Metropolitan

I recently re-read both these books, and I was again impressed with the quality of WJW's writing. I've read and enjoyed most of his other books (some notable ones being Aristoi, Voice of the Whirlwind, Angel Station, etc) and love the way he paints such a large landscape beyond the edges of the story. In Metropolitan, in particular, the descriptions of the world-city are a fascinating blend of hard-boiled urban noir, chrome-finned retrofuturism, and gritty realistic detail. Some parallels could be drawn to stories like "Perdido Street Station" by China Mieville. All the main characters progress and grow over the story arc. The Aiah at the end of City on Fire is not the same girl we meet in the begining of Metropolitan. Finally, I appreciate that WJW actually made his main characters have distinct and interesting ethnicities. The majority of american writers have no problem including all sorts of incredible aliens, but rarely have anyone who is not caucasian as a protagonist in the story. And race is actually a factor in the story line, not just a PC sop, ala Star Trek. Highly recommend anything by this author.

This books needs to become a movie. Alec Baldwin as Metropolita

I love Aiah. She is one of the great overacheiving heroines of SF. And she does it all with just a to-do list, a business degree, and the occasional killer pedicure!

What a world! Plasm (magical energy) seeps up and imbues human structures with magical potential. This plasm is metered and controlled by a large, inefficient bureaucracy where our main character works. I loved this world! I read tons of fantasy and sf and always enjoy being immersed in a universe totally different than anything I've seen before. The characters are fully realized, flawed humans struggling in an all too real conflict. I eagerly await the final book in this series!

I just finished Metropolitan, and I really didn't think old W.J. could write such a cool tome.His previous books are good reads, but this thing is seriously excellent, creating a world that reflects ours through a dark and weirdly curved glass. Class, race, personal and cultural history shape many, many of the characters in interesting ways. Even the people that exist only for a page or two have more depth to them than you will find in most nebula winning novels