack---another chilling possibility!) Other reviewers have commented on the unevenness of the stories in this collection, and I concur with that assessment; a few of the stories are definitely not as interesting as others, but luckily the number of these weaker stories is low. In short, this is a great place to start investigating a smart science fiction writer whose reputation will probably be hard to tarnish.

No comments about Snow Crash (SFBC 50th Anniversary Collection).

5 comments about Accelerando.

1. Accelerando is a massive idea dump that will be too complex for many readers. I spend a lot of time thinking about the future, but the breadth and scope of this novel is almost unfathomable.
   
   Having said that, I enjoyed the ideas most and the characters least. Some of the speculation about what the future might hold for humanity is simply fascinating. Some of it is slightly uncomfortable, even for a transhumanist like myself. Some of it is just hard to chew on. Perhaps I've been trained by society to demand all my information in edible, easily digestible chunks. Perhaps that diminished my enjoyment of this novel somewhat. Nevertheless, I think most readers of this novel will feel like me. The market for novels read only be scientists and genius futurists is somewhat limited.
   
   Characters in Accelerando feel a bit shallow. That could be due to the fact that there is so much jumping around through time and space.
   
   I think the book is worth reading merely for the larger ideas contained within. Some of them are absolutely fascinating, if a bit lofty. If you are interested in what technology holds for all of us, spend a few hours perusing Accelerando.



2. (I read the free version from FeedBooks on my Kindle)
   
   I enjoyed this form of the "geek rapture", but didn't feel like there was much depth to the story or any of the characters.



3. I have a hard time disliking Charles Stross. I really do. He writes like someone who's in love with their subject and in a good way. The first book of his that I read, "The Atrocity Archives", sold me at the first Cthulhu reference. "Iron Sunrise" was quite enjoyable also.
   
   But "Accelrando"? Oh god. Where to begin?
   
   One of the noted qualities of good literature is that it ages well. In other words, a reader can pick up the book fifty years after it was written and find it enjoyable. Some even hit the hundred or multiple hundred year mark (Dante, Shakespeare, etc) and have survived so long because they aged well.
   
   If your central character is talking about updating his blog with travel photos and suffering from being Slashdotted in a bar in the very first chapter, you've already dated yourself horribly at this point. Fifty years down the road, people will read this and have a hard time empathizing with it. Hell, three years down the line it's almost making me laugh.
   
   The barrage of pop-culture memes and references aren't helping much either.
   
   When all of these things are dated, irrelevant, or just plain wrong a few years down the line, the book suffers for it. And it's painful to see a good writer suffer for it too.



4. Accelerando (2005) is a standalone SF novel. It is set in the near future during the meltdown of nation states and capitalism. The EU has self-disorganized into the European Confederacy and the United States is almost bankrupt. And the underground economy is taking over the world.
   
   In this novel, Manfred Macx is a genius who is patenting lots of primal ideas and assigning the rights to several Free Foundations and variously selected beneficiaries. He gets free passes and other nonmonetary compensation from these astounded recipients, thus has little need for cash. Manfred has an ongoing sexual affair with Pamela, an IRS entrepreneur who constantly reminds him of his estimated tax arrears.
   
   Pamela traps him into getting her pregnant and then forces him to marry her. Manfred is reasonably satisfied with the arrangement except for the arguments about their frozen female embryo. Three years after their marriage, Mandred is on the run while his divorce is being processed.
   
   Manfred is harassed by Alan Glashwiecz, who has been retained to pursue Pamela's interests in the divorce. However, he also encounters Annette -- a representative of Arianespace -- whom he had previously met three year before. Annette breaks his preoccupation with Pamela by seducing him in her apartment.
   
   In this story, Amber is his daughter, who eventually gets thawed and birthed. She gets her first neural implants at the age of three and finds herself able to function in the adult world. Yet Pam doesn't consider Amber worth consulting on her life and raises her to be independent of her neural auxiliaries. So Pam runs away at the age of twelve.
   
   Sirhan is the son of Amber -- the one in Jupiter orbit -- who grows up to be a historian. He legally seizes his mothers assets and drives her into bankruptcy. Then the other Amber -- the one on the interstellar voyage -- returns to find that she has become a party to the lawsuit.
   
   This story reads like William Gibson on Angel Dust. The story starts out strange and gets even wilder. Of course, the Singularity has something to do with it.
   
   This story took the author five years to write. One suspects that he had to take time out to let his brain cool. Enjoy!
   
   Recommended for Stross fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of the coming Singularity, expansion into space, and interstellar aliens.
   
   -Arthur W. Jordin



5. Read this book for ideas and ignore most else. The ideas are entertaining ang probably worth the book cost. Most though are vacuous in that they have probabilities of less than -10 to the 33. LOL
   
   I would rate the book a 7 for ideas, especially as they relate to the internet culture, but the author failed to write a novel and thus gets a 1 for that. It is actually a loose collection of stories, with a mishmash connectivity to each other. This is not a book where you clearly follow a character or even much of an idea. It jumps erratically and is a hyper elongated material universal view which the author did not support informatively.
   
   The author presents the major premise that artificial intelligence will arise from the computational memory that we utilitze and that it will become independent and self-replicating. The early pages of cyber punk are used to show this. It is more illusion than based in substance. The problem is this reliance on AI and it's desire to self-replicate itself ignores the consequences almost immediately. Once nanotechonology is achieved then the small bit self-replicating model of informational computation have no reason not to immediately overrun the Human system. The 'Gray Goo' references are the failures, but their is no reason that Artificial Life would not immediately start to change Earth and humans from the get go. They would be a success and owe nothing to us. End story line before chapter 4.
   
   Start chapter 4 and a fun beginning that also is not seriously author supported. Amber is a good character, but the technology she uses would have run amok on it's own course long before they leave for the brown dwarf. The Ring Imperium was good but should have been more deeply developed, especially because when the expedition returns the left behind meat bodies had deviated so much from the expedition members. I loved the coke can spaceship with light sails and the heavy duty laser power system. More, more, and more again needed. The expedition virtual reality society was sub-standard and chaotic. This made it less understandable and brought deep doubt to it's sustainability. Virtual Image humanity is bizarre enough. The Brown Dwarf Inter and Intra-Galactic Router system is also out there. The problem is the working explanation of the author does not support it's creation or utilization. Enough, the ideas are staggering good and the application by the author neolithic.
   
   The return is the third section and more a 'deuz ex Machina' than the author says. The outer reality of the unknown is more than Humans could understand and ending the opus opportunity with a cat robot parlaying itself into the greatest god of our creation was too, too much. Yuck The imagery of Super Cat playing with it's mice as a central support for the story is inane or insane. No points for the ending.

2 comments about Shadowrun 07: Into the Shadows (Shadowrun).

1. This anthology is a great sample to get a taste of the Shadowrun world. Most of the authors of the short stories in the anthology went on to write full-length novels for Shadowrun, with the notable exception of Lorelei Shannon, who wrote what was in my opinion the best story in the whole anthology, Whitechapel Rose. I would like to see this book reprinted, and a continuation of Whitechapel Rose would be nice.



2. This book is a fine example of the high quality books writen by the great authors FASA has employed.

5 comments about Faith Awakened.

1. Grace Bridges has delivered a real page turner in "Faith Awakened" I found it a real challenge to put this book down. Graces imaginative twists and turns keep this story alive and energetic through the end. This is an inspired MUST READ. I recommend that you read "Faith Awakened" find a comfortable chair and a cup of coffee or tea wrap up in your favorite blanket and enjoy this book. You will want to read it again and again.



2. If you had the chance to start over, would you take it? If you could program your entire life in a better world, would you do it? These questions are asked (and answered) in Faith Awakened, the new novel by Grace Bridges.
   
   Enter Mariah, trapped in a life--and a world--filled with trouble. And not just any "trouble," but the Trouble, a series of events that has left the world near void of human life save for a small band of survivors. Struggling to put the pieces of a broken life back together is no easy challenge, but thanks to the company of a few close friends and the guidance of an ever-present Awakener, Mariah seems to pull through. That is, until, something even worse happens and she is left with no choice but retreat into a virtual reality program for several decades until it passes. Once inside, and without memory of her previous life, Mariah must discover what it truly means to live, to find purpose in life, and how to truly be awakened.
   
   It's hard to imagine this is Bridge's first book. The way Faith Awakened is written makes you think she's been at this for a long time. The prose is detailed yet smooth, firm in approach yet comforting, well-articulated yet easy to read.
   
   I've always been a fan of end-of-the-world type of stories and while reading this book I was often reminded of Stephen King's The Stand, where a super virus has taken out most of mankind. Bridges captures the loneliness of an empty world, one filled with dead streets and empty houses, with only pockets of life (human or otherwise) scattered here or there. She truly makes you feel for these characters and care about their every move.
   
   Told as a dual narrative (one following Mariah and the other a girl named Faith), Bridges seamlessly blends two storylines with ease, ones where I wish they had gone on once each were finished. There are rumors she might start up a sequel.
   
   This reviewer is hoping for it.
   
   Recommended.



3. Faith Awakened, the debut self-published novella by Grace Bridges, is the story of a woman named Mariah and a child named Faith told in alternating chapters.
   
   The first chapter accomplishes exactly what a good story should, it hooks the reader as several characters enter into a cryogenic state to escape a virus that has run amok in the world. At this point I was captivated.
   
   Then I turned to chapter two and it was about a girl named Faith who was somewhere other than Mariah and her friends. In a world untouched by the virus.
   
   What?
   
   I found myself fully engaged in the Mariah chapters and loving every minute of it, while the Faith chapters just seemed to get in the way and were completely unconnected to the Mariah. It wasn't until well into the book that any connection was made and by that time it was really obvious.
   
   Stories like this are hard to pull off even for a skilled best-selling novelist. Nearly impossible for a first timer. I sure wouldn't have tried it. Still, you've got to give Grace props for her imagination and courage to present this work. The two separate storylines are well written and Grace has a definite talent that I look forward to seeing develop as she publishes more of her work.
   
   Fans of fantasy and sci-fi will find this an interesting tale based on a premise that has been done before, but with interesting twists this time around.



4. A great read! I couldn't put it down. I was drawn into the lives of the characters. A great "What If" story.
   
   Imagine that everyone around you is dying of a virulent strain of Ebola. Imagine that the new world government is responsible for loosing the virus on the population. How would you survive? Why would you want to go on living? How would your faith be examined? Would it fail you or would your faith grow?
   
   Follow the lives of Faith and Mariah as they move through very different times and circumstances to ultimately share their story.



5. Faith Awakened by Grace Bridges
   Reviewed by Lyn Perry
   
   This self-published novel by New Zealand-born, Germany-residing author Grace Bridges was my first exposure to Christian cyberpunk and dystopia fiction, so I really didn't have anything to compare it to. It is also part of a sub-genre called biblical speculative fiction, of which Frank Creed's Flashpoint is a prime example, where the characters are unabashedly Christian in lifestyle and evangelistic in motive.
   
   As such, this style of lit could turn some readers off from the get-go, but I think the average spec fic reader might be surprised that, despite the `religious' setting, emotive themes of love, loss, disaster, and triumph - if well written - will remain the focus of their attention. It did mine.
   
   My overall reaction to this particular project? I think Faith Awakened is an interesting, yet falling short of gripping, exploration of an apocalyptic future. Although some sympathetic reviewers refer to The Matrix for comparison, this is a very different story even though the characters spend half the book living in a "virtual reality." I won't spoil the plot, but the premise is that our heroes must live out their virtual lives while awaiting their physical rescue when the planet becomes once again inhabitable.
   
   In the not-too-distant future, a one-world-government turns technological advances into an anti-utopian nightmare. A rogue plague decimates the population. A Christian remnant plug into a virtual existence in order to survive the vestiges of the virus that wipes out - for all they know - the rest of humanity. They are eventually brought out of this cyber-matrix and revived to `real' life 50 years later by another group of survivors who happen upon their hibernation units.
   
   What makes this novel intriguing is the intertwining of two storylines that, if you pick up on some early clues, tells the crisis and resolution in alternating chapters. This non-traditional storytelling device is a bit awkward at first, but the reader soon catches on. Bridges has a unique style of writing (which could have benefited by a strong editor; there is plenty of room for improvement) and makes a bold attempt at telling the story from the perspective of her two protagonists, Mariah & Faith. The relationship between these two women is part of the mystery and makes for fascinating reading.
   
   If you "go with it" (and suspend your disbelief a time or two) then the overall story "works." However, there are a few logical inconsistencies that raise questions left unanswered. Also, this could have been shortened to a novella, in my opinion, as Grace's description of life (in both worlds) was a bit cumbersome in detail (too much "tell" not enough "show"). Still, Faith Awakened is a vivid picture of a possible, and frightening, future. It's a promising start for this first time author. And not a bad introduction to Christian cyberpunk.
   
   My Rating: 5 out of 10 (2.5 stars)
   [...]

1 comments about Chromebook (Cyberpunk RPG).

1. This is one of the handiest books to have for those who play Cyberpunk 2020 by R. Talsorian Games. A supplement of material and gear for the game, this is one of four total Chromebooks. One of the most important listings in this particular Chromebook is the Gibson Battlearmor, something mentioned frequently, but the details were here first. Plus, as with all the Chromebooks, there's a good listing of cybernetics, bioware and equipment. Items of interest include: TimeSquare Plus, Uniwear, Takanaka Fashions, Smartlink equipment and the Malorian SubFlechette Gun. Any player of Cyberpunk 2020 should include this book on their reference shelf. While not as flashy as its later cousins, it is still quite valuable.

5 comments about Battle Angel Alita: Angel's Ascension (Battle Angel Alita, No 8).

1. WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL! WHAT MORE CAN I SAY? PERFRECT! SPECTACULAR! A MUST-READ!



2. I can only admire Kishiro's way of ending so magnanimally a perfect series in the critical condition he was in. Talk about inspiration. The series could only end in Gally finding happiness or Gally dying, and I was surprised by the ending, my imagination was not prepared for the mental and heart blow he delivered. Do I recommend it? More than that, I urge you all to get the whole series, a must have, a Bible for some of us.



3. All good things must come to an end, at least temporarily. With this volume, Yukito Kishiro lifts ramps Alita's story up to a surprising new level, as the final stages of her battle with Desty Nova unfold. Nova, surprised that Alita has broken free of his mental trap, uses the truth about the citizens of Tiphares to cause enough confusion to escape. Alita follows, and is trapped again in Nova's mental coils. This time the Doctor seeks to sap her will to live. As the struggle develops, we get flashes of what might have been parts of Alita's past and future, which are in many ways the only explanation we will ever get.

   At the scrap yard, Lord Den and Koyomi have arrived for the final assault on Tiphares. In a last dramatic gesture, Den challenges the might of the sky city on his own, little realizing that the real struggle for the city's survival was happening elsewhere, as Alita challenges Nova and the city for the last time. Suffice it to say, the book becomes one incredible series of images after another, as Alita transcends her limitations in an entirely mind-boggling and innovative fashion.

   I always feel slow on the uptake when I completely miss a mystical reference. Until I was staring at the final imagery of the series, I failed to realize that the names Tiphares (and Ketheres) are drawn from the Sephiroth of the Kabalah. Tiphares means beauty, and Ketheres is the crown. These have a natural explanation in the story, so it is hard to decide how deep this metaphysical layer runs. I'll leave it for readers to judge for themselves. It is curious how often such symbolism works it's way into Japanese anime as a metaphor for the mysterious. Of course Evangelion comes to mind, and recently, X (the series) has made such references. A surprise addition to an already complex tale.

   In any case, this phase of Alita's story comes to an end with a complete transformation of the order of her world. We know there is more, because a new volume is promised. This is a special manga, combining an intensely violent action story with an underlying theme of the nature of humanity and love. One can find material to think about while watching the parts fly, all beautifully illustrated by an artist who should be considered one of Japan's best. 'Ascension' is a unique work of art in an already outstanding series. I hope that Kishiro will keep the series alive for further incarnations.




4. Battle Angel Alita is a series I wish I could like more, and while it was good, it seemed to lose its soul after the second volume. It had equal parts romanticism and graphic death. Once Alita got past that, especially when she became a part of the RollerBall/DeathSport thing, this series began to take a downturn. So it's not a surprise that the final volume of Alita comes to an unsatisfying and hokey end.
   
   Alita has a final confrontation with Desty Nova as the mad scientist tries to conquer Alita's will from the inside out, by deceiving her mind. But we just might find out that that Nova has a soft and cuddly side during the process. And after all, he finally does reveal the hidden secret of Tiphares, a secret that drove Dr. Ido mad! Meanwhile, the forces of Den and Barjack embark on a hopeless mission to destroy Tiphares and bring it crashing to the ground.
   
   This last volume of Alita suffered from the same faults as most of the series. It's just plain goofy. The characters, while going through horrible ordeals, never rise beyond Walt Disney caricatures. It just doesn't seem like much deep thought went into the plot or the conflicts that the characters endure. You could've went into some social commentary instead of following the insane ramblings of a Godzilla size Centaur. And the ultimate sacrifice that Alita makes in this comic is totally contrived and really disrespects her. You're left wondering at the end of the book, "Is that it? This is the great resolution that the entire series has been working towards?". The only thing that saves this series is the lead character herself. If only the story constructed around her had went somewhere.



5. This is a great ending to one of the best adventures of all time. All the mystery of Alita is explained in the conflict between Alita and Desty Nova, and the future of the scrapyard and tiphares is brought into a new world as Alita's power over her own destiny is realized with one final battle between fate and heroism.

5 comments about Battle Angel Alita - Fallen Angel (Battle Angel Alita , No.8).

1. As previous comments have explained, this is a deviation of the main story. While the change of focus was unexpected, it does finally reveal the beginnings of the Battle Angel universe and the struggles humanity went through to survive such a fiasco. The theme is pretty consistent, considering the revelation in the previous novel.
   
   Perhaps the best thing about this novel is the feel of the earliest Battle Angel novels. The story is simple, poetic, and abounded with earlier Yukito critiques on society. It is a wonderful read, and the reader must not forget that Alita is experiencing the story line as well, so it very well may play an important role in future novels.



2. I first got hook on Alita, from the anime short done years back. Since then I've been hook on the managa series and this no different. Once you read one you will be sure to want the rest of the series.



3. I am biased. I love Battle Angel Alita and Last Order series.
   
   The stories are deep. The characters are well developed. The drawings are top quality. And I love how the author tend to incorporate all sorts of stuff into this beautiful fantasy: like ancient and current philosophy; martial arts style from all over; and the usual struggle of humanity to understand itself of who and why we are.
   
   Gosh, I can not wait for the next book. Heh heh.



4. This volume is really just about expanding on The Characters. It makes Everyone's favorite Vampire a little more important, and it gives a little insight as to how earth reached it's current state, but really very little happens. Definatly Buy this volume if you're collecting the Series, but don't get too excited.



5. This volume is quite good. Don't cry because Alita isn't in much of it. It's a good story, and it tells the tale of how the world running computer Merlin, which seems to have started the chain of events that lead to Alita's world, was built. The other point that seems to have escaped some readers, is that the character of Caerula the vampire is meant to be compared to Alita. This story is meant to remind you of Alita's earlier innocence. They are both women who have lived over centuries, been witness to and a part of history, loved with tragic results, fought and made hard choices. Caerula is what Alita will be if she fails. A cyborg is like a vampire in that they have greater power than humans and are virtually immortal, some of them even hunt humans. Alita has to succeed where Caerula failed, just like Luke has to succeed where Anakin failed etc...(sorry to use the SW reference) Or, perhaps Caerula will come back for a final battle with Alita with no holds barred, the old two sides of the same coin finale. Last time it seemed she gave up to let Alita "restore the world", because she thought it was destiny. The current story is showing us why she did that, since she is the one that could have beaten Alita. I think the story of Caerula is one of the most important chapters of this entire series, not some "side story" just to kill time. If it took up three more volumes with no Alita, I would say it was too far afield, and should be it's own series, but I doubt that will be the case. Just enjoy a good story where you can get it.

5 comments about Ghost in the Shell Volume 1 (Ghost in the Shell).

1. hey ,it inspired mamoru oshii to make ghost in the shell, the cult classic anime film,which also inspired the wachowski brothers-the dropping green digits at the begining and the landing and breaking roof scene,may ring your bell- to make the hit movie the matrix,reloaded and the up coming revolutions.and it's all thanks to this man masamune shirow.
   the book is an action comedy,a lot of comedy,unlike it's film,with the same theme of the film though,should we consider an A.I. and cyborgs a life form,plus more detailed stories of the cyborg cops routine life.there are even some cameo from other shirow's characters from his other books,like the appleseed characters in page 21 and the cat sisters ,from dominion:tank police,page 161.
   influential,fun ,informative and enjoyable book.and it's all illustrated and written by one person.nice
   p.s. check out the fifth panel in page 161,a small box,written on it"masamune shirow's original artwork,all you can carry 100 yen"funny.



2. Ghost in the Shell is peak era Shirow material. Without doubt the culmination of his science fiction work. The story takes place in the classic "near future" cyber-punk setting [much like that of William Gibson's Neuromancer with a dash of Appleseed] and focuses on Section 9 a kind of domestic Rainbow 6. The art is mind-blowing. Shirow's ability to capture movement is superior among comic artists anywhere. His action sequences are breath taking. Good enough to keep you starring at the page long after you've read the content. Most of the characters are classic military/para-military types. Batou is my favorite. He is bold, reckless and overly aggressive but never particularly serious. Kusanagi works well as the main character, calculating and insightful. The story itself is difficult to summarize. The cases [and/or case?] move at a phrenetic pace -- it may take two or three times reading a section to understand what happens. The shear complexity and scale of this work is truly impressive. So much so you will still find additional plot details re-reading it. Even with the TV series and two movies based on the story there is still plenty of material in the graphic novel to tell more. The plot however is more intelligent than deep. Exploring the intricacies of technology and shooting people isn't deep thinking no matter what people tell you. Cyber-punk as a whole just isn't deep stuff and Ghost in the Shell is no exception. If you want "deep" read the Bible this story isn't deep -- it is intelligent. Ghost in the Shell rarely touches on morality or true philosophy. Questions are asked but conclusions aren't often drawn and if so the answers are not clear. Shirow himself seems to take for granted the reader understands the technology of the story and rarely takes time out to explain things outside the scope of the story itself. There is an Index of sorts in the back and you are best off reading it first. All in all this is a seriously good piece of work and will survive as such long after the genre itself is dead.



3. Ghost in the Shell takes place in the future populated by cyborgs - people with mechanical parts. The stories follow a team of assasins and through their exploits we get to see the world they live in.
   
   There are definite philosophical metaphysical concerns in Ghost in the Shell. If a person has mechanical parts at what point do they stop being human? The definition of life is dealt with from a legal standpoint by Team 9. In court cyborgs are evaluted to see if their "Ghost", the part of them that represents their inate humanity and not programming, is responsible for crimes they have committed or if the crimes are a computer malfunction. One of the plots running through these stories deals with "The Puppeteer", a computer program which has become self aware and developed a ghost.
   
   Introducing these philosophical concerns in an action heavy plot makes for a nice balance. By making humanity a legal technicality the philosophy is made neccesary to the plot and flows well.
   
   I also liked the sciency footnotes (and endnotes), which pepper the pages of Ghost in the Shell. They explain this or that bit of real technology which could lead to this bit of fiction being real. Basing science fiction on real science tends to be a bit silly but it is fun to see.
   
   The graphics in Ghost in the Shell are good. Each chapter starts with a few color pages and the rest of that chapter in black and white. This makes for a nice balance where I've got my color pics but the book doesn't cost an arm and a leg. The drawings themselves are well done. I probably would like many of them much more if I were a guy though.
   
   I highly recommend Ghost in the Shell. It was fun to read and cleverly written. I hope it never goes out of print.



4. I came to the Dark Horse Comics version of Ghost in the Shell a little late in the game - so it is like I am coming home. In this edition we familiarize ourselves with the key characters and the evolution of Section 9. We are introduced to Aramaki rather early on - who heads Section 9 and of course to cyborgs Major Motoko Kusanagi and Batou as well as the all too human Togusa. I was effectively visiting the archive where it all began. As evidenced in both Making The Matrix, in The Matrix DVD and Scrolls to Screen: The History and Culture of Anime -- in the Animatrix DVD; we hear Producer Joe Silver uttering that the genesis of The Matrix, in large part, can be found in anime -- in particular Oshii Mamuro's anime of this, Shirow Masamune's manga Ghost in the Shell. Manga is sometimes confused with anime. Effectively, to the uninitiated, manga is the Japanese word for Graphic Novel. Manga and anime are intrinsically interrelated, as artists regularly cross-pollinate, as do the characters they create - case in point this Ghost in the Shell manga transformed into the ever-popular anime standard and its subsequent sequel Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. More often than not, the manga is produced first, and if the popularity merits it is transformed into anime - as was the case here. In examining the movie I articulated that Ghost in the Shell was Kazunori Ito's futuristic vision - now I am certain that it all feeds in really from Shirow and not anyone else. In Shirow's manga begin to see the development of the confluence where the body (the shell) and the ghost (the mind) meets cyborg technology. The manga, I hope is aimed at adults. I am still wondering about all the nudity and violence playing to a particular theme. My sense is that the intimate nature of man and machine and the particular threat that cyborg technology poses is considered real and immediate. In the world of Ghost in the Shell, however translated and articulated through this very hyper sexualized forms and extremely violent episodes, lies a very profound question waiting to be answered - when machines learn to feel who decides what it is to be human.
   
   Miguel Llora



5. Those of you who are major fans or followers of The Matrix may know the film received inspiration from the philosophically-intense anime, Ghost in the Shell. The 1995 film introduced the world to a smart, visually-groundbreaking adult animation, but for all the praise it received, Oshii's vision lacked the heart to make it pure entertainment, like The Matrix succeeded in becoming.
   
   It's surprising then, when one learns of the manga on which Oshii's film is based. Not only is it smart, complex and visually appealing, but writer/artist Masamune Shirow presents his sci-fi epic with an air of wit and attitude, giving it a personality that absorbs readers, continuing to spawn new works both related and inspired fifteen years later.
   
   The best part about Ghost in the Shell is that, unlike the film, it isn't afraid to have fun. As deep and philosophical as Shirow gets, he never strays too far from the lighter side of the picture, cracking jokes and playing around with visual gags to keep the reader entertained. The characters are also developed pretty well, or at least better than in the film...a lot regarding the characters' lives, specifically the Major, is left to the imagination. Still, the core of the cast - even the capable yet eccentric Fuchikoma robots - come alive with Shirow's writing and art, creating character's you'll actually care to follow, and not just try to comprehend.
   
   Masamune Shirow's Ghost in the Shell is a true treat for fans of metaphysical concepts or traditional sci-fi entertainment. Those who liked the 1995 film but found it lacking will find what they're looking for here, and anyone else looking for a smart yet amusing graphic adventure would do well to give it a shot. If the film is groundbreaking and praiseworthy, then the manga is a true literary classic in its own right.