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More NerdCore Science Fiction From Cory Doctorow

Posted by chrisd on from the joined-the-eff-yet dept.

Andrew Leonard writes "Cory Doctorow has published a new short story in Salon. This time around, he's imagined a cyberpunk wi-fi future, with spectrum cops, a mobile multinational startup, and guerilla warfare on Indian reservations. Readers who liked his previous story, "0wnz0red" will undoubtedly savor this one." We've posted things about Cory before, but I personally enjoy his writing, so here's more!

3 of 122 comments (clear)

  1. Average writing skill by coinreturn · · Score: 3, Interesting

    His ability to write is rather average. The underdeveloped characters are stereotypes and he uses excruciating detail to describe minutia which DOES NOT MATTER. Writing involves showing the TELLING details and having a strong sense of POV.

    Nowadays, everyone with a computer thinks hes a writer!

  2. 0wnz0red by LesPaul75 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I read 0wnz0red last week -- someone here on /. had a link to it in their sig. One of the great things about Doctorow's sci-fi is the "feasibility" of it. In particular, I wonder how close we really are to the microcontroller that interfaces directly to the human nervous system. Ten years? Twenty? Surely it will happen within our lifetimes (?). When it does, let's just hope that the API is open-source. :)

  3. Re:if you want GOOD scifi... by Clover_Kicker · · Score: 3, Interesting
    >if you want GOOD scifi... (Score:2)
    >by zephc (225327) Neutral on 06:55 PM January 16th, 2003 (#5098298)
    >
    >check out the Prime Intellect [kuro5hin.org] novella-length story

    Oh come now, let's do a stronger sales pitch for an excellent story.

    From the into to Prime Intellect:
    In the best possible future, there will be
    no war, no famine, no crime,
    no sickness, no oppression,
    no fear, no limits, no shame... ...and nothing to do.

    This online novel contains strong language and explicit violence.
    If you are under 21 years old, or easily offended, please leave.

    Here's a brief excerpt to give you a taste:
    Later, Raven made the traditional toast. Her strong voice boomed out through the rooms and courtyards she had envisioned. Caroline's handcuffs disappeared, and like everyone else she found herself holding a drink. "It's time for our toast," Raven declared. "Who are we going to toast?"
    "PRIME INTELLECT!" answered over four thousand enthusiastic voices.
    "To Prime Intellect, for making the world safe from people like us!"
    And four thousand people, instead of tossing back those drinks, inverted their glasses, baptising the floor in alcohol.
    "My heart just isn't in that toast any more," a balding older man told Caroline. She wondered briefly if he had chosen to be old for some reason, or if it was his way of letting nature take its course. "I mean, we're amateurs against Prime Intellect. I killed six college students. It killed the whole universe. Not even in the same league."