Review: METAtropolis

METAtropolis: A Shared Universe Project

This collection of stories, presented by Audible Frontiers and edited by science fiction sensation John Scalzi, presents five novella-length tales set in a near-future Earth, a world that, all the authors point out in some way, is an all-too-real possibility. In spite of John Scalzi’s claim, in introducing the collection, that he wanted to avoid creating a world of “gussied-up medieval cities”, in some ways that’s just what METAtropolis presents. As in medieval or early modern times, or in classical times which the Greek title of this collection clearly evokes, the inhabitants of the cities in METAtropolis lack a sense of nationalism. Here, however, the comparisons to pre-modern societies end.

Both the main city cultures and the counter-cultures of METAtropolis have obviously evolved out of modern society. In the case of the former, citizens strive to sustain a zero-footprint lifestyle that, at least according to the authors, is the ultimate logical conclusion of the modern environmental movement. The sub-cultures and counter-cultures of the various city-states, especially those who live in the outskirts or “wilds”, reject one or more aspects of this modus vivendi.

Before launching into a review, I should note that this collection is available only in audio format, and the stories are narrated by top-notch voice actors. Three of the narrators come from the cast of the hit science fiction political drama Battlestar Galactica, and the other two are talented, respected audiobook readers.

Each contributor to this universe puts his or her own spin on the concept. Jay Lake’s opening story, “In the Forests of the Night,” is meant to introduce the concept of METAtropolis, but suffers from a rather weak narrative. If I may nitpick for a moment, the protagonist of Lake’s story is named Tygre Tygre, reportedly spelled in the style of the William Blake poem. A brief glance at Blake’s original manuscript, however, shows that he actually wrote “Tyger Tyger”. Yes, this is a very minor point of contention, but it reflects a certain lack of research, which is essential in world-building. While otherwise well-written, the plot of Jay Lake’s story is rather murky.

Tobias Buckell and Elizabeth Bear both present stories set in near-future Detroit, and both deal with characters and organizations who live and work outside the established urban system. Both stories tell of down-and-out characters who are enlisted into the cause of counter-insurgencies. The Elizabeth Bear story is particularly poignant, and in some ways provides the deepest exploration of the emotional implications of this new society. Both tales are well-written, well-constructed, and entertaining.

John Scalzi’s own novella focuses on the life of a fairly ordinary citizen of New Saint Louis, a self-contained sero-footprint par excellance. Reminiscent of George Orwell’s 1984, New Saint Louis runs on a communal, “big-brother” model in which the city places its citizens into jobs and regulates consumption and energy use. Scalzi’s is perhaps the most light-hearted and entertaining tale in the lot; its protagonist finds himself working as a pig farmer. These zero-footprint societies, apparently, “use every part of the pig but the squeal.” Nevertheless, the story continues to deal with the theme of sustainability that runs throughout METAtropolis.

The closing story, written by Karl Schroeder, is unique in that it’s the only one in the collection not set on United States soil. It follows the adventures of a Slavic spy who is tracking nuclear weapons in Scandinavia. If Scalzi’s story conjures 1984, then Schroeder’s resembles Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash in that it demonstrates how, in the near future, politics, society, and economics have gone online. Much of the story takes place in a virtual reality world where, as in Stephenson’s novel, men and women live, work, and of course engage in all sorts of intrigue. Like Lake’s opener, Schroeder’s story poses a lot of interesting questions and problems, but isn’t as engaging on a purely narrative level.

The depth and density of METAtropolis’s storytelling and world-building probably warrants multiple readings, or in this case listenings. If I get the chance, I’d love to revisit the story collection in a few months. Having absorbed the totality of the work, I might now find the Lake and Schroeder stories less bewildering and more stimulating. Fans of post-apocalyptic science fiction (although that moniker doesn’t quite apply here, since it suggests some sort of cataclysmic event), or even hardcore political enthusiasts will find plenty of grist for the mental mill in these tales.