The Artificial Kid

This is it. The only Bruce Sterling novel I haven’t read. So how does my guru’s second novel hold up?

Well, it’s original, aggressively stylized, and full of provocative ideas. In the distant future people are effectively immortal, with ennui a leading cause of death. The titular Artificial Kid inhabits the body of a deceased politician, making his living as a combat artist, beating up other artists with his nunchuks and selling the tapes. He stumbles into a massive historical/scientific conspiracy, and a whole bunch of crazy stuff happens.

This isn’t a perfect book. If the characters are a little flat, or the writing drags a little, then that’s the price of journeyman work. But Sterling’s obvious talent and energy is on display, and it’s definitely a fun read.