Hardcover, 304 pages
English language
Published March 19, 2019 by Head of Zeus.
Here are four urgent stories from author and activist Cory Doctorow, four social, technological and economic visions of the world today and its near—all too near—future.
Unauthorized Bread is a tale of immigration, toxic economic stratification and a young woman's perilously illegal quest to fix a broken toaster.
In Model Minority a superhero finds himself way out his depth when he confronts the corruption of the police and justice system.
Radicalized is the story of a desperate husband, a darknet forum and the birth of a violent uprising against the US health care system.
The final story, The Masque of the Red Death, tracks an uber-wealthy survivalist and his followers as they hole up and attempt to ride out the collapse of society.
I love this guy. The Masque of the Red Death story was almost too on-the-nose, but enjoyable pandemic reading, and the Superman/BLM story was a good one too, albeit one that's been done in comics many times before
The stories really need separate ratings. So:
Unauthorized Bread: ★★★★★
A woman jailbreaks hear toaster, helps the other tenants do the same, and has to work hard not to get caught.
Model Minority: ★★★★★
The American Eagle, a.k.a. The Superhero Not called Superman For Trademark, Reasons, helps a black guy who is being beaten by police officers, and finally realizes that there is racism in America.
Radicalized ★★☆☆☆
Doctorow mixes up Incel/MRA terrorists with criticism of the terrible mess of the U.S. health insurance situation. The protagonist does not report planned bombings to the police.
Masque of the Red Death ★★☆☆☆
A rather straight modern retelling of the basic Poe story, with some much too faint hints that the people not in a bunker are doing OK and working together. The protagonist dies of the disease, but also because he hides from people coming to help him.
The last two …
The stories really need separate ratings. So:
Unauthorized Bread: ★★★★★
A woman jailbreaks hear toaster, helps the other tenants do the same, and has to work hard not to get caught.
Model Minority: ★★★★★
The American Eagle, a.k.a. The Superhero Not called Superman For Trademark, Reasons, helps a black guy who is being beaten by police officers, and finally realizes that there is racism in America.
Radicalized ★★☆☆☆
Doctorow mixes up Incel/MRA terrorists with criticism of the terrible mess of the U.S. health insurance situation. The protagonist does not report planned bombings to the police.
Masque of the Red Death ★★☆☆☆
A rather straight modern retelling of the basic Poe story, with some much too faint hints that the people not in a bunker are doing OK and working together. The protagonist dies of the disease, but also because he hides from people coming to help him.
The last two get the low rating mostly because it’s not made clear enough for my taste that the protagonists are the baddies. Or, maybe for Radicalized, Doctorow thought the protagonist wasn’t all that bad. In that case i reserve a ★☆☆☆☆ rating for that one.
