Eclipse

A Song Called Youth, Book 1

By: John Shirley

Narrated by: Chris Sorensen

Length: 14 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

2039: The Russians didn't use the big nukes. The ongoing Third World War has left parts of Europe in ruins. Into the chaos steps the Second Alliance, a multinational eager to impose its own kind of New World Order. In the United States - in FirStep, the vast space colony and on the artificial island Freezone - the SA shoulders its way to power, spinning a dark web of media manipulation, propaganda, and infiltration. Only the New Resistance recognizes the SA for what it really is: a racist theocracy hiding a cult of eugenics. Enter Rick Rickenharp, a former rock'n'roll cult hero: a rock classicist out of place in Europe’s underground club scene, populated by wiredancers and minimonos - but destined to play a Song Called Youth that will shake the world.

©1985, 2012 John Shirley (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Dated but still good

When the Soviet Union is frequently mentioned and you know, that this is not meant to be an alternate universe, then you know, that the story might be relying on concepts, that are a little dated. Well, but then again: replace "Soviet Union" with "Russian Federation" and the story may appear to be almost prophetic - well, almost.
Anyway: I am looking forward to listen to the second part of this series, as dated as it may be, it's still good cyberpunk!

3.5 stars, slow start, good book

This book started off really slow, but once it picked up pace, it became a decent book.

In a future world, all too eerily similar to our current one, is an almost cyberpunk-like hellscape not very different from our own. Russian aggression is causing global discontent. The Entertainment Industry is ranked as important as governments. Governments and politicians are corrupt and deceitful. And sexuality is weaponized as a means of control. And, of course, racism and prejudice play integral roles in all parts of society.

In content and style it was very reminiscent of Huxley's Brave New World mixed with Rucker's Ware Tetralogy. The descriptions are vivid, and the characters are... realistically unrealistic (I don't know how else to describe it). Slightly banal, but with redeeming moments that carry them along and make them likeable.

You would think...

that a narrator would have some sort of basic knowledge of the words he is reading. You would think that the editor or producer would catch the most egregious mistakes and correct them. Nope. Not that the author is off the hook. Bad characters and even worse dialog makes this a difficult book to endure. But it has a few chapters that seems to have actually been edited. Just not enough to save the book. And for God's sake, will writers please stop having characters "chewing on their lips"?

Classic dystopian cyber-punk

John Shirley does an amazing job world building and his characters are very human and relatable. This is a grim world overrun by a fascist regime that has subversively taken over large portions of the world.
If you love cyber-punk (why else would you be here?) this is definitely a worthwhile read.

Cool concept. Worst characters/narrator ever.

The only reason I gave this more than one star is bc I really liked the concept of the underground fascist secretly influencing the world to further their agenda. I was excited bc I thought this mirrored the current misinformation war going on today. I wish Shirley had done some more exploration of how ppl can easily be manipulated by racists who disguise their goals. But nope. All the characters are anti-fascist tough guys and the bad guys are literally Nazis.

One of the main protagonists of the story is named “Hard Eyes.” This character is so lame he’s unbearable. He’s in the war bc it’s “real” (Not much more than that as far as explanations go), he’s somehow an expert soldier without any training, and he tells ppl to “shut the fuck up” all the time. So basically he’s a white trash 12 year old’s idea of a tough guy.

Rickenharp, another protagonist, is only slightly more bearable. He’s a self righteous cyberpunk musical hipster. At least he started out interesting as he’s preparing for his final stage performance but quickly devolves into another Hard Eyes. He joins the revolution suddenly and almost without reason. It could have cool if he did it impulsively and then had to come to terms with the horrors of war. Nope. War is almost fun and you can be a hero.

The narrator has a nerdy nasally voice and when he curses, he sounds like he’s doing for the first time. That combined with the poorly written tough guy dialogue makes this audiobook painful to listen to.

I only finished the book bc I’m so desperate to find something new in the cyberpunk genre. I’ve read PKD and it’s great. I’ve read the classics like Neuromancer and Snow Crash which had some great concepts but are already so dated they don’t hold up as well. I loved Altered Carbon and even the sequels. I’d love some suggestions if anyone has found anything more relevant.

Didn't; COULDN'T finish.

The original edition is supposedly a classic in the cyberpunk genre. This one suffers from a misguided attempt at updating the technology and society of the past, to a more contemporary one. It didn't work, and if anything, it makes the book even more dated. Also, the prose ranges from poor to barely adequate; how this could be considered a classic is beyond me.

Characters are kind of brain dead

I dont think I am going to finish this book. The characters fail to exhibit good interactions with intelegence.

The reading is a mono read; with inflection lilts of questioning at weird spots.

I also feel there is eons of cold war style polotics to learn and its hard to tell when the narration ends and the characters wax poetical about it.