The Windup Girl

[Hober Mallow]

I've seen a lot of hype about this book "The Windup girl" which is from a new and little known author (Paolo Bacigalupi). It won the Hugo award this year, is a candidate for the Nebula award and has appeared on various other book lists. The biopunk theme of the novel is intriguing. I just bought an electronic version of the book for $6 but won't get a chance to read it for a few weeks, as I'm extremely busy. Has anyone read this yet and what's your opinion?

 

[Vertigo]

I've seen a lot of hype about this book "The Windup girl" which is from a new and little known author (Paolo Bacigalupi). It won the Hugo award this year, is a candidate for the Nebula award and has appeared on various other book lists. The theme of the novel is intriguing. I just bought an electronic version of the book for $6 but won't get a chance to read it for a few weeks, as I'm extremely busy. Has anyone read this yet and what's your opinion?

I've got this one on my to read list. It is possibly worth noting that there are two short stories The Calorie Man and The Yellow Card Man (in I think that order) written earlier which introduce the world and I believe some of the charcters in The Windup Girl. They are in a collection of Bacigalupi's stories called Pump Six and Other Stories. He also has a full length novel out more recently called Ship Breaker which I may look at if the others live up to expectation.

 

[Hober Mallow]

It is possibly worth noting that there are two short stories The Calorie Man and The Yellow Card Man (in I think that order) written earlier which introduce the world and I believe some of the charcters in The Windup Girl.

I think I saw them available free for download or online reading somewhere.

 

[Connavar]

I was wondering if i should read the short stories or the novel first.

I have heard good things about the kind of sf the book is.

 

[Vertigo]

I was wondering if i should read the short stories or the novel first.

I have heard good things about the kind of sf the book is.

They were certainly written first and, I suspect, come first chronologically. My intention is to read them first

I think I saw them available free for download or online reading somewhere.

Unfortunately you are both right and wrong : The publishers have a download page here Downloads at Night Shade Books where they do indeed offer three stories from the collection, including these two however when you follow the link you get a page stating:

"The three stories included the Hugo nominee ‘Yellow Card Man,’ and the Sturgeon Award-winning story ‘The Calorie Man.’
We hosted that .pdf on our site for three months, then took it down, , as per our agreement with Nightshade Books."

That said, if they were available once I'm sure you could find them to download still. As to the ethics of it; I guess since they were once offered for free (presumably as a taster/lead in to the Windup Girl) it would not be unethical to still download them for free... maybe

If you have problems getting them PM me.

 

[Hober Mallow]

That said, if they were available once I'm sure you could find them to download still. As to the ethics of it; I guess since they were once offered for free (presumably as a taster/lead in to the Windup Girl) it would not be unethical to still download them for free... maybe

If you have problems getting them PM me.

Thank you but I found a PDF for "Windup Stories" and downloaded it from somewhere yesterday. I didn't remember to note where I got it . The ebook of "The Windup Girl" can be purchased in a variety of formats for only $6 USD at The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi - WebScription Ebook. "Pump Six and other Stories" is also available (it includes "The Yellow Card Man" and "Calorie Man") there for the same price but I'd read the two free stories first before purchasing.

 

[asp3]

Has anyone finished this book? I'm reading it and it's been difficult to get through the first two chapters. I'm wondering if it gets better in the later chapters. I'm finding the book isn't flowing well for me. In addition the printing is rather annoying with the paragraphs smashed together without good separation between them. I'm not looking for any plot points or details just a general sense of whether those who read it would recommend it.

 

[hitmouse]

I read it through about 10years ago and enjoyed it.

 

[Vertigo]

Has anyone finished this book? I'm reading it and it's been difficult to get through the first two chapters. I'm wondering if it gets better in the later chapters. I'm finding the book isn't flowing well for me. In addition the printing is rather annoying with the paragraphs smashed together without good separation between them. I'm not looking for any plot points or details just a general sense of whether those who read it would recommend it.

I read and enjoyed it probably around 10 years ago now. I seem to remember it was a bit slow getting going and, as with most of Bacigalupi's work is a pretty grim vision of the environmental future. But definitely good and I've gone on to read most of his books.