Unlike Countdown, San Diego 2014 doesn't really need much knowledge of the Newsflesh universe - set at the time of the Rising, the start of the zombie apocalypse, whilst it draws on some characters from that series, and some hallmarks of Grant's thinking, only some elements are more elucidated by a knowledge of the apocalypse she creates. Rather more knowledge, on the other hand, is required of science fiction fandom (there's a reference to sapient pearwood in there, contextless, assuming the reader will get it. This reader, unsurprisingly to those who know my comfort-reading habits, got it).
San Diego is two things; first, Grant's novella is a zombie apocalypse novel, in the way she does best: dark, emotionally charged, moving, powerful and believable, especially in the reactions of the characters: disbelieving until they're forced to believe, and then reacting incredibly humanly, not in the superhuman way most people would like to think we might react if it was us found in these situations. That they are us - the geeks, the SF fans, the cosplayers, the Browncoats - makes this created empathy all the more effective and powerful, and that's a really strong element of this novella; the empathy with the characters, both in 2014 and Lorelei, retelling the story years after the fact in Grant's framing device.
It's this fact that the characters are us that is the second characteristic of this novel. Reading Red Planets, there's an essay on utopian depictions of art, analysing Kim Stanley Robinson and Ursula K. Le Guin. But how often do we see art in our genre fiction, or literature? Newsflesh has it built right in at the bone, however, and San Diego 2014 embraces that; not only art of the real world, but also ideas of future art, which follow on from and critique current art and culture, and also demonstrate part of how we get from this world to the world of the Rising, something really effectively conveyed by this novella as an intermediary stage.
Overall, San Diego 2014 showcases Grant's best talents; emotionally resonant and effective work, drawing out similarities between characters and readers, and the occasional (more common here than across the rest of the Newsflesh cycle) reference to modern geek culture. A very nice novella.
San Diego is two things; first, Grant's novella is a zombie apocalypse novel, in the way she does best: dark, emotionally charged, moving, powerful and believable, especially in the reactions of the characters: disbelieving until they're forced to believe, and then reacting incredibly humanly, not in the superhuman way most people would like to think we might react if it was us found in these situations. That they are us - the geeks, the SF fans, the cosplayers, the Browncoats - makes this created empathy all the more effective and powerful, and that's a really strong element of this novella; the empathy with the characters, both in 2014 and Lorelei, retelling the story years after the fact in Grant's framing device.
It's this fact that the characters are us that is the second characteristic of this novel. Reading Red Planets, there's an essay on utopian depictions of art, analysing Kim Stanley Robinson and Ursula K. Le Guin. But how often do we see art in our genre fiction, or literature? Newsflesh has it built right in at the bone, however, and San Diego 2014 embraces that; not only art of the real world, but also ideas of future art, which follow on from and critique current art and culture, and also demonstrate part of how we get from this world to the world of the Rising, something really effectively conveyed by this novella as an intermediary stage.
Overall, San Diego 2014 showcases Grant's best talents; emotionally resonant and effective work, drawing out similarities between characters and readers, and the occasional (more common here than across the rest of the Newsflesh cycle) reference to modern geek culture. A very nice novella.
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