Wednesday, November 20, 2002
Title: Holy Fire
Author: Bruce Sterling
Publisher: Gollancz
Mia Zimmerman is 94, a medical economist, part of the gerontocracy that survived the plagues that swept the earth through the course of the early 21st century. The gerontocracy is set up to favour those who are prepared to look after themselves rather than those who fritter it away. As such the old are in control and the young are effectively powerless until they have proved themselves. As such millions of credits are dedicated to medical research, and medical research is dedicated to the commitment of allowing people to live longer. As a medical economist Mia has her finger on the pulse, and thinks that she has found a winner in life extension techniques - so is preparing for the first time to take a big risk on an experimental treatment. However with a combination of a meeting with some youngsters before the treatment and the effects of the treatment her entire persona is turned about. With her body regenerated to be effectively that of a girl in her 20s and her mind similarly affected, she is no longer entirely in touch with Mia. So she runs away, ending up as a girl called Maya travelling around Europe, where she is on a quest to become vivid, to understand what it means to have the holy fire. A feeling that makes one truly alive instead of a withering codger who is too scared to do anything for the fear of its long term effects on their body.
Holy Fire doesn't have the pace and upbeat agitation of the likes of Heavy Weather or Distraction, making it a very different book for Sterling. The character spends a lot of time drifting about, and as such so does the narrative, which means that it can feel unfocused and meandering at times. Though with this Sterling is clearly capturing the sense of what the character herself is going through - someone transported from one life style to another and the extremes of culture that go with that life style. Despite the wandering, meandering thread of the plot there is still a lot going on, Sterling's usual social commentary is definitely still here and says a lot about power and its evolution along side the increasing life spans of the individual. Holy Fire isn't without a sense of humour, by page six we have gone post-canine to keep pace with the post-canine.
On the whole, Holy Fire is a good book and does fit in well with his recent works. However, one does get the impression that more could have been done with the undercurrents and a very different book lies in here somewhere.
RVWR: PTR
November 2002
