Sterling Reviews

I find it impossible to discuss this book without referring to the 1951 movie. The first 80 percent of the movie and the book are mostly similar. The endings are quite different. I slightly prefer the movie's improbable ending, although the endings of both have serious flaws.

Reading the first 80 percent of the book is a joy after having seen the movie. If you are like me, you will see and hear the movie in your mind as you read the book.

In the first 80 percent of the book, you will find more in the book than in the movie. C.S. Forester is able to tackle interesting themes in the book that were too delicate for Hollywood. Also, he employs an amazing mastery of the technical details in describing the African Queen's voyage down the Ulanga and Bora rivers into Lake Victoria. You will almost feel like you are reading science fiction from the time of H.G. Wells, as Allnut and Rose keep making something out of nothing.

To me, the best part of the book is that the contrasts between the "civilized" conventions and the "natural" instincts are drawn in extreme and fine detail. It will make you re-examine how you think about what is the right thing to do in your own life, which is what good literature should do.

To me, the weakness of the book is that the attitudes that The African Queen challenges are very far removed from our experience today. What was very scathing then now seems quaint. Somehow, the outrage behind the story is diffused into a dreamy period piece. Are there many women now of 33 who are so completely dominated by their brothers that they do not lead their own lives? Would many people today be inflamed by love of country to want to strike a personally fatal blow against the oppressor against all odds? Does the arrogance of colonialism seem believable, or just a silly notion to caricature?

Ultimately, Rose's instant rise from docile creature to Wonder Woman does seem to strain credibility. It's inspiring fun, though, like any book about brave heroines who are undaunted by the odds and convention.

After you read this book, think about where your assumptions about what you should be doing have not been re-examined by you in a while. What are you doing because someone else tells you it is a good idea? What should you be doing because you think it is a good idea?

Take the initiative to do the right thing with full speed ahead!

The lady has the will, and the cockney has the ingenuity. Between the two of them they conquer incredible obstacles.

Their great goal is to strike a blow for England in the war against Imperial Germany, but just as we might suppose, the efforts of two "very ordinary people" don't change the course of history. Nevertheless, it's an inspiring tale of courage, intelligence, and mutual respect. Each makes the other a better person.

Seen the movie, now read the book. This is an adventure tale about Charlie Allnutt and Rose Sayer set in WWI and was written by C.S.Forester in 1935. The book has been over shadowed by the 1951 film which starred Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. The book stands on its own as a classic and centres on the relationship between the unlikely match of Charlie and Rose with the war as a backdrop. Charlie is a gin loving engineer and Rose is a religious missionary who manages to convince Charlie to take his rickety old boat, The African Queen, down a treacherous river to destroy a German gunboat patrolling the lake at the end of the river. The inter play between the two characters is developed beautifully as they influence each other to form a formidable team. Forester may have meant it to be many things, but to me it is a great love story. Two people who shine in the presence of each other. The novel is relatively short and keeps the suspense and sense of adventure high throughout. The ending of the book turns out to be more realistic and poignant than the film and just by reading it you will appreciate the brilliance of Bogart and Hepburn even more.

B. H. Roberts critically analyzes questions from an inquirer regarding the Book of Mormon. This set is really a set of three studies into the book's difficulties and origins.

The first "Book of Mormon Difficulties" involves difficulties in the diverse number of languages of the American Indians, the presence of various animals (e.g. horse, elephant) in historic times, the use of silk, and the presence of various metallic constructions (steel) not entirely apparent to have existed the New World. Roberts answers the questions as best as can be possible, with the major exception of the language problem which baffles his inquiry.

The second and third pieces, "Book of Mormon Studies" and "Parallel", examine the evidence relating the origin of the Mormon scripture to E. Smith's "View of the Hebrews". This evidence is compelling, especially in the context of its presenter, an ardent defender of the Mormon faith. What is exemplary about Robert's presentation is his honesty in resolving his dilemmas and the manner in which he goes about his research. Far too often, a researcher will seek evidences to support his position, as is the cause of the numerous contradictory apologetics presented in christianity today. There are few researchers today who would even consider the remote possibility of an assailant's argument being correct, with a worthy attempt of discovery. Most simply disregard all arguments contrary to their belief system. The Roberts' studies are a refreshing source of inquiry in the field of religious discussion.

I would recommend this book for Mormon and non-Mormon alike and would recommend further the discovery of other works which both contribute to the Book of Mormon difficulties and answer them.

There are two sides of any argument, often neither is right. This motivates my own personal study in many areas, please respond to my email for further comments or further reading suggestions involving the Book of Mormon.

B.H. Roberts, Mormon General Authority and Mormon Church Historian. Was concerned about questions being asked about the Book of Mormon. He believed the future generation would be educated and would not except the Book of Mormon with blind faith. He went to looking for questions in the Book of Mormon that at present could not be answered. He shows in the first half the many problems there are in proving the Book of Mormon to be historically correct. In the second half, he takes on the question, could Joseph Smith have used some other work to create the Book of Mormon? Roberts disscovers, that indeed he could have. The name of the work was "A View of the Hebrews" by Ethan Smith. Roberts goes through chapter by chapter of Ethan Smiths book to show the similarites between the two books. Then in the last part Roberts takes The Book of Mormon and A View of the Hebrews in two columns, side by side. He shows how the Book of Mormon could have been created using "A View of the Hebrews."

I also own the original hardcover release from the '80s and agree with another Amazon critic that Mr. Roberts' cover letter should be included in all releases. B.H. Roberts and James Talmage are my two favorite LDS authors. I'm a former LDS convert to Roman Catholicism. Still, LDS history is *my* history and I just can't get away from it.

In this collection of letters and writings by Brigham Henry Roberts, we get a better story about a good man than criticisms about the Book of Mormon. Much of Mr. Roberts' observations with regard to American archaeology are sufficiently dated as to be only compelling because, at the time, they were novel and painful for a faithful LDS leader to bring up. His later personal investigation into the potential intellectual and literary seeds of the Book of Mormon through his examination of View of the Hebrews and other "common knowledge" circa 1830 were more interesting.

Above all, the fearless, faithful B.H. Roberts continually exhorted his ecclesiastical superiors to examine their faith in the context of the issues he scratched at. He implored them to seek inspiration to get celestial answers for, especially, the "youth of the church." He encourage them to enlist God to supply answers to what he considered to be troubling, yet ultimately answerable problems with the cornerstone of the LDS Church: The Book of Mormon and the claims of Joseph Smith.

I'd have to rate this one marginally better than most of Leonard's stuff, which is to say decent, but not outstanding. Set in Detroi, the story centers on the schemes of a pair of former student radicals from '69-70 or so who meet up again some 15-20 years later. The nastier of the two is Robin, who seems to be dying to recapture the excitement of those heady days, so she convinces former lover, and explosives whiz, Skip to help her blackmail the rich brothers who got them put in jail for three years long ago. Meanwhile, a former member of the police bomb squad is helping a woman trying to bring rape charges against one of the brothers. Mixed into it all is a former Black Panther who is now bodyguard/chauffeur/butler to one of the brothers. Lots of double and tripple-crossing ensues, and in typical Leonard fashion, the criminals are simultaneously clever in planning, and sloppy in executing their schemes. Of course no one speaks normally, as wisecracking and attitude color every line of dialogue. One downside is that there is a subplot the book leads off with that has too much of a coincidental connection with the rest of the characters, and serves to introduce the main character, Chris, is an entirely unnecessary way. Also, the offhand treatment of Gretta/Ginger's rape strikes one as rather awkward and clumsy, if not downright offensive to some. Still, it's better than most of his other books I've read, and a pretty safe bet for a few hours on the plane or beach.

This is the second Leonard book I've read (Get Shorty being the first) and I completed it in about a day. It was funny, poignant, dead on dialogue that runied by sense of timing when I went back to another book and the story was almost perfect. I agree with the other reviewer that the build-up was lost to a rather empty ending which kind of left everyone exactly where they'd begun. It was nice to see teh adversarial and then comraderie that emnerged between the cop, Chris and the caretaker, ex-Black Panther, wannabe criminal mastermind Donnell, that was something that rang so true I laughed as I realized how this story was like half a dozen people sitting at a round table and the focus shifting from person to person from place to place until people started changing chairs. In a way no one really shifted too far from who they had originally been---Ginger/Greta the savvy but long-term planning naive actress who may've or may have not been coerced into rape/sex with the totally mentally invalid Woody. Even she isn't quite sure what happened and what she allowed in the final analysis. I felt that it was a missed point that she didn't leap or connive her way into marrying Woody when he proposed, that would've been a kicker! Robin the vengeful Hippie is a hoot---I couldn't help but picture all of them in a movie and I think that someone like Susan Sarandon would nail RObin perfectly, a frailty, a harsh strength and cunning wrapped with a slight haze of stupidity. Donnell is of course Sam L. Jackson, Chris maybe a Bruce Willis and Ginger would've been a nice departure for Julia Roberts or perhaps a breakout role for Aisha?, Woody---Oliver Platt and Skip--I can't remember the actor's name, maybe the neighbor from Grace Under Fire? Leonard gets you into the mood of being a participant in his novels, the story twists and twists and twists until it makes absolutely insane sense and you realize that it's a lot like life. The only weak part of this was why Juicy Mouth killed Booker with Donnell (did he?)---it wa sliek this was a plot device to get Chris in but in the end it really had too much or too little to do with the central blackmail/murder/extortion story---that and the weak ending are the only reasons why this book isn't 5 stars.

I read this book in one sitting as I could not tear myself away from it. Mr. Leonard is a great writer heeding tot he old E.B. White rules from Elements of Style - omit needless words. He mixes drama with probably the best dialogue writing.

The first part of this book is both entertaining and enlightening, an overview of historical tension in China between bureaucratic North and freewheeling, entrepreneurial South which, the author convincingly argues, has served as the impetus for the international diaspora of the overseas Chinese. Splendidly done.

Unfortunately, the second part purports to analyze the overseas Chinese themselves in a contemporary context, and proceeds to do nothing of the sort. Seagrave instead selects a series of Southeast Asian countries and fries up steamy helpings of tabloidesque gossip about a wealthy or powerful figure who has lived there. Entertaining to be sure, but singularly unhelpful for those of us who naively believed the book might deliver what its subtitle promised. The chapter on Indonesia is particularly miffing, because it focuses on the events surrounding the fall of Sukarno and the rise of Suharto, neither of whom are even ethnic Chinese. The chapter on Taiwan is a lazy regurgitation of the author's previous "Soong Dynasty," which roots out various scandals of Chiang Kai-shek and his family. There is a bountiful load of fertilizer in this topic, but it is entirely unrelated to the issue of Taiwan's role as member of the overseas Chinese community or the immigrant character of its population.

When all the dirty laundry has been aired, Seagrave apparently runs out of space and dispenses with addressing his chosen subject altogether. Ultimately, no clear picture of the overseas Chinese emerges at all. This is a pity, because the book jumps out of the gate with a good deal of promise.

Brent Heinrich, Taipei

I was pleasantly surprised by this offering of Sterling Seagrave's as normally, his works would be double the thickness of this book but hey, isn't it this saying that don't judge the book by its cover? The book spanned thousands of years, going back through time in China illustrating to us what events led to the exodus of Chinese overseas. I simply couldn't put the book down reading about those legendary statesmen like Sun Ping, Sun Tzu, Wu Tze Shih, Chao Tsao, & so forth. I vaguely knew of what my older generations told me about them when I was a kid but now, everything is coming back to me. Sterling Seagrave is at his best unwoven all the complex threads that have had been set up by those master puppeteer, who in this case is none other than overseas Chinese. I don't believe the author is making up stories here at all. Many readers found the content rather far-fetched but people in the region would disagree with that because South-East Asia is undeniably an interesting place to be. Rather, I'm astounded by his in-depth knowledge of what's happening in the South East Asia. Many of the incidents mentioned were happening in my time & I could still vividly remembered what I read in the newspaper or what I heard from the older generations who used to work for those tycoons. Whilst it's true that the second part of the book is becoming overbearing (probably it's because I have known of the incidents already or that it's already been covered in other Sterling Seagrave's offering), overall, this is still a well-researched book. A job very well-done, indeed.

If anyone of you would like to have a short brush-up on the Chinese history and to understand why Chinese usually do not trust anyone than their families read this book. Lot's of insights!

Any accurate portrayal of Robert E. Lee, certainly one of our country's finest leaders, should definitely move anyone with an ounce of common sense to an enormous appreciation for this most outstanding human being. Lee's inspiring faith in God, his leadership by example, and lifelong message is one of love and honor. His own words and letters best exemplify this fact, and this author's liberal use of them brings it all home in this short, succinct work. However, be forewarned that Wilkins adds his own additional preaching far removed from the Gospels, most sadly detracting from an accurate historical perspective on Lee by adding his own self-serving distortions on slavery. The historical record is clear: Lee found slavery objectionable and looked forward to the day when it would end. None-the-less, Wilkins tries very hard to rationalize slavery as something good, as if his sad excuses are necessary in order to make Lee look acceptable.... so far from the truth! Wilkins does our great man, Lee, along with the rest of America, a dis-service by his disgusting blabberings. Let's hear it for Robert E. Lee, and not taint his image with such dribble. Most other Lee biographies will serve us more fairly and honorably.

If ever there was a man who followed Christ's example it was Robert E. Lee. This book illustrates such a man. It illustrates the strength of character that men lack in our society today....lacking even in our churches. This book is a must read for all men who are interested to know what a Christian gentleman is. Well done Reverend Wilkins. May Lee's example, which you have illustrated, set an example for others as it has for me and bring glory to God.

The account of a great historical figure---a gentleman of duty, truth and spirit---a man of God. Yankee carpetbaggers, scalawags and liberals alike, be forewarned: this book may shake you from your nihilistic mind nap. As Robert E. Lee so aptly put it, the Southern States had "sacred principles to maintain and rights to defend, for which we were in duty bound to do our best, even if we perished in the endeavor". Long live the South and those who have fought and died to keep alive her character and ideals! Indeed, those readers 'educated' on a strangulation diet of revised history may be enlightened, perhaps even intellectually emancipated, by this grand book. Five stars Mr. Wilkins, 100 stars General Lee!

This book is less a biogrogaphy of "the dragon empress" Tzu-Hsi of China than a revison of 19th century Chinese history.

This work is important because the author has rechecked the validity of the usual sources on 19th cent history and found them very wanting - and very biased to boot. It shows the worth of double checking your sources when doing research and questioning 'experts'. Mind you, this could also apply to this book to some extent as it could have been improved with more chinese sources.

Where this book fails is as a biography of Tzu-Hsi, she only takes up a small section of the book, the rest is all explanation of various plots and "foreign devil" attrocities in china. Nobody comes out of it well.

For an interesting (and probably mostly correct) overview of 19th century China this book is invaluable - as a biography of Tzu-Hsi it does not accomplish a great deal and you feel you know very little about the subject at the end of the book.

Tzu Hsi is one of those characters in history that suffers from a gross distortion of her actual person on the pages of conventional history. She has been portrayed as an all-powerful conniving and blood thristy leader of the Chinese Empire shortly before the Revolution of 1911. She is portrayed in the opening scenes of the movie, "The Last Emporer" as the somewhat sinister and ancient woman talking with the young 4-year-old Pu Yi.

Sterling Seagrave endeavors in his 1992 book called "Dragon Lady" to dispell the myths that have grown up around the life Tzu Hsi. Futhermore, he reveals that the myths had their start with rumormongering on the part of British and European journalists interested in advancing the interests of Britain in China at the expense of the independent Chinese government, nominally headed by a woman, at the time of the Boxer Rebellion.

Indeed, in this era of bizarre "true" tales, it is fascinating to read this well crafted and outstandingly researched account of the inner workings of the Forbidden City in the final years of the Chinese Empire. If you were tantilized by Bertolucci's The Last Emperor (movie), then I highly recommend you read this book. Seagrave has a way with the language, with a deft turn of phrase every page or two, that makes one want to take notes. Yet while his account is exhaustive in detail, it rarely drags, with interjections of the slanderous history by Backhouse, Bland and Morrison, contrasting the strange fiction with often even stranger fact. The fascinating backgrounds of each of the characters could easily have sprung from a James Clavell novel. Yet the exhaustive notes and documentation make it clear that it all is fact. Highly recommended reading for anyone contemplating a career in the corridors of power. But as a well crafted scholarly study that reads like an historical novel, highly recommended for anyone with an interest in things oriental.

It would be difficult for this book to top its predecessor. In fact I would say this is a step down from A Princess of Mars in general quality. However, A Princess of Mars is, in my opinion, the best story ever written. If you're looking for an interesting, fun sequel, this book delivers well. John Carter returns to Mars after a ten year exile on Earth. There he is reunited with his old friend Tars Tarkas. Together they fight their way through the Martian "heaven" (which turns out to be a living hell) past giant apes, plant men and false gods. Along the way they meet new people, discover hidden races of "gods," and find new quests.

However, this book fails to reunite John Carter with his wife Dejah Thoris until late in the book (very late in the book). Their relationship was always my favorite part of the original, A Princess of Mars. Naturally, I am a bit disappointed in this. However, I feel that The Gods of Mars holds up better than most sequels--it is fun and exciting, and returns the reader to one of the most interesting worlds ever conceived in all of fiction. As an avid Sci Fi reader, I can honestly say this is one of the better science fiction books I have read.

At the end of "A Princess of Mars," the first in the John Carter series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter got the factory that produced oxygen for Barsoom (the Martian name for Mars) working again, but had collapsed. When he revived he found himself back on earth, separated from Dejah Thoris, the Princess of Helium and his beloved. Originally published in 1913 as a serial in "All-Story Magazine," this story finds John Carter returning to Mars and setting off to find his woman. Knowing that it was originally published as a serial is useful because Burroughs loads on the cliffhangers throughout the novel. When Carter returns to Barsoom a decade has passed and he finds himself in that part of the planet that the natives consider to be "heaven," which proves to be a more ironic idea. Carter has to reunite with his friend the fierce green warrior Tars Tarkas, fight with the great white apes of Barsoom and plant men, violate some significant religious taboos, survive the affections of an evil goddess, help with a slave revolt, fight in an arena, and still save Dejah Thoris in the middle of a giant air battle between the red, green, black and white people of Barsoom.

"The Gods of Mars" is an early Burroughs novel, which means it is high on action and low on details. ERB would set his adventures in strange worlds such as Barsoom, Venus, Pellucidar, etc., but beyond the basic idea of it being a strange world he was content for such places to be the settings for this stories. The writing is a bit stilted and ERB likes to mix cliches and ponderous phrases that make the narrative seem dated, but "The Gods of Mars" meets his basic criteria of providing a ripping yarn for his readers. The best thing you can say about this novel is that the action never stops from start to finish. The worst thing you can say about it is that Burroughs puts off reuniting our hero with his beloved, but if you have read many of ERB's novels, Tarzan or otherwise, you know that once his happy couple is back together the story is pretty much over. However, even at the end there is another cliffhanger that will make you track down "The Warlord of Mars," the next installment in what is clearly the best Burroughs series. ERB milked the Tarzan character dry and still produced another dozen novels in that series, while the Mars books (sorry, the Barsoom series) remained relatively fresh.

Having introduced the characters in 'A Princess of Mars,' the author gets down to the action, in this the second Martian adventure of John Carter, with, as I recall, a new opponent, ready to fight, on almost every page.

The author subtly pokes fun at religion, race and our conventions and rituals regarding them, while writing an exciting adventure story that certainly gripped my imagination in the early sixties.

John Carter remains the perfect Virginian gentleman, respecting women, seeking no unfair advantage, while fighting plants, animals and multiple races of Martians. He must struggle to overcome them all, if he is to set free his beloved Dejah Thoris from a nested series of "Heavens within Heavens."

If he wins, will he kill the "Gods of Mars" in the title? What will happen to religion on Mars if he does? If he loses...........

An ideal introduction to science fiction and fantasy for boys reaching puberty. They can sublimate their aggressive tendencies as they imagine themselves opposing plant men, white apes and other foes.

To help those still using the first edition like myself there is another error on page 513. They have b as the answer and it should be a.

While the book was easy to understand, and contained lots of useful information, I found it lacking in the exam preperation function. The book convered only about 65% of the test. Luckily, I was already familiar with the portions of the test that was not covered in the book.

I just passed the test using this book for preperation. While it gives an excellent, in-depth overview of Photoshop, it falls a little short in actually preparing you for the test. I would highly recommend this book as a review before your test, but don't count on it giving you all the answers. Experience is the best study guide.

According to Justin Sterling, yes, subservience is the key to a healthy relationship.

As the son of a man who has been a nearly 6-year member of sterling, and a boy was raised from age 10 by a father who followed the teachings of Justin Sterling and expected his wife to as well, I urge you to reconsider this book. I read it for research purposes, because I wanted to know what could drive a man to alienate an ex and a current wife, two of his brothers, and both his sons, and I finally learned what it is upon reading this.

I have attended the weekends and for a time believed what my father taught me, and the weekends, and what my father's Sterling friends taught me.

But to the book:

Justin Sterling intends to solve relationships by taking the responsibility of it completely out of the hands of men. He insists that men are fundamentally jerks who are incapable of relationships, and that women are solely responsible for making relationships work by pleasing the man, making him feel dominant, and "stroking his ego".

That is not a relationship; that is volunteered slavery. A relationship where anyone is completely subservient, or one where one person is doing all the work, is not a relationship.

Justin Sterling preys on the laziness and insecurity of men, and the loneliness of women. Please don't allow yourselves to buy into his philosophies. They will just breed lazy, self-important men and dominated, suppressed women, as they've been doing since he began spouting this tripe.

This book and the ideas espoused in it are destructive, dominating, manipulative, and fundamentally paradoxical. Furthermore, though a sociologist, Sterling obviously has no idea what the Ego actually is.

I have read the book. I also had friends whom are FOW ( amily of Women). Very intresting outlook I must say. The book give very helpful advise. However, you must filter through it as any other advise you get. There is no bible on relationships other than the real biblical one. This book was a very frustating at times because it had some very truthful comments in it about the way we are as women. What I noticed is that Justin want women to except the disfunction in men, stroke there egos and allow you to be a door mat. He often used men as an example in his stories that were raised disfunctionally. You see, thats when the man needs to seek therapy. Not want his women to except his behavior, stroke his ego so that he'll feel superior over her as the head of the household. On the contrary, what men need is a fully supportive women that will be the neck and he be the head. When the head needs to focused elsewhere, she can turn it. That's teamwork in my book.

The women that I know that attended the weekend were turned into brainwashed, overworked submissive women. Very critical of other women whom did not want to pay 600.00 to be brainwashed. You come witha sponsor/ so-called good friend that tells ALL you business. And you are confronted on why you are not a good woman. One went back home to her husband and the other is STILL looking for love. You have to read it and filter through the bs. Be a strong women, and he'll love you for it. If not, find someone who will.

I was surprised to enjoy this book. I had read the mixed reviews before buying it because a friend had done the Sterling Women's Weekend and her relationships were really working (all of them - not just the one with her husband!!). Yes, it seemed to me at first that he was saying to do what my husband wanted and not what I wanted, but then I realized it was saying as long as I had chosen a man who's values and needs did not conflict with mine then I wouldn't have to worry about given him what he needed when he needed it. I am getting so much back now from my relationship, much more than it feels like I need to put into it! I am truly amazed - and very, very pleased. Not to mention all the great information about accepting and trusting myself. That is always a welcome thing to hear!! -- And about the review that is listed below that refers to Sterling as a cult and to look at the web site of Rick Ross... readers of his web site should also do a little research on Mr. Ross. It turns out he is a convicted kidnapper, drug dealer and totally denounced by those who expose cults. I have learned from friends that Sterling cannot be considered a cult -- it is too easy to leave (you can at any time). Regardless, for less that $10 you can get a lot of good advice in this book.

This collection contains seven stories, all previously published in magazines between 1993 and 1998. One story, "Big Jelly" was co-authored with Rudy Rucker.

I liked this anthology a lot despite the fact that a couple of the stories were rather weak. Some of the stories seem to have been written by extrapolating current events into the future and these, like "The Littlest Jackal" are the weakest in the collection. Also, in that story, the author mis-places Helsinki north of the Arctic circle and so he has the sun not setting in the summer, that was just sloppy writing. The stories such as "Maneki Neko" (my favourite) and the "Deep Eddy" series, that extrapolate technology are the ones that make the book worth while. In these, Sterling's wry view of the way that technology might change our world is both thought provoking and funny.

The last three stories are all set in the same world and they follow the largely unrelated exploits of a group of people living on the edge of a highly technological society. I felt as though the author was taking some of the people that he met while writing "The Hacker Crackdown" and then dropping them into the middle of the 21st century. These are three great stories.

With one or two exceptions, "A Good Old-Fashioned Future" exhibits the best Sterling short fiction I've read so far...the concluding three, beginning with "Deep Eddy," form a sort of quasi-novel that shows Sterling doing what he does best: providing widescreen views of _believable_ near-futures, peopled by sympathetic characters who find themselves in predicaments of sometimes overpowering weirdness in a world already steeped in the Philosophy of the Ejector Seat.

Arguably the best of the stories here is "Big Jelly," a fevered collaboration with Rudy Rucker, whose motto sums up Sterling's shared vision nicely: "Seek Ye The Gnarl!"

This is a spendid, lingering collection, more coherent and immediately enjoyable than "Crystal Express" or "Globalhead."

Bruce Sterling rose to prominence in the 1980s as the master visionary and literary theorist of the cyberpunk movement. Although he has not left cyberpunk's sensibility behind, his newer fiction incorporates a wider range of themes, philosophical concepts, and just plain fun which is immediately engaging and entertaining as well as intellectually satisfying.

The best of Sterling's fiction- and "A Good Old-Fashioned Future" definitely belongs in that category- extrapolates current events and trends into the near future, then gives them a baroque twist. Here, Sterling's combination of a mad-cow disease epidemic and the rise of Indian cinema combine to make "Sacred Cow" a darkly humorous exploration of reverse colonialism. Likewise, cultural warfare- whether between differing intellectual movements, government and squatting entrepreneurs, or ethnic minorities against their own state and each other- invests and links the three last stories in the book in a progression that is as intricate as it is involving.

It's not all Bollywood and literary theory, though- Sterling loyalists will be pleased with the return of his irrepressible outlaw Leggy Starlitz. Scheming to free a group of islands from Danish control in order to set up a money-laundry, Starlitz's efforts are as amusing as they are, always, ultimately futile.

All in all, this collection is excellently balanced between the foreboding and the comic, the earnest and the absurd, and it's a must-have both for Sterling fans and those who just want to know how good science fiction can be.