SF Reviews background image SF Reviews logo image
Contact SF Reviews   |   Get the Newsletter 

Biased and superficial Science Fiction reviews

           
     
Futureland

Copyright 2001 by Walter Mosley

In Association with Amazon.com In Association with Amazon.co.uk
SOJALS rating:     
one SOJALS point one SOJALS point no SOJALS point no SOJALS point no SOJALS point    Mediocre (2/5)

I first read this on the 9th June 2003.

Futureland is America thirty or forty years into our future. The gap between the haves and the have-nots has widened further, and life at the bottom has become tougher and more hopeless. In nine short stories Mosley gives

  • Popo Bent's father gets a chance to revalue himself with respect to his child prodigy son.
  • Folio Johnson, the electronically augmented private investigator, finding again what he always knew, that you cannot trust anyone.
  • Fera Jones becoming the worlds best boxer while her father slowly dies of his drug addition
  • Neil Hawthorne, computer programmer - a job for the lowest of the low - just a step away from termination, suddenly finds himself in a new world of freedom, romance and productivity, and then finds that of course it does not last.

Now I don't read short stories so much and the Americans are obviously on to me. This book is succinctly entitled "Futureland" in the American edition, has a rather different title in the UK:

Futureland: Nine Stories of an Imminent World

Had I known that I probably wouldn't have read it, but as it happens it turned out to be rather a good book. Mosley's writing is excellent, very clear and powerful. The short stories do, thankfully, come together somewhat at the end (which is the only reason I can justify including this review, since I only review novels).

Loaded on the 1st July 2003.
    
Cover of Futureland
Cover art by Rob Santora and Don Puckey



Reviews of other works with covers by Barclay Shaw and Don Puckey:
Ground-ties

Reviews of other works with covers by Chris Moore and Don Puckey:
When We Were Real

Reviews of other works with covers by Don Dixon and Don Puckey:
The Martian Race

Reviews of other works with covers by Don Puckey and Carol Russo:
The Reality Dysfunction - Emergence
The Reality Dysfunction - Expansion

Reviews of other works with covers by Don Puckey and Micheal Whelan:
Kingdom Of Cages

Reviews of other works with covers by Donato and Don Puckey:
Reclamation
Fool's War

Reviews of other works with covers by Elaine A. Cardella and Don Puckey:
Sewer, Gas & Electric

Reviews of other works with covers by Jim Burns and Don Puckey:
Fallen Dragon

Reviews of other works with covers by Jim Burns, Don Puckey and Carol Russo:
The Neutronium Alchemist - Conflict
The Neutronium Alchemist - Consolidation

Reviews of other works with covers by John Blackford and Don Puckey:
Parable Of The Talents

Reviews of other works with covers by John Jude Palencar and Don Puckey:
Wild Seed

Reviews of other works with covers by Leo Dillon, Diane Dillon and Don Puckey:
Midnight Robber

Reviews of other works with covers by Mike Posen and Don Puckey:
Cloud's Rider

Reviews of other works with covers by Steve Youll and Don Puckey:
Playing God
The Quiet Invasion

Reviews of other works with covers by Victor Lee and Don Puckey:
The Bridge