Bacigalupi, Paolo: Pump Six and Other Stories
Pump Six and Other Stories (2008)
Written by: Paolo Bacigalupi
Genre: Short Stories/Science Fiction/Dystopia
Pages: 248
When this book was announced--I don't know, FOREVER ago--there was no question I'd get it. The moment I read my first Bacigalupi short story ("Pop Squad"), I was totally, unapologetically, and completely hooked. I knew this was a writer I might follow anywhere, and while I made a passive effort to find his older work, I did make an active effort to get my hands on as much new stuff as possible.
Which is a long way of saying that if Bacigalupi writes it, I'm buying it. Which means that when his debut novel, The Windup Girl is released this fall, I'm there. Drooling. And yes, it'll be over a hardcover.
The bad thing about me as a reader, something I'm trying to correct, is that I tend to buy books with obsessive glee and then shelve them (or pile them) and forget about them for a little while, no matter how much I love the author or series in question. But there's also a fear when it comes to my favorite authors of, "What if this story/book lets me down?" and I don't want to realize that fear. Silly, but true. But I finally put that fear aside and picked up Bacigalupi's first collection of short stories, and read with happy glee, even though I'd already read almost half of them before.
The premise: it's a short story collection. What more do you need? Bacigalupi's stories tend to focus on dystopic, sometimes dark futures that sometimes contain multi-cultural characters and settings. The prose never fails to grab your eye and hold it, as it's sharp and magnetic and keeps you turning the pages. And maybe this is my bias showing, because I love his work so much, but in spite my general ambivalence and dislike toward the art of the short story, I consider Bacigalupi a master, simply because he tells full, complete stories that always resolve in some form or fashion, and I'm rarely left feeling like I've missed something. To me, few short stories do that, and few have the staying power in my mind that Bacigalupi's do. I don't have to look at a title and wonder what the story is about. I remember, every time. That's how well they stick with you.
Review style: If I've read the story before, the title of the story will be a link to the first review. However, this review will be very general in nature. I usually do a story-by-story breakdown when it comes to magazines/anthologies/collections, but I'm not feeling it this time. I do try to discuss each story in generalities though, so have no fear of spoilers.
First and foremost, let me point out the one story that doesn't really quite fit with the rest, and that is "Softer." I hadn't read this one before, though I own the anthology it's in. This story isn't speculative at all, but more of a dark introspection into a killer's mind. While something I've seen done before in various incarnations (particularly Alice Sebold's The Almost Moon), I liked what Bacigalupi did here, though I'll be the first to admit that if the voice and style wasn't so compelling, I probably would've been less inclined to read.
The rest of the anthology is all something sort of dystopic, sometimes dark, and definitely SF, though in a subtle way. The most lyrical of these stories is "The Fluted Girl," another I hadn't had the pleasure of reading but found myself really impressed with. Certainly, the premise alone is quite fascinating and original, and there's something sexual about this piece that's cool and creepy at the same time. I loved the ending and that I figured out what she should do right about the same time she did, and it's so diabolically wonderful that I was happy the story ended where it did.
I felt the same way about "The Pasho" and Yellow Card Man in terms of how the endings made me feel in the end. Diabolical they are, and they make you wonder. How you feel about the ends of these stories greatly depends on how you connected/liked the main characters, and how those characters relate to the world-at-large. I found "The Pasho" particularly chilling, but that may be simply because I've already read "Yellow Card Man" once and I knew what to expect. "Yellow Card Man" is certainly the longest piece in the anthology (and if it isn't, it sure felt that way), but I love the deliberation of world-building, as well as detail that goes into fleshing out the character of Tranh. It's no wonder that Bacigalupi's debut novel, The Windup Girl takes place in the same world, and I can't express just how much I'm looking forward to it.
But also taking place in that world is The Calorie Man, which was another re-read for me. I don't have much else to add about this particular story. It's good, it's strong, and like many of Bacigalupi's stories, it ends with a note of hope in the midst of dystopic despair. Sometimes it's hope for the world at large, and sometimes, it's simply hope for a character, but it's this hope that makes Bacigalupi stories what they are, and it's what gives his stories that feeling of resolution, in spite of what's happening.
My favorites in the anthology are The Tamarisk Hunter and Pop Squad, both because they are such strong, character-driven stories set against a dystopic future that is really, really creepy. Both endings of both stories derive from the main character learning something about himself, which changes his place in the world he lives in, and the premises are just chilling. I don't want to spoil them in any way, form, or fashion, save to say that these stories are most excellent on many levels.
Stories that didn't stand out to me were "Pocketful of Dharma" and "The People of Sand and Slag." Don't get me wrong, they're both very good, and while I'm fonder of the premise behind "Pocketful of Dharma" (it reflects something I'm playing with in my own work), neither premise really grabbed me and chilled me the way I've come to expect a Bacigalupi story to do. Although I will say that "The People of Sand and Slag" is still chilling, it just didn't get to me, and in hindsight, that's rather surprising, as I suspect it'll disturb a number of people.
Like Small Offerings does. When I read this story the first time, I was rather confused--I didn't understand why this freaked people out so much, aside from the obvious. But in my initial fast reading, I missed the connection between the two timelines, and now that I've read it again, I'm much more appreciative. Read this one slowly folks. My only complaint about this one is that I feel it's too short, but other than that, it's got a similar resonance to "Pop Squad" and should make the reader feel very uncomfortable, in a good way.
Which brings me to the last story, and the only one that's original to this anthology, "Pump Six." This one is tricky, because it starts out feeling so much like a realistic piece, and then Bacigalupi drops clues in that tells the reader it's not meant to be current day, and in fact, while it's a future, it's a worse future than we'd imagined. The final realization of the state of the world was chilling, and saddening in a way, because while the main character is taking action to positively affect the world around him, you can't help but think it's a hopeless cause. I do wish the realization had been coupled with a cause, especially regarding the trogs, but oh well. I might pick up more clues the next time around.
My Rating
Must Have: If there's one good thing about Bacigalupi short stories, it's this: when you're done, you really don't MIND the prospect of reading them again. And again, and again. That's saying something (especially coming out of my mouth), and it gives credence to the fact that I think Bacigalupi is a modern master, and if he isn't yet, then I have every confidence he will be. No doubt, these are not stories that are filled episodic points of adventure (thank god), but if the stories don't make you really uncomfortable in some way, or if they don't make you think SERIOUSLY about the issues he's tackling and how they relate to the world we live in now, then you're not paying attention. This is MY kind of science fiction, the kind of SF that makes me excited to be a writer (and for that matter, a reader). But what I really want to know is why the hell Bacigalupi hasn't yet won a Hugo. Maybe it's because there's not enough people reading his work, and if that's the case, go forth, buy this collection, and READ. Read your eyes out, and enjoy.
Cover Commentary: it's very manly, isn't it? Especially with the skull on the front. I don't mind the cover, I rather like the overall design and coloring, but if I wasn't familiar with the author, this isn't the kind of cover that would make me take a second look, and that's a shame. Bacigalupi's work appeals to both men and women, so ladies, don't let the cover mislead you.
Next up: Once Dead, Twice Shy by Kim Harrison