cityscapes, cityescapes.

Oo, er. China Mieville's novella "The Tain" is bloody good - his usual twisted, atmospheric, unlikely stuff from straight out of left field, now with added mirrors and post-apocalyptic London. I'm detecting heavy Baudrillardian subtext, but that might just be because I'm teaching cyberpunk at the moment, which means the image is becoming the reality everywhere I look.

I read the above in an interesting little volume entitled Cities, which features four novellas, which means I haven't actually read the collection of Mieville short stories in which "The Tain" appeared, an omission which must be addressed posthaste. On the upside, bumper bonus other weird city fiction. I also liked Geoff Ryman's "V. A. O.", which I think I've read before, probably in F&SF: the sad, ironic, funny story of what happens When Hackers Get Old. (They hack their own futures). Paul di Filippo's "A Year in the Linear City" was enormously interesting and somewhat incomprehensible, although not as incomprehensible as the Moorcock. Vouchsafe all, witterers: has anyone ever actually got a Jerry Cornelius story? Am I alone in my unwavering response of fascinated, alienated, total bewilderment?

A vote of thanks to the student in my sf seminar who lent me the book. I do like students, sometimes.*

* If they're properly cooked.