The People of Sand and Slag, by Paolo Bacigalupi

[Omphalos]

One of the best environmental stories to be published in recent memory is in my opinion this story by a relatively new author; The People of Sand and Slag, by Paulo Bacigalupi. Set probably in the far future, it is about how humans have adapted to survive in a completely wrecked environment. Oddly, it really does not qualify as a dystopic vision. In fact, it may even be a utopia, though if it is this one definitely qualifies as an "ambiguous utopia," at least from our perspective...Please click here, or on the book cover above, to be taken to the complete review..

 

[AE35Unit]

That sounds interesting! So it is a story in a magazine? Sounds like it could be a good novel!

 

[Omphalos]

Here is the printing history for this story. This is one of those stories that I keep running across. I just got a copy of Wastelands and read it again there, and IIRC the editor said in the introductory blurb that Bacigalupi is indeed turning it into a novel. Ill re-read the intro when I get home tonight and make sure that is what he said for sure.

 

[Omphalos]

Just heard this weekend that Bacigalupi's first novel will be set in the world he created for another story called The Calorie Man, and not this world. Im not such a fan of that story.

 

[AE35Unit]

Just heard this weekend that Bacigalupi's first novel will be set in the world he created for another story called The Calorie Man, and not this world. Im not such a fan of that story.

Ah thats a shame as that story sounds good!
BTW may I ask what that under your name means ( הדרךקפיצת ) and, if its real, what language it is?

 

[Omphalos]

Don't mind at all. It's Hebrew. It says "haderach k'fiztat," which in Dune means "the shortening of the way," and was what they called the main character, among other things. Its a SF thing for me, not a Jewish one. That picture in my avatar is a painting of Leto II from the French cover of God Emperor or Dune. Im a bit fixated, in case you had not realized.

 

[AE35Unit]

. Im a bit fixated, in case you had not realized.

Yea I'm a bit like that with 2001. In fact I'm a LOT like that!

 

[Hilarious Joke]

Nice review Omphalos. The story seems disturbing and depressing to me.

 

[Omphalos]

Yea I'm a bit like that with 2001. In fact I'm a LOT like that!

Tis a great thing to love a great book, is it not?

Nice review Omphalos. The story seems disturbing and depressing to me.

Thanks for the compliment.

If you're interested, Bacigalupi has some of his works on line. Here is a link to this story. Others are on this site:

http://windupstories.com/pumpsix/the-people-of-sand-and-slag/

 

[AE35Unit]

Tis a great thing to love a great book, is it not?

It is indeed,tho in my case its also a film,oh and maybe a The Making of documentary,soundtrack album and Tshirt if I could find em i just love the world that was created there!