Pump Six and Other Stories

By: Paolo Bacigalupi

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis, Eileen Stevens, James Chen

Length: 12 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

Paolo Bacigalupi's debut collection demonstrates the power and reach of the science-fiction short story. Social criticism, political parable, and environmental advocacy lie at the center of Paolo's work. Each of the stories herein is at once a warning and a celebration of the tragic comedy of the human experience.

The 11 stories in Pump Six represent the best of Paolo's work, including the Hugo nominee "Yellow Card Man", the Nebula-and Hugo-nominated story "The People of Sand and Slag", and the Sturgeon Award-winning story "The Calorie Man". The title story is original to this collection.

With this book, Paolo Bacigalupi takes his place alongside SF short-fiction masters Ted Chiang, Kelly Link and others, as an important young writer that directly and unabashedly tackles today's most important issues.

©2010 Paolo Bacigalupi (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Bacigalupi’s stellar first collection of 10 stories displays the astute social commentary and consciousness-altering power of the very best short form science fiction…Deeply thought provoking, Bacigalupi’s collected visions of the future are equal parts cautionary tale, social and political commentary and poignantly poetic, revelatory prose.” ( Publishers Weekly)

“ Pump Six and Other Stories… quite strikingly positions Paolo Bacigalupi as one of the best young SF writers of our time: a writer who has already done first-rate work and who is ready, I feel sure, to really thrill us.” ( SF Site)

“Paolo Bacigalupi is the best short-fiction writer to emerge in the past decade….He combines beautiful prose, startling imagery, and shocking ideas in unforgettable ways.” (Robert J. Sawyer)

"Three narrators perform the works individually, bringing the stories starkly to life. James Chen adds a special touch with his Chinese accent in the performance of “Pocketful of Dharma,” an odd melding of science and religion. The readers craft their performances to wring every ounce of drama from Bacigalupi's words." ( AudioFile)

Imaginative Sci Fi reflects today's world & predicts tomorrow's

Dystopian futures based on today's issues: water rights and water shortages, immigration challenges and prejudice, corporate agriculture, limiting births by law, and a post-petroleum world, to name a few. Written from the point of view of beleaguered protagonists just trying to survive. In literary form, I think the author is equal to Margaret Atwood and her august ilk. So, enjoy while you can. The author sees things getting a LOT worse!

Dystopic short stories full of future portent

These stories are dark and often dreadful too, but solidly based on current issues from the dumbing down of science to global climate change and its consequences. The characters were engaging, their dilemmas troubling, but the reading was so good, so undramatic and unforced, that I felt carried forward to those harsh futures in spite of my reluctance. After reading these stories, I attended the People's Climate March in Cocoa Beach today. Seemed highly appropriate! Be prepared to become activated.

Incredible!

Perhaps it's just me, but I feel like the first story was the weakest. However, most of the others make up for it. Having read Windup Girl, I'm familiar with the themes that Bacigalupi writes about. These are dark, but fascinating stories, that are hopefully, over exaggerations of the possible future...but believable nonetheless. Prepare to be shocked by some, but drawn on!