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A Place So Foreign and Eight More
Free. In the title tale, narrator James 14 returns home with Mama to 1898 village when his father Les, time-traveller Ambassador to aliens, vanishes from 1975 jet-pack city. When the "mothaship" takes the anointed few into the brave new world, those left behind are angry. "0wnz0red" asks - what happens when hackers hack the human body?
1 Craphound
2 A place so foreign
3 All day sucker
4 To market, to market
5 Return to Pleasure Island
6 Shadow of the mothaship
7 Home again, home again
8 The super man and the bugout
9 Ownz0red
1 Craphound
2 A place so foreign
3 All day sucker
4 To market, to market
5 Return to Pleasure Island
6 Shadow of the mothaship
7 Home again, home again
8 The super man and the bugout
9 Ownz0red
243 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2000
58 people are currently reading
629 people want to read
About the author
Cory Doctorow
268 books6,222 followersCory Doctorow is a science fiction author, activist, journalist and blogger — the co-editor of Boing Boing and the author of the YA graphic novel In Real Life, the nonfiction business book Information Doesn’t Want To Be Free, and young adult novels like Homeland, Pirate Cinema, and
Little Brother
and novels for adults like
Rapture Of The Nerds
and Makers. He is a Fellow for the Electronic Frontier Foundation and co-founded the UK Open Rights Group. Born in Toronto, Canada, he now lives in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
January 12, 2025
I read only the title story of the collection, and I liked it so much that I had to stop, because nothing would hold a candle to it.
Ho letto solo la storia che da il titolo alla raccolta e mi é piaciuta talmente tanto che ho dovuto smettere, perché niente avrebbe retto al confronto.
Ho letto solo la storia che da il titolo alla raccolta e mi é piaciuta talmente tanto che ho dovuto smettere, perché niente avrebbe retto al confronto.
July 9, 2012
A short story - or maybe novelette (hard to judge the length on a kindle where progress is marked in percentages not pages) - set in a universe where time travel is changing the past. The future is percolating backwards so that 1975 is futuristic. James lives in 1898 in rural Utah, but his father is an ambassador to 1975 and during a visit to the future Dad disappears. With his mother about to remarry James is left to figure out his own life, combining lessons learned in both time periods to work out what he really wants to do. He's a child of both worlds, but doesn't really belong in either
I didn't intend to read this right now, but the first paragraph dragged me in and wouldn't let me go. It's a gentle story about identity and finding your place in the world with some neat forays into the potential effects of time travelling.
I didn't intend to read this right now, but the first paragraph dragged me in and wouldn't let me go. It's a gentle story about identity and finding your place in the world with some neat forays into the potential effects of time travelling.
April 3, 2010
This is a series of loosely connected short stories set mostly in the near future of earth. The stories try to address the question, “What would happen if advanced alien intelligences developed a relationship with human civilization?” It sounds a little corny when put that way, but the stories are insightful and intelligent.
I enjoyed some stories more than others, but still found the whole thing an easy and fun read. Recommended if you like genuine science-fiction (as opposed to space operas.)
I enjoyed some stories more than others, but still found the whole thing an easy and fun read. Recommended if you like genuine science-fiction (as opposed to space operas.)
December 29, 2016
This is Doctorow's first collection, and it's a nice one. You can easily judge this for yourself, as he's put up six of the nine stories in the book for free download, along with Bruce Sterling's perceptive intro: http://craphound.com/place/download.php
http://craphound.com/place/introduction/
The first story, "0wnz0red" made quite a stir back in 2002. Here's Bruce Sterling's opinion:
"There has been a chunk of science fiction influenced by Silicon Valley, but "0wnz0red" captures the disturbed inner world of the technically sociopathic... This story is fully realized, and it is sarcastic, abrasive, and mind-boggling in a truly novel way. Like Beat writing in its early period, "0wnz0red" has the dual virtues of being both really offensive and genuinely hard for normal people to understand. This work is therefore truly advanced."
So. It's good collection, from a fine writer, early in his career.
My 2004 review (revised 2014): https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re...
http://craphound.com/place/introduction/
The first story, "0wnz0red" made quite a stir back in 2002. Here's Bruce Sterling's opinion:
"There has been a chunk of science fiction influenced by Silicon Valley, but "0wnz0red" captures the disturbed inner world of the technically sociopathic... This story is fully realized, and it is sarcastic, abrasive, and mind-boggling in a truly novel way. Like Beat writing in its early period, "0wnz0red" has the dual virtues of being both really offensive and genuinely hard for normal people to understand. This work is therefore truly advanced."
So. It's good collection, from a fine writer, early in his career.
My 2004 review (revised 2014): https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re...
April 8, 2018
Classic Cory Doctorow. My favorite of the bunch is Craphound, which is about a guy who buys crap at yard sales and thrift stores to resell at auction, who just happens to have an alien colleague. I can see why he titled his personal blog after it.
Other highlights include The Super Man and the Bugout, which is about a Jewish superhero named Hershie who is obsoleted by peacekeeping aliens, and two others set in the same post-alien future.
There's a neat little biohacking story by the unfortunate name "0wnz0red" that is almost ruined by a liberal peppering of leetspeak. Almost.
Really I think the titular story, A Place So Foreign, was the weakest of the bunch. It's a time-travelling story where technology keeps bleeding backwards into the past. I'm not a huge fan of time travel stories, but it wasn't horrible.
Other highlights include The Super Man and the Bugout, which is about a Jewish superhero named Hershie who is obsoleted by peacekeeping aliens, and two others set in the same post-alien future.
There's a neat little biohacking story by the unfortunate name "0wnz0red" that is almost ruined by a liberal peppering of leetspeak. Almost.
Really I think the titular story, A Place So Foreign, was the weakest of the bunch. It's a time-travelling story where technology keeps bleeding backwards into the past. I'm not a huge fan of time travel stories, but it wasn't horrible.
November 16, 2021
This review is for the seven stories that are available online. (Six are on the author's website, and the seventh is here.) I'd previously read at least two of the stories.
So, I love Cory Doctorow. These stories have his classic zaniness and rebel style. But you can see how far he's come, and/or how much the culture has changed, since when they were written almost 20 years ago. I would have given the book 4 or 5 stars at the time. But, as another reviewer noted, women (except for one Jewish mother) are not major characters in any of the stories. And a few of the stories left me wondering about what happened at the end.
So, I love Cory Doctorow. These stories have his classic zaniness and rebel style. But you can see how far he's come, and/or how much the culture has changed, since when they were written almost 20 years ago. I would have given the book 4 or 5 stars at the time. But, as another reviewer noted, women (except for one Jewish mother) are not major characters in any of the stories. And a few of the stories left me wondering about what happened at the end.
January 9, 2023
Cory Doctorow on futuristinen scifikirjailija, jonka kirjat eivät aina pysy ideoiden vauhdissa mukana. Novellimitassa lennokkaisiin ideoihin perustuvat tarinat toimivat kenties paremmin; ainakaan silkkaa täytettä ei mukana ole.
Täydellinen tämäkään valikoima ei ole, mutta mielenkiintoista luettavaa joka tapauksessa, eikä joukossa ole yhtään varsinaista hutia – luovuutta ja omaperäisyyttä sitten siitäkin edestä.
Kirjan kotisivuilta löytyy kuusi kirjan yhdeksästä novellista. Jos luet vain yhden, lue Craphound. Kokoelman kenties paras novelli, 0wnz0red, löytyy myös verkosta, mutta eri paikasta: 0wnz0red Salon-verkkolehden sivuilla.
Täydellinen tämäkään valikoima ei ole, mutta mielenkiintoista luettavaa joka tapauksessa, eikä joukossa ole yhtään varsinaista hutia – luovuutta ja omaperäisyyttä sitten siitäkin edestä.
Kirjan kotisivuilta löytyy kuusi kirjan yhdeksästä novellista. Jos luet vain yhden, lue Craphound. Kokoelman kenties paras novelli, 0wnz0red, löytyy myös verkosta, mutta eri paikasta: 0wnz0red Salon-verkkolehden sivuilla.
August 15, 2022
Cory Doctorow.k beti lortzen du bere liburuak gustuko izatea.
Istorio laburrak baina osoak.
Kasu honetan, 9 istorio labur hoietatik 2.a besterik ez duen liburua lortu dut. Beste 8ak lortzea espero dut
Istorio laburrak baina osoak.
Kasu honetan, 9 istorio labur hoietatik 2.a besterik ez duen liburua lortu dut. Beste 8ak lortzea espero dut
November 29, 2018
This was the first of Doctorow's books that I didn't completely enjoy. It's a collection of shorts, and they were kinda hit and miss. I honestly didn't even finish the last story.
December 30, 2018
Some of Doctorow's best short stories are collected here.
April 8, 2019
This was a very interesting short by Cory Doctorow. One of the better time travel bits I've read.
Read
April 28, 2023It's okay. Doctorow doesn't wow me like he did when I first encountered him as a young man.
October 1, 2013
Gave up. Couldn't make sense. Am I missing deep important meanings? morals?
Free http://craphound.com/download.php
1 Craphound
Craphounds are junk-searching pals with a code to never bid against each other. Until a fine June day, when narrator gets outbid by alien buddy, $10K for a trunk of cowboy memorabilia at an East Muskoka firemen's auxilary rummage sale. He makes a new friend, a big city lawyer he suspects once owned the trunk, because of his fondness for the western theme, but keeps running into his pal Craphound.
2 A Place so Foreign
After his beloved time-traveller Ambasador dad Les vanishes, narrator James Arthur Nicholson 14 and Mama move back from 1975 Great Salt Lake city to 1898 New Jerusalem village. His pal Oly Sweynsdatter is left behind future's advanced formal education. Teacher Robert Adelson inspires him with his sailing past, how his home seemed "a place so foreign" when he returned.
When mom Ulla marries "full of himself" doofus Mr Johnstone, purchaser of his dad's store, the lad follows his teacher back to San Francisco and signs on as a cabin boy to become a writer, inspired by Verne who plagiarized from time-travellers. A futuristic jet-pack society in 1975 that accepts time-travel alien Ambasssadors, where kids roam mugging others, is an unusual setting, makes the come-of-age classic plot normal.
3 All day sucker
4 To market, to market
5 Return to Pleasure Island
Perhaps moral is: satisfying desires can cause suffering. On Pleasure Island, George makes sugar cones for boys, soft ones, then goes home to smart brother Bill and makes their alien-style meals: "maggoty side of beef .. and gravel", "muskrat's carcass with mayonnaise and lemon and dragonfly eggs". Their father died at 50, very old, after fathering three sons: left thumb strong, right smart, tongue small Joe. When visiting boys have all their wishes granted, they turn into donkeys, sent back to the mainland. Now 30, Bill has fathers Tom from his right thumb. Human mentor Orville convinces George to move out. George finds all his relatives turned to donkeys.
6 Shadow of the mothaship
Narrator Maxes 22 wants to fly his parents "three-storey bat" house away, waits for Studes on horse to bring filament string and solvent. .. enough ..
7 Home again, home again
8 The super man and the bugout
9 Ownz0red
Typo:
#2 - Mr Johnston for Johnstone
Free http://craphound.com/download.php
1 Craphound
Craphounds are junk-searching pals with a code to never bid against each other. Until a fine June day, when narrator gets outbid by alien buddy, $10K for a trunk of cowboy memorabilia at an East Muskoka firemen's auxilary rummage sale. He makes a new friend, a big city lawyer he suspects once owned the trunk, because of his fondness for the western theme, but keeps running into his pal Craphound.
2 A Place so Foreign
After his beloved time-traveller Ambasador dad Les vanishes, narrator James Arthur Nicholson 14 and Mama move back from 1975 Great Salt Lake city to 1898 New Jerusalem village. His pal Oly Sweynsdatter is left behind future's advanced formal education. Teacher Robert Adelson inspires him with his sailing past, how his home seemed "a place so foreign" when he returned.
When mom Ulla marries "full of himself" doofus Mr Johnstone, purchaser of his dad's store, the lad follows his teacher back to San Francisco and signs on as a cabin boy to become a writer, inspired by Verne who plagiarized from time-travellers. A futuristic jet-pack society in 1975 that accepts time-travel alien Ambasssadors, where kids roam mugging others, is an unusual setting, makes the come-of-age classic plot normal.
3 All day sucker
4 To market, to market
5 Return to Pleasure Island
Perhaps moral is: satisfying desires can cause suffering. On Pleasure Island, George makes sugar cones for boys, soft ones, then goes home to smart brother Bill and makes their alien-style meals: "maggoty side of beef .. and gravel", "muskrat's carcass with mayonnaise and lemon and dragonfly eggs". Their father died at 50, very old, after fathering three sons: left thumb strong, right smart, tongue small Joe. When visiting boys have all their wishes granted, they turn into donkeys, sent back to the mainland. Now 30, Bill has fathers Tom from his right thumb. Human mentor Orville convinces George to move out. George finds all his relatives turned to donkeys.
6 Shadow of the mothaship
Narrator Maxes 22 wants to fly his parents "three-storey bat" house away, waits for Studes on horse to bring filament string and solvent. .. enough ..
7 Home again, home again
8 The super man and the bugout
9 Ownz0red
Typo:
#2 - Mr Johnston for Johnstone
April 2, 2009
I'm not a sci-fi fan so I have a few pages of this book sent to me every day through a widget. I figured that way I can expose myself to this genre.
As a librarian, I'm very excited that Mr. Doctorow has made this book available through the Creative Commons license. One of the arguments against this "free" access is that because the author doesn't hold the copyright, then he won't receive royalties. He writes,
"It turns out that, as near as anyone can tell, distributing free electronic versions of books is a great way to sell more of the paper editions, while simultaneously getting the book into the hands of readers who would otherwise not be exposed to my work.
I still don't know how it is artists will earn a living in the age of the Internet, but I remain convinced that the way to find out is to do basic science: that is, to do stuff and observe the outcome. That's what I'm doing here. The thing to remember is that the very *worst* thing you can do to me as an artist is to not read my work -- to let it languish in obscurity and disappear from posterity. Most of the fiction I grew up on is out-of-print, and this is doubly true for the short stories. Losing a couple bucks to people who would have bought the book save for the availability of the free electronic text is no big deal, at least when compared to the horror that is being irrelevant and unread. And luckily for me, it appears that giving away the text for free gets me more paying customers than it loses me."
I applaud his experiment with copyright.
"Craphound"--first stab at this genre and it wasn't too bad.
"A Place so Foreign"--I liked this one and understood it. YAY!
I enjoyed "Return to Pleasure Island" though again, I'm not really sure about what was going on. I'm really lost when it comes to this genre. The whole boys to donkeys thing threw me for a loop and I didn't get the ending at all. Perhaps I'll look for some commentary on it.
"Shadow of the Mothaship." --having a really tough time concentrating on this one. A little too sci-fi for me. Perhaps it's because I keep nodding off because I'm so tired or because I'm reading it in chunks, but I don't remember why people have names like Daisy Duke and Tony the Tiger...Also not sure why everything is made from foam.
The rest of the stories flew by and though they were well written, I just couldn't get into them.
As a librarian, I'm very excited that Mr. Doctorow has made this book available through the Creative Commons license. One of the arguments against this "free" access is that because the author doesn't hold the copyright, then he won't receive royalties. He writes,
"It turns out that, as near as anyone can tell, distributing free electronic versions of books is a great way to sell more of the paper editions, while simultaneously getting the book into the hands of readers who would otherwise not be exposed to my work.
I still don't know how it is artists will earn a living in the age of the Internet, but I remain convinced that the way to find out is to do basic science: that is, to do stuff and observe the outcome. That's what I'm doing here. The thing to remember is that the very *worst* thing you can do to me as an artist is to not read my work -- to let it languish in obscurity and disappear from posterity. Most of the fiction I grew up on is out-of-print, and this is doubly true for the short stories. Losing a couple bucks to people who would have bought the book save for the availability of the free electronic text is no big deal, at least when compared to the horror that is being irrelevant and unread. And luckily for me, it appears that giving away the text for free gets me more paying customers than it loses me."
I applaud his experiment with copyright.
"Craphound"--first stab at this genre and it wasn't too bad.
"A Place so Foreign"--I liked this one and understood it. YAY!
I enjoyed "Return to Pleasure Island" though again, I'm not really sure about what was going on. I'm really lost when it comes to this genre. The whole boys to donkeys thing threw me for a loop and I didn't get the ending at all. Perhaps I'll look for some commentary on it.
"Shadow of the Mothaship." --having a really tough time concentrating on this one. A little too sci-fi for me. Perhaps it's because I keep nodding off because I'm so tired or because I'm reading it in chunks, but I don't remember why people have names like Daisy Duke and Tony the Tiger...Also not sure why everything is made from foam.
The rest of the stories flew by and though they were well written, I just couldn't get into them.
January 26, 2014
Doctorow's a genius at taking the weirdest things and inserting them into familiar environments. It doesn't take a lot of effort to put myself into his imaginative creations. His worlds make me laugh, cringe, or often both simultaneously. The stories hold up amazingly - perfectly - well 10 years+ after they were written. 2 favorites: Craphound and Home Again, Home Again.
Craphound Just plain fun!! Recommend to anyone who has to do a U-turn at a Yard Sale sign, even if you're not a sci-fi reader. *****
A Place So Foreign Hmm. Interesting. Some pretty entertaining takes on time travel. Got a kick out of the "We are from France". Too many "huh?" parts, though. ***
All Day Sucker Great little 4-pager for anyone who ever wished they could get revenge in the workplace.****
To Market, to Market: The Rebranding of Billy Bailey No rating. The story didn't do much for me. It was perfectly well written, nothing wrong with it, I just couldn't relate.
Return to Pleasure Island It was fun, but I didn't get it. Until I googled it afterwards and discovered it's based on a 1940 Disney film, Pleasure Island. Aha, now it makes sense. Given my ignorance, I don't think it's fair for me to rate the story.
Shadow of the Mothaship Despite the Mothaship, this didn't feel like science fiction to me. A story of the endless generational conflict. Or political satire. Or a nod to various periods in history (1950s McCarthyism comes to mind). Maybe all of the above. Interpret as you will. ****
Home Again, Home Again Lonely boy befriends a man who is channeling Nicola Tesla. Doctorow really shows off his imagination (and wonderful nerdiness) here. My other favorite in this book. *****
The Super Man and the Bugout Anyone who's ever participated in any large demonstrations will recognize the authenticity in this story. But I'll bet nobody's been involved in one with a lefty Superman who may or may not sell out. ****
Ownz0red I don't know much about leetspeak but that's ok. Doctorow says in the intro "it's unflinchingly nerdy" and that's his audience for the story. But that didn't take too much away from the story, which is a really good one. And I do like puzzles, so I had fun trying to decipher 1337. ****
Craphound Just plain fun!! Recommend to anyone who has to do a U-turn at a Yard Sale sign, even if you're not a sci-fi reader. *****
A Place So Foreign Hmm. Interesting. Some pretty entertaining takes on time travel. Got a kick out of the "We are from France". Too many "huh?" parts, though. ***
All Day Sucker Great little 4-pager for anyone who ever wished they could get revenge in the workplace.****
To Market, to Market: The Rebranding of Billy Bailey No rating. The story didn't do much for me. It was perfectly well written, nothing wrong with it, I just couldn't relate.
Return to Pleasure Island It was fun, but I didn't get it. Until I googled it afterwards and discovered it's based on a 1940 Disney film, Pleasure Island. Aha, now it makes sense. Given my ignorance, I don't think it's fair for me to rate the story.
Shadow of the Mothaship Despite the Mothaship, this didn't feel like science fiction to me. A story of the endless generational conflict. Or political satire. Or a nod to various periods in history (1950s McCarthyism comes to mind). Maybe all of the above. Interpret as you will. ****
Home Again, Home Again Lonely boy befriends a man who is channeling Nicola Tesla. Doctorow really shows off his imagination (and wonderful nerdiness) here. My other favorite in this book. *****
The Super Man and the Bugout Anyone who's ever participated in any large demonstrations will recognize the authenticity in this story. But I'll bet nobody's been involved in one with a lefty Superman who may or may not sell out. ****
Ownz0red I don't know much about leetspeak but that's ok. Doctorow says in the intro "it's unflinchingly nerdy" and that's his audience for the story. But that didn't take too much away from the story, which is a really good one. And I do like puzzles, so I had fun trying to decipher 1337. ****
January 25, 2012
So - looks like I've read the 6 short stories from this collection that Cory Doctorow makes available for free download on his site: www.craphound.com.
Here's my thoughts on those stories - and I'll probably hunt down a dead-tree version at some point to read the rest of the collection.
"Craphound" - the main character scours yard sales, thrift stores & the like to find interesting pop culture elements to sell to aliens, who seem VERY interested in human ephemera.
"A Place So Foreign" - a time travel yarn - a young boy leaves 1898 Utah to go in search of his father, who "got lost" in 1975. Fun culture clash stuff.
"Return to Pleasure Island" - possibly my favorite; Golems live and work in a theme park that resembles the Pleasure Island of the Pinnochio tale much more than the (RIP) Disney version (tho Disney references abound)
"Shadow of the Mothaship" - a disaffected young man wreaks havoc in a world controlled (benignly) by aliens. I enjoyed the tech more than the plot.
"Home Again, Home Again" - another disaffected/abandonded young man explores his decrepit apartment block & meets a fellow resident who claims to be Nicola Tesla. The story is stronger here, but again, the setting claimed my attention more.
"The Super Man and the Bugout" - hm.. this one didn't look familiar - will be DL'ing & re-reading this.
Here's my thoughts on those stories - and I'll probably hunt down a dead-tree version at some point to read the rest of the collection.
"Craphound" - the main character scours yard sales, thrift stores & the like to find interesting pop culture elements to sell to aliens, who seem VERY interested in human ephemera.
"A Place So Foreign" - a time travel yarn - a young boy leaves 1898 Utah to go in search of his father, who "got lost" in 1975. Fun culture clash stuff.
"Return to Pleasure Island" - possibly my favorite; Golems live and work in a theme park that resembles the Pleasure Island of the Pinnochio tale much more than the (RIP) Disney version (tho Disney references abound)
"Shadow of the Mothaship" - a disaffected young man wreaks havoc in a world controlled (benignly) by aliens. I enjoyed the tech more than the plot.
"Home Again, Home Again" - another disaffected/abandonded young man explores his decrepit apartment block & meets a fellow resident who claims to be Nicola Tesla. The story is stronger here, but again, the setting claimed my attention more.
"The Super Man and the Bugout" - hm.. this one didn't look familiar - will be DL'ing & re-reading this.
November 1, 2009
Craphound: Enjoyable.
A Place So Foreign: 4 stars. Unique and non-obvious.
All Day Sucker: System Hang as a feature.
To Market, To Marke: The Rebranding of Billy Bailey: Caricature of our future.
Return to Pleasure Island: Groundwork for Someone Comes to Town Someone Leaves Town. Doctorow sets out to answer a question raised by Pinnochio, and comes up with a truly bizarre answer.
Shadow of the Mothaship: Fun, despite a nominally (and legitimately) dark tone.
Home again, Home again: 4 stars. Original and interesting.
The Super Man and the Bugout:
0wnz0red: Long ago, I explained to Amy that science fiction, as a rule is about kicking ass (in any of various different ways). Doctorow has found a new way to kick ass.
I read most of this electronically, but bought the paperbook for the last couple (which are not available online).
http://craphound.com/place/
A Place So Foreign: 4 stars. Unique and non-obvious.
All Day Sucker: System Hang as a feature.
To Market, To Marke: The Rebranding of Billy Bailey: Caricature of our future.
Return to Pleasure Island: Groundwork for Someone Comes to Town Someone Leaves Town. Doctorow sets out to answer a question raised by Pinnochio, and comes up with a truly bizarre answer.
Shadow of the Mothaship: Fun, despite a nominally (and legitimately) dark tone.
Home again, Home again: 4 stars. Original and interesting.
The Super Man and the Bugout:
0wnz0red: Long ago, I explained to Amy that science fiction, as a rule is about kicking ass (in any of various different ways). Doctorow has found a new way to kick ass.
I read most of this electronically, but bought the paperbook for the last couple (which are not available online).
http://craphound.com/place/
March 5, 2015
Doctorow is an author that benefits from the short leash of a short story collection. The less space you have to make an argument, the more concise you'll be.
That being said, the other collection of his that I've read (Overclocked) was much better, or at least it "hit me in the feels" a bit harder. He doesn't avoid making his characters play second fiddle to his "wow, isn't technology neat?" schtick in this book, and when he plays around with dialect it feels like a chore. Except for the title story, which might be my favorite piece by Doctorow that I've read,
the rest of the book falls victim to getting caught up in its own inherent coolness.
But cool is still cool, and that brings its own mileage. His imagination never lacks for ideas, and it sustains his work almost entirely.
That being said, the other collection of his that I've read (Overclocked) was much better, or at least it "hit me in the feels" a bit harder. He doesn't avoid making his characters play second fiddle to his "wow, isn't technology neat?" schtick in this book, and when he plays around with dialect it feels like a chore. Except for the title story, which might be my favorite piece by Doctorow that I've read,
the rest of the book falls victim to getting caught up in its own inherent coolness.
But cool is still cool, and that brings its own mileage. His imagination never lacks for ideas, and it sustains his work almost entirely.
November 4, 2007
A collection of quirkly sci-fi stories, pretty much all of which had interesting concepts, but very little in the way of characters. (Also virtually no female characters, I realized once I was done. Like, I think a couple times someone's mom shows up, but that's it. Wow.) I think I read for characters more than ideas (though obviously, a marriage of both is what's best) so there really wasn't much for me here. YMMV, of course, but these stories really did leave me feeling stranded, like a foreigner.
February 4, 2017
A fantastic short sci-fi fiction centered around the concept of body hacking, written by somebody that must be a software engineer, entertaining and fascinating for everybody, but strongly recommended to all the software engineers in the Silicon Valley. This is the story of Murray Swain, one of the many computer scientist in the valley, devastated by the death of his best friend Liam.
August 14, 2007
Doctorow is an original, and this compelling collection proves it. The humans of his near future concoctions are often as alien as the non-humans, and he’s got a sly wit that can be devastatingly funny. You need to read this collection if for no other reason than to meet a Superman who was raised not by Ma & Pa Kent in all-American Kansas, but by the Abramowicz’s in Toronto, Canada: Superman as the ultimate Nice Jewish Boy.
September 5, 2007
I'm half way through these short stories and I actually find them quite charming.
They are "light" sci-fi, in my opinion, and easy to take for pretty much anyone who enjoys fantasy and/or space and time travel. Doctorow has a bit of a thing about Disneyland and garage sales, so those elements continue to turn up.
Overall, easy and enjoyable. Read it on an airplane, and it was perfect for that.
They are "light" sci-fi, in my opinion, and easy to take for pretty much anyone who enjoys fantasy and/or space and time travel. Doctorow has a bit of a thing about Disneyland and garage sales, so those elements continue to turn up.
Overall, easy and enjoyable. Read it on an airplane, and it was perfect for that.
July 24, 2012
As I've found before with Doctorow's collections, I loved some of the stories and couldn't connect with others. I think this might be because so many are based on pop culture; I can relate well to something based on a general principle, but if the impact depends on knowing much about a specific character it may be dependent on familiarity (in this collection the Pinocchio story worked for me but the Superman story didn't).
January 26, 2013
An uneven but entertaining collection of science fiction/pop culture extrapolations set in the near future, all more or less on the theme of societal shift as aliens and humans begin to interact. Doctorow is a writer who's easy to dismiss, because his breezy style makes it all seem terribly simple - but the ideas and characters linger in the mind, a sign that there's more here than first meets the eye.
January 7, 2008
Cory Doctorow works much better in the short story format than in novels. I'd give this collection five stars for sheer enjoyability, but three stars for still not being able to write a story where the narrative doesn't take a back seat to lectures about open source software or transhumanism or whatever he's interested in at the time.
June 18, 2010
Loved A Place So Foreign; Home Again, Home Again; To Market, To Market; and 0wnz0red.
Was bored by everything else. The good was great, the rest was just forgettable. Doctorow's strength - for me - lies in novels. The short story format has been hit or miss. Still looking forward to plowing through FTW tonight, though.
Was bored by everything else. The good was great, the rest was just forgettable. Doctorow's strength - for me - lies in novels. The short story format has been hit or miss. Still looking forward to plowing through FTW tonight, though.
December 13, 2009
This was OK. Overall, the stories in Overclocked were better. As another reviewer noted (and it stuck with me throughout the book) nearly the only female characters in these stories were the main characters' moms.
December 1, 2012
I didn't read the entire book, but rather the short story "Super Man and the Bug Out," which is available as an ebook via Project Gutenberg. Very entertaining - a Superman "what if" story of comic proportions detailing the problems inherent in maintaining a secret identity. Worth reading this story and definitely worth looking into more of Cory Doctorow's writing.
October 6, 2013
This is a reasonably high quality set of Doctorow's short fiction; I do tend to find his stuff enjoyable to read since the ideas he comes up with do seem quite innovative.
And short fiction is fun, since I can parsel out the stories as I have time to read them, without having to worry to remember them.
4 of 5 stars.
And short fiction is fun, since I can parsel out the stories as I have time to read them, without having to worry to remember them.
4 of 5 stars.
February 12, 2008
The stories are uneven. I really loved the trip back to the Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom universe but none of the other stories really stood out.
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