Pump Six and Other Stories
Ratings14
Average rating4.2
15
Ratings14
Average rating4.2
Paolo Bacigalupi's debut collection demonstrates the power and reach of the science fiction short story. Social criticism, political parable, and environmental advocacy lie at the center of Paolo's work. Each of the stories herein is at once a warning, and a celebration of the tragic comedy of the human experience. The eleven stories in Pump Six represent the best Paolo's work, including the Hugo nominee "Yellow Card Man," the nebula and Hugo nominated story "The People of Sand and Slag," and the Sturgeon Award-winning story "The Calorie Man."
Series
1 primary book2 released booksThe Windup Universe is a 1-book series first released in 2008 with contributions by Paolo Bacigalupi.
Reviews with the most likes.
These are some of the most stunningly well-imagined dystopian stories I have ever read. I made the mistake of reading all of them straight through, and spent weeks afterwards digging myself out of the consequent depression. The story, “Pump Six” itself should be required reading for any proponent of “No Child Left Behind” or for anybody who thinks the US educational system has any merit.
I found ”The Fluted Girl” more than exquisite, ”The Tamarisk Hunter” and ”Small Offerings” excellent, ”Pump six” very good, ”The Calorie Man” and ”The Yellow Man” just good (weaker than the ”Windup Girl” novel, and having read that one first these seemed less good than they actually are), ”A Pocket full of Dharma” good-ish, the rest from bad to really, really bad.
This collection has some interesting tie in stories to both The Wind Up Girl and The Water Knife which we're probably my favorites. Climate fiction is some of the scariest stuff out there. “The People of Sand and Slag” about broke my heart. There was only on story I didn't care for (the one where the man kills his wife ... title escaping me), but overall I thought it was an intriguing collection and definitely recommended for fans of his novels.
