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Idolon
by
Mark Budz
In a world where image is everything, where the past is more real than the present, the rich can reprogram everything–and cast themselves in the starring roles. Everyone else is nothing but an extra....
As part of the supporting cast, Pelayo survives as a test subject for the latest electronic skin and philm technology, which brings past trends and famous people to vivid l...more
As part of the supporting cast, Pelayo survives as a test subject for the latest electronic skin and philm technology, which brings past trends and famous people to vivid l...more
Paperback, 464 pages
Published
July 25th 2006
by Spectra
(first published 2006)
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I had a lot of issues with this book. It narrowly missed 1 star only because I try to save that rating for book that I can't even finish. Idolon is based on a future where everyong wears artificial skin (called 'skin) which they use to show any set of features they would like. A person might be dark skinned and tattooed one moment and later be dressed in a suit and tie and appear only in black and white. The story deals with several people who are around the industry of making, selling, testing...more
The premise: ganked from BN.com: In a world where image is everything, where the past is more real than the present, the rich can reprogram everything -- and cast themselves in the starring roles. Everyone else is nothing but an extra....
As part of the supporting cast, Pelayo survives as a test subject for the latest electronic skin and philm technology, which brings past trends and famous people to vivid life on his body. His cousin Marta works at a cinematique offering cheap skincense, image g...more
As part of the supporting cast, Pelayo survives as a test subject for the latest electronic skin and philm technology, which brings past trends and famous people to vivid life on his body. His cousin Marta works at a cinematique offering cheap skincense, image g...more
Oct 21, 2007
Nicholas Whyte
added it
http://www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2007/04/the_2007_philip.shtml[return][return]Our setting is Santa Cruz, California, about a hundred years from now; everyone (at least everyone we meet) has had their skin covered with a nanotechnology gimmick called "philm" which allows its wearer to look like anybody they please. Our viewpoint characters are a detective trying to solve a murder, a man who tests out experimental new philms, his cousin who has got more involved with the seedy side of the ph...more
It was so good that I forgot what it was even about. Oh. Yeah. Really interesting technology and cultural impact, not interesting enough plot. I think it started off well and then just got really weird without much support. But I did love the technology and limited science in it. I'd only read if you really like post-cyberpunk fiction.
Weird. I honestly can say I have no idea what happened at the end.
When I was talking about it w/ my mom (who read it before me), she mentioned that it was kinda like a Philip K. Dick book. I can kind of see that, in the entire breakdown of reality trip that happened at the end which occurs in almost every PKD book I've read. But it was a little more technical than PKD, where he's more philosophic, and keeping up with the tech jargon was often challenging, being a scifi reader but not a science p...more
When I was talking about it w/ my mom (who read it before me), she mentioned that it was kinda like a Philip K. Dick book. I can kind of see that, in the entire breakdown of reality trip that happened at the end which occurs in almost every PKD book I've read. But it was a little more technical than PKD, where he's more philosophic, and keeping up with the tech jargon was often challenging, being a scifi reader but not a science p...more
This book is strange. While well written it is not well plotted. It outright tells the reader the themes within the first few chapters, rendering much of the descriptions useless. The plot meanders about, especially toward the end, where it rushes to a conclusion that is both poorly thought out and poorly executed. The themes are interesting (what makes conscious life and how the individual and groups are defined by their looks and actions), but the book barely makes a dent in exploring them. Th...more
Mar 20, 2013
Eugene
marked it as to-read
Jan 03, 2013
The Hermit's
marked it as to-read
Oct 15, 2012
Bondboy
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Sep 29, 2012
Oak Herder
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Sep 17, 2012
Tom
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May 12, 2012
Alicia
marked it as to-read
Feb 24, 2012
Megan
marked it as to-read
Dec 11, 2011
Gymerr
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