Pump Six and Other Stories

One of my favorite little things about picking up a science fiction short story collection by an author I’ve never read is figuring out what kind of sci-fi I’m getting into. Is this going to be the hard, science-focused work of an Arthur C. Clarke or Robert Charles Wilson? The softer, more adventurous style of something like Star Wars or Dean Wilson’s Coilhunter? The darker, slightly satirical cyberpunk worlds of William Gibson and Neal Stephenson? Am I getting steampunk or post-apocalyptic, philosophical or scientific, satirical or exciting? Or, best of all, will I get some weird blend of all of them?In many ways, that last one is what I got with Pump Six and Other Stories, my first exposure to the work of author Paolo Bacigalupi. There’s no small amount of cyberpunk to this world; in most of these stories, there’s a sense of a world ruled by corporations and technology, one in which the world and society have changed as a result of the two blending together. From the living organic skyscrapers of ”Pocketful of Dharma” to the bioengineered crops of “The Calorie Man,” from the genetic supermen of “The People of Sand and Slag” to the human art projects represented by the title of “The Fluted Girls,” Bacigalupi is fascinated by the directions that technology is taking us, and where it could go if it’s unchecked by humanity or morality.And really, that’s more where Bacigalupi’s voice comes through. For all of his fantastical (and often nightmarish) visions, Pump Six is ultimately a series of stories about situations in which humans have allowed their morals to be subjugated by the world around them – a theme that makes for a bleak set of stories indeed. Clans grapple with legacies of violence and xenophobia, and a priest is forced to think about what must be done to end it. A man murders his wife and finds that the world moves on just as merrily as it did before. The last thinking man in a city realizes that the world around him has no interest in knowledge, work, or survival, and no one minds. People are treated like commodities, societies are left to starve in the name of corporate profit, genetic engineering makes monsters in the name of progress – but whatever the situation, the world seems to move on without a single worry.That all makes Pump Six sound like a more overwhelming and crushing experience than it really is. No, this isn’t exactly a collection of rainbows and kittens, but focusing on the bleak themes doesn’t do justice to the sheer life and imagination on display in these stories. Within a narrow window of pages, Bacigalupi doesn’t just manage to tell a story; he creates complex ecosystems, full societies and worlds with their own history and sense of progress. And his characters get no less care, with Bacigalupi bringing them all to life with the careful sketching and outlining of an artist. Look no further than the tragic life of “The Yellow Card Man,” a man struggling to survive a world that he was once on top of, and constantly battling against the indignities and cruelties that fate has dropped on him. What could easily be a portrait of simple misery becomes more compelling and tragic in his hands, becoming as much a story about how this all happened as it this man’s life.No, you’ll never mistake Bacigalupi for an optimist. But you’ll also realize within a page that you’re in the hands of a master, a man with ambitious, fascinating visions not just about technology, but about people and their relationships with the world around them. More than that, he brings sharp craft, careful prose, and great storytelling to bear. It all makes for a phenomenal collection, and one well worth reading. Just don’t expect a happy ride in the process.

I like the writing style and unexpected approach. I don’t like all the stories but I rate it on the overall value (I am tempted on giving it 5). I also like the “mostly” clean delivery and non-focus on explicit content, but on good story. I would rate it PG13; however, depending on how conservative you are, few of the stories are not appropriate for young teens.

If I was an evil genius author, and my name was, say Paolo, with unlimited knowledge, imagination and eclectic experience at my disposal. Now, if I, Paolo, wanted to create series of mindbending short fiction that made people think deeply, question themselves not only about personal philosophies, but about the implications to our survival as a species. I might use fear, uncertainty and doubt regarding the future of the environment, new technology misuse and breakdown, water supply and food availability, availability of power sources, religious issues, race divisiveness, infertility, immortality, radical political structures, subversion, perverted definitions of humanity and war.Scared yet? You will be.Forget the rotting zombies munching on brains that need their head's chopped off to make things safe. We have screwed the pooch due to greed, laziness and years of apathy in Paolo's world. We also haven't retained the wherewithal to maintain things for the masses. If you don't want to buy one hundred acres of rain forest, reduce your carbon footprint and become chartreuse as a lifestyle after reading this, you don't have a pulse. The evil genius Paolo kicks Al Gore's ass when it comes to building a frightening future.I have never read a short story collection where the themes, the ramifications of what happened in each story were so intense they needed to be internally processed for at least a week before I could understand everything Paolo wanted to say, and even then go on to tackle the next story with a clear head. You have to be CURIOUS; you have to think about why each story has tickled your senses, because if the evil genius had wished to spell out his ideas, he could easily have written entire, intense novels, if not series to explore these ideas and worlds encompassing each story. Just thinking through the ramifications of what got the world and the characters to the story kick-off, and how all the many Pachinko balls shot from the final twists ripple through the world as a result. It is an exercise in knowledge, human behavior and logic. One Helluva Puzzle. Evil genius at work... THIS IS ART. I Have. Never. Seen. Anyone. Else. Do. This! Books like this are as rare as hen's teeth. There is still hope for new, intelligent prose.The WATERKNIFE came out of the water deprived world of the Tamarisk Hunter and the Windup Girl was a secondary character in Yellow Card Man, so it is clear the author had mentally developed his worlds far beyond the short story stage. Actually, that is obvious when you read these stories, so much work was put into each one; not only character development, but vast and detailed worldbuilding and comprehensive storylines, even if we only see just a small part of it.The Line UpA Pocketful of Dharma -In a divided Eastern world of the very rich and very poor, a young beggar boy finds the high tech wonder of shattering proportions, which has the capability to start a war, and get him killed in the process.The Fluted Girl -Genetic engineering, entertainment, power, feudalism and murder. One of the best and most surprising stories in the collection.The People of Sand and Slag -The relationship between people and animals, hundreds of years in the future when conditions are considerably different, but human nature hasn't changed all that much.The Pasho -A young man returns home to his traditional desert home after training as a priest in the water-rich city where he learned all the Old World knowledge to help his people, but his people don't want change.The Calorie ManIn a world where food shortages wipe out nations, calories are king. A rogue plant geneticist has his own agenda for breaking up the two company monopoly on crops. Can they stop him?The Tamarisk Hunter -California has contracted for water rights from surrounding states for decades. As aquifers dry up, Tamarisk Hunters are paid to remove the plants as they drink precious gallons. What happens when the water gets too low?The Pop SquadPopulation control takes a dark turn once Rejuvenation Treatments extend human lifespan and quality.The Yellow Card ManA powerful tale of the right to work based on race or luck. A tale of racism and survival from rich and poor in a new and desperate world.Softer -A tale of perspective. A suburban husband realizes he hasn't been genuinely happy since he was eight years old, and drastically changes his things to gain a new lease on life.Pump Six -My favorite story - showing my geek tendencies. A young man is in charge of maintaining the large pumps that keep the water and sewage in check for NYC. When things start going sideways, he gets two big surprises. In the words of Greenday - the stupid are breeding. Awesomely chilling...Small Offerings -Prenatal and Postnatal care in a polluted world is a dicey proposition. In this twisted tale of medical science scrambling to find a workable solutionBest short story collection ever. Highly Recommended!.

Varied stories, always wanting more. Left hanging, surprise endings. A future manipulated by genetic tampering... Dark bleak future but great reading.

Lovers of the short story expect a fast moving plot with a sharp turn at the end. Now here you get it and then some. It helps when you are doomsday resistand, which means you enjoy stories where global warming is history, the world has accepted the changes (for the worse) and mankind, well you get a lot of stories where you see how men handle this gloomy future.My favourite is pump six. The general attitude of mankind is showing now allready. And if you think a little ahead of the end of that particular story, you will see where the road of mankind will end. In a big sea of...IŽll let you find that out for yourself.I like some more happy sience fiction, with spaceships and interstellar drives, but this book made me think.

A very good collection of science fiction (though everything about the cover and inside jacket disguises the genre) short stories, well worth giving a go. The stories can be pretty dark and bitter sweet but always entertaining. Yellow Card Man about a down and out refugee is particularly good but the thrilling and melancholic post-cyberpunk The People of Sand and Slag depicting a weird and scary posthuman society is my favourite.

After hearing Pump Six on a podcast I had to get the other stories. Halfway through the book now and must say they are morbid but thought provoking. Some imagined scenes are truly chilling.

Thought provoking short stories including two from the same "universe" as "The Windup Girl", the multi-award winning epic from Bacgalupi