If you are expecting Space Opera, think again. This is our own time extrapolated, or perhaps the thinking of our time, the actions of those supposedly in office to serve us, the alienation of humans as individuals, the corporate ID taken to extremes. It is the dystopian view without the apocalyptic event to blame it on, to hide behind.
The longer stories pack a punch of revulsion, especially 'Adrianne Zultan - An Official Enquiry' for its portrayal of inhumanity, yet haven't we all sat through news items covering reports where "lessons will be learned"? Both the short 'A Land Despoiled' and the longer 'Phobia' carry their messages, and their warnings, beneath the surface for the reader to identify. But there is playfulness among the mix. 'Penultimate Upgrade' made me smile, and 'A Gastronomic Treat At The Edge Of The Galaxy' pokes fun at po-faced restaurant guides. I'll never read another in the same light.
