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kirabitch's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
tedpikul's review against another edition
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
jimbose's review against another edition
3.0
Ero molto curioso di conoscere Sterling, colui che con Gibson, ha definito il cyberpunk. Dovrò proseguire la mia ricerca visto che in questo romanzo si parla di tutt'altro argomento: l'apocalisse ecologica.
Nonostante la delusione per non aver trovato tecnologia avanzata, cibernetica ed innesti artificiali ho cercato di sgombrare la mente da ogni ombra per avventurarmi nel futuro prossimo di un mondo preda di cataclismi atmosferici e mutazioni genetiche.
Beh, mi pare di aver trovato un buon scrittore di fantascienza che però, con questo romanzo, non è al suo meglio. Mi è piaciuta molto la parte centrale del romanzo, ricca di premesse e di promesse. Deludente è invece stata la parte conclusiva, parte in cui, Sterling, invece di approfittare del crescendo di aspettative che aveva creato, smorza molto i toni, banalizza i rapporti tra i personaggi e ti fa pensare, finendo di leggere l'ultima pagina, "tutto qui?".
Indice Jimbose: 63%
Nonostante la delusione per non aver trovato tecnologia avanzata, cibernetica ed innesti artificiali ho cercato di sgombrare la mente da ogni ombra per avventurarmi nel futuro prossimo di un mondo preda di cataclismi atmosferici e mutazioni genetiche.
Beh, mi pare di aver trovato un buon scrittore di fantascienza che però, con questo romanzo, non è al suo meglio. Mi è piaciuta molto la parte centrale del romanzo, ricca di premesse e di promesse. Deludente è invece stata la parte conclusiva, parte in cui, Sterling, invece di approfittare del crescendo di aspettative che aveva creato, smorza molto i toni, banalizza i rapporti tra i personaggi e ti fa pensare, finendo di leggere l'ultima pagina, "tutto qui?".
Indice Jimbose: 63%
jdhacker's review against another edition
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
This one had several false starts before I managed to grit my way through it, hence the long gap between start and finish dates.
To be fair, I did have this mixed up with an entirely different cyberpunk book, Mother of Storms, when I picked it up so that wasn't helping much. I also, generally speaking, really enjoy Bruce Sterling, and the genre in general, so this was a bit of a let down.
Heavy Weather features a number of Bruce Sterling's prescient cultural and technological predictions, but its nested in this Twister (the movie)-esque subsetting of cyberpunk that feels very jarring. In this case, it also predicts the EF scale and the rash of terrible, heretofore unseen, giant tornadoes we had in Oklahoma. I know folks are big on it predicting climate change, but I feel that to one degree or another that's part and parcel of the genre. If not climate change in particular, then just humans wrecking the environment more broadly.
The plot felt fragmented as well as dragged out and slow to start, the characterizations felt kind of weak, and the imaginary lingo was heavy, thick, and obscure even for a cyberpunk novel. Skip this one in favor of the aforementioned Mother of Storms (for another weather disaster related cyberpunk novel that was more engaging), or just some of Sterling's other work.
To be fair, I did have this mixed up with an entirely different cyberpunk book, Mother of Storms, when I picked it up so that wasn't helping much. I also, generally speaking, really enjoy Bruce Sterling, and the genre in general, so this was a bit of a let down.
Heavy Weather features a number of Bruce Sterling's prescient cultural and technological predictions, but its nested in this Twister (the movie)-esque subsetting of cyberpunk that feels very jarring. In this case, it also predicts the EF scale and the rash of terrible, heretofore unseen, giant tornadoes we had in Oklahoma. I know folks are big on it predicting climate change, but I feel that to one degree or another that's part and parcel of the genre. If not climate change in particular, then just humans wrecking the environment more broadly.
The plot felt fragmented as well as dragged out and slow to start, the characterizations felt kind of weak, and the imaginary lingo was heavy, thick, and obscure even for a cyberpunk novel. Skip this one in favor of the aforementioned Mother of Storms (for another weather disaster related cyberpunk novel that was more engaging), or just some of Sterling's other work.
mayor_of_taco_town's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
remi_yoyo's review against another edition
1.0
this was a dnf for years because its so bloody depressing, so misogynistic and then i finally finish reading it to find out it has an underwhelming and eugenicist ending???????
actual garbage
actual garbage
trike's review against another edition
4.0
This is by far my favorite Sterling book. Unlike his earlier Mechist-Shaper story cycle, this book still seems all-too-possible. Plus, I want that Jumping Jeep with the Smart Wheels. How awesome was THAT thing?! Daaaamn.
At times the clunky prose intrudes, as do some of the obvious "As you know Bob" moments, but overall this is solid stuff, and still feels like it could happen.
At times the clunky prose intrudes, as do some of the obvious "As you know Bob" moments, but overall this is solid stuff, and still feels like it could happen.