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Ribofunk
Following the shock wave of cyberpunk writing in the late 1980s, Paul Di Filippo's first book, The Steampunk Trilogy, burst on the scene in 1995, leading SF veteran William Gibson to declare the young writer's work "spooky, haunting, hilarious."
Cyberpunk concentrated on cold hardware. Di Filippo coined "ribofunk" by fusing "ribosome" (as in cellular biology) with "funk" (as in rock and roll). In the world of Ribofunk, biology is a cutting-edge science, where the Protein Police patrol for renegade gene splicers and part-human sea creatures live in Lake Superior, dealing with toxic spills.
Ribofunk depicts a sentient river; a sultry bodyguard who happens to be part wolverine; a reluctant thrill seeker who climbs a skyscraper-and finds himself stuck; and a chain-smoking Peter Rabbit who leads his fellows in a bloody rebellion against-whom else? - Mr. McGregor.
This collection includes:
One Night in Television City
Little Worker
Cockfight
Big Eater
The Boot
Blankie
The Bad Splice
McGregor
Brain Wars
Streetlife
Afterschool Special
Up the Lazy River
Distributed Mind
Cyberpunk concentrated on cold hardware. Di Filippo coined "ribofunk" by fusing "ribosome" (as in cellular biology) with "funk" (as in rock and roll). In the world of Ribofunk, biology is a cutting-edge science, where the Protein Police patrol for renegade gene splicers and part-human sea creatures live in Lake Superior, dealing with toxic spills.
Ribofunk depicts a sentient river; a sultry bodyguard who happens to be part wolverine; a reluctant thrill seeker who climbs a skyscraper-and finds himself stuck; and a chain-smoking Peter Rabbit who leads his fellows in a bloody rebellion against-whom else? - Mr. McGregor.
This collection includes:
One Night in Television City
Little Worker
Cockfight
Big Eater
The Boot
Blankie
The Bad Splice
McGregor
Brain Wars
Streetlife
Afterschool Special
Up the Lazy River
Distributed Mind
295 pages, Hardcover
First published April 2, 1996
58 people are currently reading
1,703 people want to read
About the author
Paul Di Filippo
509books180followersPaul Di Filippo is the author of hundreds of short stories, some of which have been collected in these widely-praised collections: The Steampunk Trilogy, Ribofunk, Fractal Paisleys, Lost Pages, Little Doors, Strange Trades, Babylon Sisters, and his multiple-award-nominated novella, A Year in the Linear City. Another earlier collection, Destroy All Brains, was published by Pirate Writings, but is quite rare because of the extremely short print run (if you see one, buy it!).
The popularity of Di Filippo’s short stories sometimes distracts from the impact of his mindbending, utterly unclassifiable novels: Ciphers, Joe’s Liver, Fuzzy Dice, A Mouthful of Tongues, and Spondulix. Paul’s offbeat sensibility, soulful characterizations, exquisite-yet-compact prose, and laugh-out-loud dialogue give his work a charmingly unique voice that is both compelling and addictive. He has been a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, BSFA, Philip K. Dick, Wired Magazine, and World Fantasy awards.
Despite his dilatory ways, Paul affirms that the sequel to A Year in the Linear City, to be titled A Princess of the Linear Jungle, will get written in 2008. He has two books forthcoming from PS Publications: the collection entitled Harsh Oases and the novel titled Roadside Bodhisattva. His 2008 novel Cosmocopia is graced by Jim Woodring illustrations.
Paul lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
The popularity of Di Filippo’s short stories sometimes distracts from the impact of his mindbending, utterly unclassifiable novels: Ciphers, Joe’s Liver, Fuzzy Dice, A Mouthful of Tongues, and Spondulix. Paul’s offbeat sensibility, soulful characterizations, exquisite-yet-compact prose, and laugh-out-loud dialogue give his work a charmingly unique voice that is both compelling and addictive. He has been a finalist for the Hugo, Nebula, BSFA, Philip K. Dick, Wired Magazine, and World Fantasy awards.
Despite his dilatory ways, Paul affirms that the sequel to A Year in the Linear City, to be titled A Princess of the Linear Jungle, will get written in 2008. He has two books forthcoming from PS Publications: the collection entitled Harsh Oases and the novel titled Roadside Bodhisattva. His 2008 novel Cosmocopia is graced by Jim Woodring illustrations.
Paul lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
August 26, 2008
Ribofunk is a comic and bizarre collection of stories describing a bioengineered future that reads like a combination of Bruce Sterling’s Schismatrix, Warner Brother’s Cartoons, W.S. Burrough’s fever dream, Chandler noir, Cordwainer Smith, Disney talking animal tales, and fairy tales. Disgusting, funny, confusing, and filled with style and word games. A future that is neither utopian or dystopian and pokes fun at the present and many sci fi tropes. For its mad cap humor and imagination it reminds of Steve Aylett. After reading this collection seek out “Scab’s Progress� that Di Fillipo co-authored with Bruce Sterling a story that would have fit in this sequence, and for similar flair any of Aylett’s stuff, the novellas co-written by Charles Stross and Cory Doctorow “Jury Service� and “Appeals Court�(online), and Michael Swanwick’s Surplus and Darger tales(In The Dog Said Bow-Wow collection)
July 3, 2017
If you were looking for people genetically engineering themselves into insects, the post-human condition, and hardboiled detectives having illicit affairs with semi-intelligent, bipedal hamsters, you have come to the right (?!) place.
I don't remember a lot about this book other than the fact that it was so out there that I simply could NOT put it down. It left an impression on me and I've meant to read it again, but this book is very hard to find. It's an anthology of short stories though at its core, which leaves most of the realms of character development largely untouched (the detective gets a couple stories if I remember correctly) but in this book it's really the world that grabs you and sucks you in page by page.
If you can find it - and it won't be easy - pick it up, just to say you've read a few stories.
I don't remember a lot about this book other than the fact that it was so out there that I simply could NOT put it down. It left an impression on me and I've meant to read it again, but this book is very hard to find. It's an anthology of short stories though at its core, which leaves most of the realms of character development largely untouched (the detective gets a couple stories if I remember correctly) but in this book it's really the world that grabs you and sucks you in page by page.
If you can find it - and it won't be easy - pick it up, just to say you've read a few stories.
March 25, 2018
Още едно малко съкровище, попаднало ми напълно случайно, даже не ми беше сред препоръките на сайта, които са ми доста полезни напоследък.
Ди Филипо ни въвежда в едно наситено бъдеше, в което кодът на ДНК е разшифрован и това е довело до големи промени в човечеството. Кибераспектите не са забравени, но им се отделя по-малко внимание, логично, защото човека е егоцентрично същество. Да не говорим, че един самоизхранващ се биологично ограничен роб е къде-къде по-евтин от изкуствен интелект.
С напредване на кратките разкази, човек се гмурка все по-надълбоко в този свят на биологични стимуланти, импланти, сплайсове и прочие. Влиянието на Гибсън е осезателно, най-вече в богатия техно-жаргон с примеси на десетки езици, корпоративните гиганти, които тук не са достигнали до величието на неговите агломерати и десетките препратки към поп културата � измислена и взаимствана.
Има и големи разлики, обаче. Не напразно книжката е кръстена шеговито рибофънк � рибо от рибонуклеотидите и фънк от музаиката, защото пънкът бил умрял. Бих казал, че тук пънкът е съвсем малко, говоря като упадачното огромно разделение на супербогати и мизерстващи, не че го няма, особено в лицето на подчинените сплайсове, които тепърва надигат глава в търсене на права.
За финал, макар Ди Филипо да не ми беше известен до сега, виждам неговото влияние в доста модерни писатели, които са включили биопънка в набора си от инструменти, макар и да не са стилово категорични.
One Night in Television City � Лекичка история, която перфектно ни вкарва в субкултурите на мегаполиса, повлияни от биомодификациите. Едно хлапе (всички приключват образованието си и достигат пълнолетие на 12, благодарение на рнк обучителни капсули) получава шанса да се присъедини към една от най-силните клики в ТиВиСи � Бодиартистите. След коктейл от невростимулатори, той успява да се изкачи на най-високия небостъргач в града. Сега, обаче как ще слезе?
Little Helper � Малката помощница е немного умен сплайс, който служи на голяма клечка. Тя е привързана към господаря си и не може да понася жена му и сплайсовете за задоволяване, които използва семейството. Един ден има възможност да направи нещо по въпроса.
Cockfight � Циганите все още държат ниша в този свят, където мръсната работа се върши от геннопрограмирани сплайсове, а именно � най-мръсната работа. Когато един от чистачите се забърква в нелегална битка, заради един мъф нещата не изглеждат толкова розови. Отдавна не бях чел комбинация между фантастика и бойни изкуства, а това е една от любимите ми комбинации.
Big Eater � Едно хлапе с много зор си е намерило работа като хранещ големи водни животни, сплайснати специално да ядат генно подивели токсични водорасли. Един ден се оказва, че международният терорист, борещ се за права на сплайсовете � Лудата Котка има план да унищожи водната система на града, с неволната помощ на подопечените му симпатяги. Нещата се влошават, когато се разбира, че фракцията на хлебарките (хора биопроменящи вида си, за да го докарат на шестокраките гадини), към която членува сестра му, е замесена.
The Boot � Частен детектив е нает да открие и върне определен съпруг. Когато по време на мисията тъпичкият му помощник сплайс си го отнася, той осъзнава, че е бил доста привързан към него.
Blankie � Някой заразява нова партида революционни бебешки био-одеалца с вирус, който ги кара да задушават поверениците си. На плещите на Протеиновата Полиция ляга отговорността да се спре лудницата, преди богатите притежатели на въпросните одеалца да вдигнат джангър. Разкритията бяха доста забавно-смущаващи, ама май чувството ми за хумор се е поизвратило, както и това на автора.
Bad Splice � Целият град е нащрек, когато се получава съобщение, че Лудата Котка отново замисля терористична акция. Протеиновата Полиция обръща с краката на горе всички възможни дупки и странни субкултури, които биха се навили да му помогнат. С напредването на разследването се разкрива потресаващ план за геноцид на хората. Добре че познатият ни инспектор (мислех, че се казва Пийж, но това се оказа титла) и партньорът му Сони (който е киби, нали казах, че ИИ не е забравен) имат приятели по високите места, по-точно в стратосферата.
McGregor � Ей това беше гениално. Зайчето Питър � избягал от тематичен парк сплайс � се завръща да освободи другарите си от тиранията на г-н МакГрегор. Безценно.
Brain Wars � Едната страна от кореспонденцията на войник изложен на иновативен мозъчен вирус. Вълните на аномалии, породени от мутацията на вируса са показани перфектно в обърканите му писма.
Streetlife � Евтин сплайс е натоварен със задача, която не може да не изпълни, въпреки че знае, че ще го убие. Трябва да занесе пратка през нощта и през най-опасния квартал, където законите не важат. Кошмарното нощно приключение има щастлив край, но не и за господаря му.
Afterschool Special � Единадесет годишната Арни винаги е завиждала на биоциците на съученичката си, но родителите ѝ са доста консервативни. Когато получава шанс да си направи каквато и да е присадка, положението в семейството излиза извън контрол, но хей една година до пълнолетие не е толкова страшно.
Up the Lazy River � Биотерористичен атентат може да спре течението на една от най-големите реки. Този който отговаря за нея трябва да направи всичко възможно да предотврати катаклизма. (Бачегалупи? Някой? Както и да е.)
Distributed Mind � Грийнлау заема много отговорна позиция, която е свързана с доста рискове. Никога не е имал проблеми, но когато нещата стават лични всичко се обърква. Ретровирус е успял да се измъкне след последната атака и да задълбае в мантията на земята, където се е разраснал и погълнал цял град. Грийнлау иска да влезе във вирусната биостимулация, за да измъкне клетки от жена си. Реалността, естествено не се оказва както си я мисли. Смятам, че това е органичният отговор на гибсъновият „Невромантик� � размах, качество и напълно затрива някой по-лековати сюжетни допуски в предишните произведения.
Ди Филипо ни въвежда в едно наситено бъдеше, в което кодът на ДНК е разшифрован и това е довело до големи промени в човечеството. Кибераспектите не са забравени, но им се отделя по-малко внимание, логично, защото човека е егоцентрично същество. Да не говорим, че един самоизхранващ се биологично ограничен роб е къде-къде по-евтин от изкуствен интелект.
С напредване на кратките разкази, човек се гмурка все по-надълбоко в този свят на биологични стимуланти, импланти, сплайсове и прочие. Влиянието на Гибсън е осезателно, най-вече в богатия техно-жаргон с примеси на десетки езици, корпоративните гиганти, които тук не са достигнали до величието на неговите агломерати и десетките препратки към поп културата � измислена и взаимствана.
Има и големи разлики, обаче. Не напразно книжката е кръстена шеговито рибофънк � рибо от рибонуклеотидите и фънк от музаиката, защото пънкът бил умрял. Бих казал, че тук пънкът е съвсем малко, говоря като упадачното огромно разделение на супербогати и мизерстващи, не че го няма, особено в лицето на подчинените сплайсове, които тепърва надигат глава в търсене на права.
За финал, макар Ди Филипо да не ми беше известен до сега, виждам неговото влияние в доста модерни писатели, които са включили биопънка в набора си от инструменти, макар и да не са стилово категорични.
One Night in Television City � Лекичка история, която перфектно ни вкарва в субкултурите на мегаполиса, повлияни от биомодификациите. Едно хлапе (всички приключват образованието си и достигат пълнолетие на 12, благодарение на рнк обучителни капсули) получава шанса да се присъедини към една от най-силните клики в ТиВиСи � Бодиартистите. След коктейл от невростимулатори, той успява да се изкачи на най-високия небостъргач в града. Сега, обаче как ще слезе?
Little Helper � Малката помощница е немного умен сплайс, който служи на голяма клечка. Тя е привързана към господаря си и не може да понася жена му и сплайсовете за задоволяване, които използва семейството. Един ден има възможност да направи нещо по въпроса.
Cockfight � Циганите все още държат ниша в този свят, където мръсната работа се върши от геннопрограмирани сплайсове, а именно � най-мръсната работа. Когато един от чистачите се забърква в нелегална битка, заради един мъф нещата не изглеждат толкова розови. Отдавна не бях чел комбинация между фантастика и бойни изкуства, а това е една от любимите ми комбинации.
Big Eater � Едно хлапе с много зор си е намерило работа като хранещ големи водни животни, сплайснати специално да ядат генно подивели токсични водорасли. Един ден се оказва, че международният терорист, борещ се за права на сплайсовете � Лудата Котка има план да унищожи водната система на града, с неволната помощ на подопечените му симпатяги. Нещата се влошават, когато се разбира, че фракцията на хлебарките (хора биопроменящи вида си, за да го докарат на шестокраките гадини), към която членува сестра му, е замесена.
The Boot � Частен детектив е нает да открие и върне определен съпруг. Когато по време на мисията тъпичкият му помощник сплайс си го отнася, той осъзнава, че е бил доста привързан към него.
Blankie � Някой заразява нова партида революционни бебешки био-одеалца с вирус, който ги кара да задушават поверениците си. На плещите на Протеиновата Полиция ляга отговорността да се спре лудницата, преди богатите притежатели на въпросните одеалца да вдигнат джангър. Разкритията бяха доста забавно-смущаващи, ама май чувството ми за хумор се е поизвратило, както и това на автора.
Bad Splice � Целият град е нащрек, когато се получава съобщение, че Лудата Котка отново замисля терористична акция. Протеиновата Полиция обръща с краката на горе всички възможни дупки и странни субкултури, които биха се навили да му помогнат. С напредването на разследването се разкрива потресаващ план за геноцид на хората. Добре че познатият ни инспектор (мислех, че се казва Пийж, но това се оказа титла) и партньорът му Сони (който е киби, нали казах, че ИИ не е забравен) имат приятели по високите места, по-точно в стратосферата.
McGregor � Ей това беше гениално. Зайчето Питър � избягал от тематичен парк сплайс � се завръща да освободи другарите си от тиранията на г-н МакГрегор. Безценно.
Brain Wars � Едната страна от кореспонденцията на войник изложен на иновативен мозъчен вирус. Вълните на аномалии, породени от мутацията на вируса са показани перфектно в обърканите му писма.
Streetlife � Евтин сплайс е натоварен със задача, която не може да не изпълни, въпреки че знае, че ще го убие. Трябва да занесе пратка през нощта и през най-опасния квартал, където законите не важат. Кошмарното нощно приключение има щастлив край, но не и за господаря му.
Afterschool Special � Единадесет годишната Арни винаги е завиждала на биоциците на съученичката си, но родителите ѝ са доста консервативни. Когато получава шанс да си направи каквато и да е присадка, положението в семейството излиза извън контрол, но хей една година до пълнолетие не е толкова страшно.
Up the Lazy River � Биотерористичен атентат може да спре течението на една от най-големите реки. Този който отговаря за нея трябва да направи всичко възможно да предотврати катаклизма. (Бачегалупи? Някой? Както и да е.)
Distributed Mind � Грийнлау заема много отговорна позиция, която е свързана с доста рискове. Никога не е имал проблеми, но когато нещата стават лични всичко се обърква. Ретровирус е успял да се измъкне след последната атака и да задълбае в мантията на земята, където се е разраснал и погълнал цял град. Грийнлау иска да влезе във вирусната биостимулация, за да измъкне клетки от жена си. Реалността, естествено не се оказва както си я мисли. Смятам, че това е органичният отговор на гибсъновият „Невромантик� � размах, качество и напълно затрива някой по-лековати сюжетни допуски в предишните произведения.
September 26, 2021
A world-building collection of short stories in which technology is mostly derived from biogenetic manipulation, a fun riff on cyberpunk that has very strong legs of its own (probably because it's 40% dung beetle or something). Great stuff.
June 2, 2022
I'm exploring some Biopunk this week. The verbal commitment to the world is really something, but beyond some of the worldbuilding and verbiage, most of the stories are quite generic. There's also a tendency to rush the endings. The style reminds me of Snow Crash, which I know people love, but I'm just not into the extreme comedy versions of an intentionally grimy genre. Also, there's literally trans-species stuff, but an unwillingness to go too far outside of gender roles with the two hyper-feminine presenting herms being objects of disgust without much consequence. I know it was the 90s, but it kind of shows the failure to really think ahead. We're going to have literal bull people, but god forbid she has a penis.
"One Night in Television City" 2 Stars
The most average story of the lot of the bunch about a trend-chasing idiot.
"Little Worker" 3.5 Stars
It's pretty predictable, but I enjoyed the look at the underclass and the issues related to engineering one. That theme is probably my favorite, though it isn't really grappled with in terribly substantive ways.
"Cockfight" 1 Star
This story will only continue to get worse over time.
"Big Eater" 3.5 Stars
Another good one with some nice class commentary, but a rushed ending.
"The Boot" 3 Stars
The beginning of the Detective Corby trilogy and a decent noir pastiche, though it has another abrupt ending. There is some room for feeling here, but it ends too soon.
"Blankie" 3.5 Stars
The start is incredibly impressive, but goes downhill pretty quickly after that. It seems like it's going to deal with some of the fallout from the previous story, but it isn't.
"The Bad Splice" 2.5 Stars
The small showdown. It's a ton of backstory for a not very impressive duel, both in person and in ideas.
"McGregor" 3 Stars
This might have worked better for me if I'd read any "Peter Rabbit."
"Brain Wars" 4 Stars
Probably the best of the lot with a rather basic war story, but using it to effectively illustrate how genetic warfare would affect conventional warfare with callbacks to chemical warfare at its worst.
"Streetlife" 2.5 Stars
It's kind of a neat journey with a really disappointing resolution.
"Afterschool Special" 2 Stars
Kids will be kids...
"Up the Lazy River" 2.5 Stars
Some interesting ideas up front, but a mediocre action movie in the back.
"Distributed Mind" 2 Stars
Been done and been done better.
"One Night in Television City" 2 Stars
The most average story of the lot of the bunch about a trend-chasing idiot.
"Little Worker" 3.5 Stars
It's pretty predictable, but I enjoyed the look at the underclass and the issues related to engineering one. That theme is probably my favorite, though it isn't really grappled with in terribly substantive ways.
"Cockfight" 1 Star
This story will only continue to get worse over time.
"Big Eater" 3.5 Stars
Another good one with some nice class commentary, but a rushed ending.
"The Boot" 3 Stars
The beginning of the Detective Corby trilogy and a decent noir pastiche, though it has another abrupt ending. There is some room for feeling here, but it ends too soon.
"Blankie" 3.5 Stars
The start is incredibly impressive, but goes downhill pretty quickly after that. It seems like it's going to deal with some of the fallout from the previous story, but it isn't.
"The Bad Splice" 2.5 Stars
The small showdown. It's a ton of backstory for a not very impressive duel, both in person and in ideas.
"McGregor" 3 Stars
This might have worked better for me if I'd read any "Peter Rabbit."
"Brain Wars" 4 Stars
Probably the best of the lot with a rather basic war story, but using it to effectively illustrate how genetic warfare would affect conventional warfare with callbacks to chemical warfare at its worst.
"Streetlife" 2.5 Stars
It's kind of a neat journey with a really disappointing resolution.
"Afterschool Special" 2 Stars
Kids will be kids...
"Up the Lazy River" 2.5 Stars
Some interesting ideas up front, but a mediocre action movie in the back.
"Distributed Mind" 2 Stars
Been done and been done better.
June 14, 2013
As much as I love all things biopunk, I found this book quite hard to get into. It's probably just me, but there was something about the world DiFilippo created that just didn't feel real. I love the concepts, but felt the book was a little soulless.
December 3, 2024
Being no stranger to anthology collections I generally know how to approach one. What I wasn't prepared for was immediately looking up Ribofunk's original publication date and discovering it's gingerly year of 1996. What followed was amazement from both sheer creative outrageousness and some amusing predictions two decades or so before they happened in real life.
We step into a future like no other, for the longest time dated only by one story bringing up "the hundredth anniversary of Woodstock" as our framing point, where bioengineering has taken over the world. Biggest standout are Splices, genetic cocktails by law required to be certain percentage human and everything else whatever is needed by the corporation manufacturing them. These new people have come to occupy various niches in society. And what a society it is. One of those speculations I brought up in the opening is the new currency called eth, Trump had a presidential term at one point before he got sliced and diced, and humans are just as quick on the draw to apply genetic modifications to themselves as they are when it comes to creating new sentient beings. I cannot do the novel justice because it essentially features its own lingo and omnipresent technobabble you'll pick up along the way. Latter cannot be emphasized enough as I did a lot of inferring and educated guessing as to what it was supposed to stand for. Before I briefly delve into some of the stories themselves, of which only ONE of thirteen didn't land with me, I have to say they all use the setting itself as major part of storytelling as there are new threats of genetic terrorism, worldwide political upheaval you haven't seen before, etc. It is by no means merely window dressing.
Little Worker was the first story to stand out for me... possibly because it follows after a chaotic introduction. More personal story told from the perspective of an almost child-like Splice, a personal assistant to the Prime Minister. At one point she proudly proclaims to be 10% human among the twelves species she's comprised of otherwise. Other bits we get from this story is political background, specifically what Sons of Dixie are up to, fact that genetic creations existing purely as sexual toys are a thing, and that Splices are people in their own right albeit with certain conditioning and particular ways of interpreting it. Second one I'd like to bring up is sort of cheating since it's a three stories connected in direct fashion somewhat in contrast to the rest of this anthology: The Boot, Blankie and The Bad Splice. We see a former Protean Police officer turned Private Eye returning to multiple police posts. He goes from tracking down a magnate wife's wastrel husband and ends in hand-to-hand with the most dangerous Splice terrorist known to the world. Since stories follow Noir/police procedurals this trilogy was the most familiar at its base. Needless to say author cleverly uses this to gives us an even greater insight into the world. For example, at one point police can no longer use human-human buddy system as there simply isn't enough of them leading to kibes, autonomous machines, to fill in.
It takes a while to really get into the groove of things, but I think going for distinct terminology and slang definitely pays off the more Ribofunk you read. Some of the terms are pretty self-descriptive, like using socket and plug as streetwise terms for men and woman, but many MANY more either phonetic writing or entirely made up words. This had the unfortunate consequence of re-reading paragraphs as you can't just skim over this kind of writing unless you enjoy the idea of unretainable, jumbled word soup invading your mind. I would say Di Filippo is no slouch as author albeit the alienness and novelty of the setting clearly take precedence here. Don't think "character stories" so much as "windows into biopunk extravaganza".
Would I recommend Ribofunk? For someone with my tastes it's a very firm YES. Don't expect character drama or deep stories. Embrace the living Rivers.
We step into a future like no other, for the longest time dated only by one story bringing up "the hundredth anniversary of Woodstock" as our framing point, where bioengineering has taken over the world. Biggest standout are Splices, genetic cocktails by law required to be certain percentage human and everything else whatever is needed by the corporation manufacturing them. These new people have come to occupy various niches in society. And what a society it is. One of those speculations I brought up in the opening is the new currency called eth, Trump had a presidential term at one point before he got sliced and diced, and humans are just as quick on the draw to apply genetic modifications to themselves as they are when it comes to creating new sentient beings. I cannot do the novel justice because it essentially features its own lingo and omnipresent technobabble you'll pick up along the way. Latter cannot be emphasized enough as I did a lot of inferring and educated guessing as to what it was supposed to stand for. Before I briefly delve into some of the stories themselves, of which only ONE of thirteen didn't land with me, I have to say they all use the setting itself as major part of storytelling as there are new threats of genetic terrorism, worldwide political upheaval you haven't seen before, etc. It is by no means merely window dressing.
Little Worker was the first story to stand out for me... possibly because it follows after a chaotic introduction. More personal story told from the perspective of an almost child-like Splice, a personal assistant to the Prime Minister. At one point she proudly proclaims to be 10% human among the twelves species she's comprised of otherwise. Other bits we get from this story is political background, specifically what Sons of Dixie are up to, fact that genetic creations existing purely as sexual toys are a thing, and that Splices are people in their own right albeit with certain conditioning and particular ways of interpreting it. Second one I'd like to bring up is sort of cheating since it's a three stories connected in direct fashion somewhat in contrast to the rest of this anthology: The Boot, Blankie and The Bad Splice. We see a former Protean Police officer turned Private Eye returning to multiple police posts. He goes from tracking down a magnate wife's wastrel husband and ends in hand-to-hand with the most dangerous Splice terrorist known to the world. Since stories follow Noir/police procedurals this trilogy was the most familiar at its base. Needless to say author cleverly uses this to gives us an even greater insight into the world. For example, at one point police can no longer use human-human buddy system as there simply isn't enough of them leading to kibes, autonomous machines, to fill in.
It takes a while to really get into the groove of things, but I think going for distinct terminology and slang definitely pays off the more Ribofunk you read. Some of the terms are pretty self-descriptive, like using socket and plug as streetwise terms for men and woman, but many MANY more either phonetic writing or entirely made up words. This had the unfortunate consequence of re-reading paragraphs as you can't just skim over this kind of writing unless you enjoy the idea of unretainable, jumbled word soup invading your mind. I would say Di Filippo is no slouch as author albeit the alienness and novelty of the setting clearly take precedence here. Don't think "character stories" so much as "windows into biopunk extravaganza".
Would I recommend Ribofunk? For someone with my tastes it's a very firm YES. Don't expect character drama or deep stories. Embrace the living Rivers.
March 20, 2022
Ribofunk by Paul Di Filippo
Rated 85% Positive. Story Score: 3.92 out of 5
13 Stories : 3 Great / 6 Good / 4 Average / 0 Poor / 0 DNF
Paul di Filippo is in love with playing with language. Phrases, brands, acronyms, spelling, genre, characters. All of these are taken apart and reassembled with a creativity and humor that is only matched by Di Filippo’s treatment of genetics and biology. This is book with invention on every line. You are inspired to dash forward like a Biomorph of leopard, rabbit, and 10% human. You glide on the humor and wordplay until you slam to earth with hard lessons around what humanity means, how slavery can slowly integrate back in to American society, how bio-modification can save or destroy the environment, and what it means when we are changing our bodies with the ease of changing our clothes.
� That’s the trouble with the tropes and strobers you can buy in the metamilk bars: they’re all kid’s stuff, G-rated holobytes. If you want a real slick kick, some black meds, then you got to belong to a set, preferably one with a smash watson boasting a clean labkit. A Fermenta, or Wellcome, or Cetus rig, say. Even an Ortho’ll do. But as I said, I had no set, nor any prospect of being invited into one�.
� The bartender was a simian splice which hung by its tail from an aerial rail and mixed drinks with four human hands�.
…I took out my little utility flashlight and lasered the wall pseudopod that had mated with Casio’s clothing�
I feel that my story summaries are worthless on this collection. Every paragraph, if not every line, had some uniquely weird insight into Ribofunk’s world. Many of these stories -maybe all of them - seem to operate in the same universe. Parts of the USA have merged with Canada and the South isn’t taking it well. Splices (sentient blends of human and animal DNA) are everywhere and human rights only exist for the 51% genetically human.
There is definitely some great work here, but I recommend the collection as a whole for a well rounded look at an insane future � which isn’t quite that crazy.
Stories for The Great List:
One Night in Television City � (1990) � short story by Paul Di Filippo. A chaotic urban tour through a baroquely inventive world of biotech body (and everything) modification. Every line has a new inventive bit of wordplay or SF future speculation. The story is your basic “low life dude ends up on the wrong side of some dangerous people and has to try to hide and get his bearings,� but the dense dive into this wild world is what makes this a great story.
Little Worker � (1989) � short story by Paul Di Filippo. Little Worker is a servant biomorph (part human & part cat) that works for (and loves) the Prime Minister. She cares for him and his household. The job is made harder by the PM’s wife taking a Bull Andromorph as a sex partner and the PM taking an Avian-influenced Gynomorph for one as well. Oh, and also terrorists that want the PM dead.
Brain Wars � (1992) � short story by Paul Di Filippo. Letters home from the war. A soldier writes to his mother, but he has been affected by a neuro-chemical bomb that infects him with various mental aliments. Memory loss. Noun loss. Dyslexia. This is an old story about the human cost of war told with flair and confidence using potential weapons of the future.
RIBOFUNK BY PAUL DI FILIPPO
13 STORIES : 3 GREAT / 6 GOOD / 4 AVERAGE / 0 POOR / 0 DNF
How do I arrive at a rating?
One Night in Television City � (1990) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Great. A chaotic urban tour through a baroquely inventive world of biotech body (and everything) modification. Every line has a new inventive bit of wordplay or SF future speculation. The story is your basic “low life dude ends up on the wrong side of some dangerous people and has to try to hide and get his bearings,� but the dense dive into this wild world is what makes this a great story.
Little Worker � (1989) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Great. Little Worker is a servant biomorph (part human & part cat) that works for (and loves) the Prime Minister. She cares for him and his household. The job is made harder by the PM’s wife taking a Bull Andromorph as a sex partner and the PM taking an Avian-influenced Gynomorph for one as well.
Cockfight � (1990) � novelette by Paul Di Filippo
Average. A team of toxic waste cleaners (Waste Gypsies) are brought in to do work closer to their hometown. Trouble at a strip club leads to an underground deathmatch.
Big Eater � (1995) � novelette by Paul Di Filippo
Average. Lower status splices try to flood Chicago to get back at humans for their abuses.
The Boot � (1990) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Average. Detective Corby is hired by a voluptuous woman (in true Film Noir style) and hires him to hunt down her husband. A gambling addict who has stolen some of her intellectual property.
Blankie � (1996) � novelette by Paul Di Filippo
Good. Starts with a riveting infiltration and corruption of a ‘Blankie,� and the murder of the child swaddled within. Detective Corby’s investigation leads to factories where they are created and the perverse uses that they can be put to.
The Bad Splice � (1996) � novelette by Paul Di Filippo
Good. Krazy Kat - a famous terrorist - comes up against Detective Corby in this exciting thriller.
McGregor � (1994) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Good. Peter Rabbit-noir. Peter escaped front his farm-slavery and has come to liberate his fellow animals from under the master’s nose.
Brain Wars � (1992) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Great. Letters home from the war. A soldier writes to his mother, but he has been affected by a neuro-chemical bomb that infects him with various mental aliments. Memory loss. Noun loss. Dyslexia. This is an old story about the human cost of war told with flair and confidence using potential weapons of the future.
Streetlife � (1993) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Good, A human-animal hybrid is made by its master to travel through the dangerous part of town to deliver a drug � and has dangerous adventures.
Afterschool Special � (1993) � novelette by Paul Di Filippo
Good. A schoolgirl whose parents will not allow her to get biomodifications challenges the rich girl in school leading to an offer that she cannot refuse.
Up the Lazy River � (1993) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Average. A “River Master� tries to discover and undo the ecological damage done by an attack on the the RM’s beloved rivers.
Distributed Mind � (1995) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Good. Difficult to discern the plot through Di Filippo’s dense prose here, but it seems like a microbe conquers by absorbing all the consciousness in an area. A man who has lost his wife and child to the microbe, goes inside to try to find a way to get them back. Exceptional ending to this one.
Rated 85% Positive. Story Score: 3.92 out of 5
13 Stories : 3 Great / 6 Good / 4 Average / 0 Poor / 0 DNF
Paul di Filippo is in love with playing with language. Phrases, brands, acronyms, spelling, genre, characters. All of these are taken apart and reassembled with a creativity and humor that is only matched by Di Filippo’s treatment of genetics and biology. This is book with invention on every line. You are inspired to dash forward like a Biomorph of leopard, rabbit, and 10% human. You glide on the humor and wordplay until you slam to earth with hard lessons around what humanity means, how slavery can slowly integrate back in to American society, how bio-modification can save or destroy the environment, and what it means when we are changing our bodies with the ease of changing our clothes.
� That’s the trouble with the tropes and strobers you can buy in the metamilk bars: they’re all kid’s stuff, G-rated holobytes. If you want a real slick kick, some black meds, then you got to belong to a set, preferably one with a smash watson boasting a clean labkit. A Fermenta, or Wellcome, or Cetus rig, say. Even an Ortho’ll do. But as I said, I had no set, nor any prospect of being invited into one�.
� The bartender was a simian splice which hung by its tail from an aerial rail and mixed drinks with four human hands�.
…I took out my little utility flashlight and lasered the wall pseudopod that had mated with Casio’s clothing�
I feel that my story summaries are worthless on this collection. Every paragraph, if not every line, had some uniquely weird insight into Ribofunk’s world. Many of these stories -maybe all of them - seem to operate in the same universe. Parts of the USA have merged with Canada and the South isn’t taking it well. Splices (sentient blends of human and animal DNA) are everywhere and human rights only exist for the 51% genetically human.
There is definitely some great work here, but I recommend the collection as a whole for a well rounded look at an insane future � which isn’t quite that crazy.
Stories for The Great List:
One Night in Television City � (1990) � short story by Paul Di Filippo. A chaotic urban tour through a baroquely inventive world of biotech body (and everything) modification. Every line has a new inventive bit of wordplay or SF future speculation. The story is your basic “low life dude ends up on the wrong side of some dangerous people and has to try to hide and get his bearings,� but the dense dive into this wild world is what makes this a great story.
Little Worker � (1989) � short story by Paul Di Filippo. Little Worker is a servant biomorph (part human & part cat) that works for (and loves) the Prime Minister. She cares for him and his household. The job is made harder by the PM’s wife taking a Bull Andromorph as a sex partner and the PM taking an Avian-influenced Gynomorph for one as well. Oh, and also terrorists that want the PM dead.
Brain Wars � (1992) � short story by Paul Di Filippo. Letters home from the war. A soldier writes to his mother, but he has been affected by a neuro-chemical bomb that infects him with various mental aliments. Memory loss. Noun loss. Dyslexia. This is an old story about the human cost of war told with flair and confidence using potential weapons of the future.
RIBOFUNK BY PAUL DI FILIPPO
13 STORIES : 3 GREAT / 6 GOOD / 4 AVERAGE / 0 POOR / 0 DNF
How do I arrive at a rating?
One Night in Television City � (1990) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Great. A chaotic urban tour through a baroquely inventive world of biotech body (and everything) modification. Every line has a new inventive bit of wordplay or SF future speculation. The story is your basic “low life dude ends up on the wrong side of some dangerous people and has to try to hide and get his bearings,� but the dense dive into this wild world is what makes this a great story.
Little Worker � (1989) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Great. Little Worker is a servant biomorph (part human & part cat) that works for (and loves) the Prime Minister. She cares for him and his household. The job is made harder by the PM’s wife taking a Bull Andromorph as a sex partner and the PM taking an Avian-influenced Gynomorph for one as well.
Cockfight � (1990) � novelette by Paul Di Filippo
Average. A team of toxic waste cleaners (Waste Gypsies) are brought in to do work closer to their hometown. Trouble at a strip club leads to an underground deathmatch.
Big Eater � (1995) � novelette by Paul Di Filippo
Average. Lower status splices try to flood Chicago to get back at humans for their abuses.
The Boot � (1990) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Average. Detective Corby is hired by a voluptuous woman (in true Film Noir style) and hires him to hunt down her husband. A gambling addict who has stolen some of her intellectual property.
Blankie � (1996) � novelette by Paul Di Filippo
Good. Starts with a riveting infiltration and corruption of a ‘Blankie,� and the murder of the child swaddled within. Detective Corby’s investigation leads to factories where they are created and the perverse uses that they can be put to.
The Bad Splice � (1996) � novelette by Paul Di Filippo
Good. Krazy Kat - a famous terrorist - comes up against Detective Corby in this exciting thriller.
McGregor � (1994) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Good. Peter Rabbit-noir. Peter escaped front his farm-slavery and has come to liberate his fellow animals from under the master’s nose.
Brain Wars � (1992) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Great. Letters home from the war. A soldier writes to his mother, but he has been affected by a neuro-chemical bomb that infects him with various mental aliments. Memory loss. Noun loss. Dyslexia. This is an old story about the human cost of war told with flair and confidence using potential weapons of the future.
Streetlife � (1993) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Good, A human-animal hybrid is made by its master to travel through the dangerous part of town to deliver a drug � and has dangerous adventures.
Afterschool Special � (1993) � novelette by Paul Di Filippo
Good. A schoolgirl whose parents will not allow her to get biomodifications challenges the rich girl in school leading to an offer that she cannot refuse.
Up the Lazy River � (1993) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Average. A “River Master� tries to discover and undo the ecological damage done by an attack on the the RM’s beloved rivers.
Distributed Mind � (1995) � short story by Paul Di Filippo
Good. Difficult to discern the plot through Di Filippo’s dense prose here, but it seems like a microbe conquers by absorbing all the consciousness in an area. A man who has lost his wife and child to the microbe, goes inside to try to find a way to get them back. Exceptional ending to this one.
December 26, 2013
Di Filippo's Ribofunk is one of the most amazing books I have read in ages. And I do read a lot of SciFi.
I came to this via the free audio-story 'Little Worker' on escapepod.org which is part of this collection. In fact, this is not a random collection, nearly all stories are set in the same universe, and some are very closely related, sharing the same key character.
Anyway, this is an amazing read. best short story colletion I've read in ages. It's well written, with amazing world building and amazing ideas.
The closest other thing I can think of is Windup Girl by Bacigalupi, though Baciagalupi is an inferior writer and Windup Girl, though goods is in parts a bit tedious to read.
Anyway, if you are into predictive SciFi, Cyberpunk, or just the Future, read this!!!
Sidenote: though it shares certain themes with Cyberpunk and is called Ribofunk, the styel is quite different, certainly not as dark. So if many Cyberpunk novel's melancholy or depressingness turns you off, this will still be fine with you, cause though being critical about (bio)tech, Filippo's expectation of the future, to me, seems generally positive...
I came to this via the free audio-story 'Little Worker' on escapepod.org which is part of this collection. In fact, this is not a random collection, nearly all stories are set in the same universe, and some are very closely related, sharing the same key character.
Anyway, this is an amazing read. best short story colletion I've read in ages. It's well written, with amazing world building and amazing ideas.
The closest other thing I can think of is Windup Girl by Bacigalupi, though Baciagalupi is an inferior writer and Windup Girl, though goods is in parts a bit tedious to read.
Anyway, if you are into predictive SciFi, Cyberpunk, or just the Future, read this!!!
Sidenote: though it shares certain themes with Cyberpunk and is called Ribofunk, the styel is quite different, certainly not as dark. So if many Cyberpunk novel's melancholy or depressingness turns you off, this will still be fine with you, cause though being critical about (bio)tech, Filippo's expectation of the future, to me, seems generally positive...
October 11, 2018
I wish there was something new here.
The premise is so promising: Forget chrome, the future is squishy. I wanted to read this, I wanted this premise to be developed. But there is not enough in this collection of stories to make a difference. Too many of the central conceits are variations on themes cyberpunk has done before. The enhancement of individuals, the servant who is more than they seem, the impact of unbridled evolution on society. I never felt like these stories really developed their promising beginnings into something more.
There are so many interesting ideas, I constantly wanted these to become interesting stories. They never came, which is a shame.
There was potential in the premise. These stories don’t deliver, it deserved more.
The premise is so promising: Forget chrome, the future is squishy. I wanted to read this, I wanted this premise to be developed. But there is not enough in this collection of stories to make a difference. Too many of the central conceits are variations on themes cyberpunk has done before. The enhancement of individuals, the servant who is more than they seem, the impact of unbridled evolution on society. I never felt like these stories really developed their promising beginnings into something more.
There are so many interesting ideas, I constantly wanted these to become interesting stories. They never came, which is a shame.
There was potential in the premise. These stories don’t deliver, it deserved more.
September 22, 2022
If I could, I think giving it a 3,5 would've been more fitting.
There's very interesting ideas and concepts in this book. It suffers from a rocky start, as the first short story, "One Night in Television City", is kinda hard to settle in. There's too much "bio" lingo. Even coming from me, someone who has a background in biology, it's very confusing and sometimes nonsensical, as it feels kinda fake. Nobody talks like this, nor ever will. Although, I feel the need to state that I may be wrong.
Putting that aside, the aesthetics are very interesting. The very creative use of biology-based tech and the contrast with advanced, silicon-based tech is incredible. It's worth a read if you're interested in different ideas and an aesthetic that's not much explored at all.
There's very interesting ideas and concepts in this book. It suffers from a rocky start, as the first short story, "One Night in Television City", is kinda hard to settle in. There's too much "bio" lingo. Even coming from me, someone who has a background in biology, it's very confusing and sometimes nonsensical, as it feels kinda fake. Nobody talks like this, nor ever will. Although, I feel the need to state that I may be wrong.
Putting that aside, the aesthetics are very interesting. The very creative use of biology-based tech and the contrast with advanced, silicon-based tech is incredible. It's worth a read if you're interested in different ideas and an aesthetic that's not much explored at all.
March 29, 2012
Paul Di Filippo, like Howard Waldrop, is a master of the short story. The stories collected in this volume share a background of a future where technology is primarily organic, with molecular biology well understood and gene-splicing common. There are modified humans and modified animals who are virtual slaves and a terrorist who wants to get back at humans for their callous disregard of gene-spliced animals. If there was any market for short stories Di Filippo and Waldrop would be as well known, at least, as Neal Stephenson. At least it's possible to read a book by Di Filippo without getting back strain.
January 15, 2014
Really quite an amazing book! It took a few stories to get into the rhythm of his slang and the multi-word descriptors, but the rewards were worth it! Fascinating world-building from a biological thrust. A few story plot lines were weak and hastily concluded but that would be my only complaint. It helps to have some background in biology, molecular and genetic...you'll get more out of the fascinating concepts.
I was struck by the conceptual similarity to John Varleys Eight Worlds stories, in terms of genetic splicing and body modification.
This is a book that deserves a place on my permanent collection!
I was struck by the conceptual similarity to John Varleys Eight Worlds stories, in terms of genetic splicing and body modification.
This is a book that deserves a place on my permanent collection!
June 24, 2008
Delightful. I know that sounds like the worst kind of schmaltz but it literally filled me with delight.
October 30, 2012
Short stories? Sprawling additive narritive? Yes. With body mods and mutant beast humanoids, Di Filippo's world has some great, fucked up stuff.
December 9, 2017
More science supporting Di Filippo's vision:
September 15, 2021
There's a lot to say about the events of Ribofunk, so I'll start with how it's held up:
For a book from 1996 I'd say it's aged poorly on some fronts, namely it's views on sexuality and gender and how that'd evolve even in the time written until now, neverminded the time the first story takes place. But on other points I can see them holding up, especially with us going greener and several growing issues. The biggest accurate thing this book predicted was and this would probably throw anyone for a loop who read it, . Yep... though it ends notably differently, . But that's neither here nor there as that's specifically BACKGROUND of the first story where they climb the ruins of the old (for their world/current for ours) business district of New York or 'Nuevo York' as it's called giving us the distinctive impression that while some aspects of the world has shifted, touch stones of the soceity we know have survived... at least at first, as the book goes on we get more distant and away from what we know until the ending is a...I'll let you find out.
Slang and it's evolution play a big part of some of the stories and while some comes off as...off beat and strange, it's no stranger than the way people in the 1920s talk (Namely use of the word gay and awful changing from meaning upbeat demeanor and wonderous respectively to a word that can describe men who like men and something horrible respectively.) or even the 1970s Jive talk to 1990's surfer type slang. So on that front I felt like some of these terms are Phillip's attempt to look at those and make a realistic evolution and it worked for me. I understand that because of how liberally some of the slang uses, it can be a slog if you're not wanting to read that but it does set me in that world a bit more than knowing it's suppose to be 2104 but the teens still talk using current slang/lingo.
Characters are varied and all have a distinctive voice, we go from a bunch of teens who decided to go urban exploring one night, to a genetically engineered creature known as a "Splice" who is content with her life as her owner's assistant, what is basically a space long haul trucker who gets in a fight with the wrong guy, a guy with a disability that's trying to make ends meet, a private investigator who takes on the case of a deadbeat husband, A rabbit splice who use to be apart of what was basically a traveling theater trope who goes rogue, the perspective of someone reading letters of a soldier typing up letters to their parents that have been censored and redacted. And that's not even going into the more strangers ones that include sexed up versions of Disney characters in a school setting and something that makes the creature form "The Thing from another world" seem...quant. There's many view points and motives, some are teens motivated by needing to feel seen/respected, others are people simply trying to scrap by and some coldly analytically trying to maintain what they have.
This could be adapted into an anthology series of a big named network easily, and I'd want it to for people to personally see the world I've found in these pages and to see what little worker looks like scurrying around as she is increasingly frustrated with the disorder being brought into her life and unhappiness of her owner.
But hey I'm just one guy with an opinion, if you didn't like it I hope you find something you did.
For a book from 1996 I'd say it's aged poorly on some fronts, namely it's views on sexuality and gender and how that'd evolve even in the time written until now, neverminded the time the first story takes place. But on other points I can see them holding up, especially with us going greener and several growing issues. The biggest accurate thing this book predicted was and this would probably throw anyone for a loop who read it, . Yep... though it ends notably differently, . But that's neither here nor there as that's specifically BACKGROUND of the first story where they climb the ruins of the old (for their world/current for ours) business district of New York or 'Nuevo York' as it's called giving us the distinctive impression that while some aspects of the world has shifted, touch stones of the soceity we know have survived... at least at first, as the book goes on we get more distant and away from what we know until the ending is a...I'll let you find out.
Slang and it's evolution play a big part of some of the stories and while some comes off as...off beat and strange, it's no stranger than the way people in the 1920s talk (Namely use of the word gay and awful changing from meaning upbeat demeanor and wonderous respectively to a word that can describe men who like men and something horrible respectively.) or even the 1970s Jive talk to 1990's surfer type slang. So on that front I felt like some of these terms are Phillip's attempt to look at those and make a realistic evolution and it worked for me. I understand that because of how liberally some of the slang uses, it can be a slog if you're not wanting to read that but it does set me in that world a bit more than knowing it's suppose to be 2104 but the teens still talk using current slang/lingo.
Characters are varied and all have a distinctive voice, we go from a bunch of teens who decided to go urban exploring one night, to a genetically engineered creature known as a "Splice" who is content with her life as her owner's assistant, what is basically a space long haul trucker who gets in a fight with the wrong guy, a guy with a disability that's trying to make ends meet, a private investigator who takes on the case of a deadbeat husband, A rabbit splice who use to be apart of what was basically a traveling theater trope who goes rogue, the perspective of someone reading letters of a soldier typing up letters to their parents that have been censored and redacted. And that's not even going into the more strangers ones that include sexed up versions of Disney characters in a school setting and something that makes the creature form "The Thing from another world" seem...quant. There's many view points and motives, some are teens motivated by needing to feel seen/respected, others are people simply trying to scrap by and some coldly analytically trying to maintain what they have.
This could be adapted into an anthology series of a big named network easily, and I'd want it to for people to personally see the world I've found in these pages and to see what little worker looks like scurrying around as she is increasingly frustrated with the disorder being brought into her life and unhappiness of her owner.
But hey I'm just one guy with an opinion, if you didn't like it I hope you find something you did.
August 25, 2024
This is the most bizarre book I have ever read, and I love it.
"Ribofunk" is an extremely obscure piece of Biopunk (a subgenre of Sci-Fi and an offshoot of Cyberpunk) literature. Paul Di Filippo's imagination is far beyond anything I have encountered thus far in the perpetual multimedium journey. It's a collection of short stories that I found by searching "Biopunk," out of curiosity, clicking on the wikipedia article, and then promptly buying the book used as the primary picture.
From Protein Police (the most stupid name I have ever heard), to part-human part-animal splices, to gangs, streetlife, and politics, Ribofunk builds up a world created primarily of organic matter. Biological and ethical concerns surpassed by science, everything from planes to buildings to rivers to concrete is grown, and growth implants and drugs are exceedingly common in everyone from birth. Filippo's world is explored from every angle, dealing with all sorts of sides to conflict, social class, belief, age, and profession, somewhat comparable in this regard to the "Star Wars the Clones Wars" animated show.
At first, my hatred for this book was only subsided in making fun of it. The first story is fun, but the following are weird and not immersive. On top of that, the slang is about half the words (consider: "So there I sat with a skull full of liquid oxygen, feeling just like the Challenger before liftoff, more bummed than before I had zero-balanced my eft on the useless drink"). Eventually, upon reaching "The Boot," everything changes. This story and the following two tie in previous story events with the tale of a private investigator and eventual Protein Policeman, detailing a few of his cases. This gives the reader a frame of the world and fully immerses them in the story from there out, redeeming most of the earlier stories.
However, the most interesting aspect of this collection is the philosophical implications and questions it deals with. Much of the narrative centers around a terrorist splice (the lab grown part-human, part-animal things) fighting against the oppression of humans (who are themselves modified to be part-animal) as the splices are treated as slaves and are horribly abused. This conflict deals heavily with the classic question: what does being human really mean? Another aspect of the society is an extreme disease of escapism, as somatic and neurotic aspects can be changed out for the small price of eft (the currency). In a society where almost everyone gets whatever they want whenever they want it, wholly and truly, no one is satisfied. Essentially, perfect escapism still fails in the end.
Also an interesting tidbit: the first short story (written in 1990) predicts Trumps presidency and assassination attempt. "Before us reared the tallest building in all of old Nuevo York, what used to be the old man Trump's very HQ, before he was elected president and got sliced and diced like he did."
There is so much to say about this book, but at that point I'd be writting an essay, and I need to save that energy for English class.
Ultimately, I would very highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to get out if their comfort zone and be both horrified and deeply intrigued at the same time. I would also offer a caution, as content wise the book is questionable. This is definitely one of my favorite books I've ever read.
5/5 Stars.
"Ribofunk" is an extremely obscure piece of Biopunk (a subgenre of Sci-Fi and an offshoot of Cyberpunk) literature. Paul Di Filippo's imagination is far beyond anything I have encountered thus far in the perpetual multimedium journey. It's a collection of short stories that I found by searching "Biopunk," out of curiosity, clicking on the wikipedia article, and then promptly buying the book used as the primary picture.
From Protein Police (the most stupid name I have ever heard), to part-human part-animal splices, to gangs, streetlife, and politics, Ribofunk builds up a world created primarily of organic matter. Biological and ethical concerns surpassed by science, everything from planes to buildings to rivers to concrete is grown, and growth implants and drugs are exceedingly common in everyone from birth. Filippo's world is explored from every angle, dealing with all sorts of sides to conflict, social class, belief, age, and profession, somewhat comparable in this regard to the "Star Wars the Clones Wars" animated show.
At first, my hatred for this book was only subsided in making fun of it. The first story is fun, but the following are weird and not immersive. On top of that, the slang is about half the words (consider: "So there I sat with a skull full of liquid oxygen, feeling just like the Challenger before liftoff, more bummed than before I had zero-balanced my eft on the useless drink"). Eventually, upon reaching "The Boot," everything changes. This story and the following two tie in previous story events with the tale of a private investigator and eventual Protein Policeman, detailing a few of his cases. This gives the reader a frame of the world and fully immerses them in the story from there out, redeeming most of the earlier stories.
However, the most interesting aspect of this collection is the philosophical implications and questions it deals with. Much of the narrative centers around a terrorist splice (the lab grown part-human, part-animal things) fighting against the oppression of humans (who are themselves modified to be part-animal) as the splices are treated as slaves and are horribly abused. This conflict deals heavily with the classic question: what does being human really mean? Another aspect of the society is an extreme disease of escapism, as somatic and neurotic aspects can be changed out for the small price of eft (the currency). In a society where almost everyone gets whatever they want whenever they want it, wholly and truly, no one is satisfied. Essentially, perfect escapism still fails in the end.
Also an interesting tidbit: the first short story (written in 1990) predicts Trumps presidency and assassination attempt. "Before us reared the tallest building in all of old Nuevo York, what used to be the old man Trump's very HQ, before he was elected president and got sliced and diced like he did."
There is so much to say about this book, but at that point I'd be writting an essay, and I need to save that energy for English class.
Ultimately, I would very highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to get out if their comfort zone and be both horrified and deeply intrigued at the same time. I would also offer a caution, as content wise the book is questionable. This is definitely one of my favorite books I've ever read.
5/5 Stars.
August 11, 2024
Somewhere in my hindbrain, I remember reading some early Paul Di Filippo in some SF mags, and, among others like Greg Bear and more, my imagination soared with with I called Biopunk fiction. You know, biology-science heavy imagination, usually flying with wild worldbuilding.
Think Farscape or any subsequent soup of hard-SF focused on much more than simple gene-splicing, going full ribosome hacking, all kinds of animals blending with human genomes, and the weird-ass kind of society that would support -- or exploit -- such a thing.
Ribofunk is one of the best of this sub-genre. This particular collection of short stories are pretty damn amazing. The sentence-level writing is super rich with science-made-common bio terms, and in one particular story, written in RHYME, if you can possibly believe it, was particularly brilliant.
The nineties were particularly great for bio-punk. I don't know why it kinda went away, but I wish I could see so much more of it. I think of Speaker for the Dead, Child Garden, even Darwin's Radio. These kinds of stories are really fascinating to me and have seemed to disappear from the SFnal imagination. Alas. I wish there were so much more.
Think Farscape or any subsequent soup of hard-SF focused on much more than simple gene-splicing, going full ribosome hacking, all kinds of animals blending with human genomes, and the weird-ass kind of society that would support -- or exploit -- such a thing.
Ribofunk is one of the best of this sub-genre. This particular collection of short stories are pretty damn amazing. The sentence-level writing is super rich with science-made-common bio terms, and in one particular story, written in RHYME, if you can possibly believe it, was particularly brilliant.
The nineties were particularly great for bio-punk. I don't know why it kinda went away, but I wish I could see so much more of it. I think of Speaker for the Dead, Child Garden, even Darwin's Radio. These kinds of stories are really fascinating to me and have seemed to disappear from the SFnal imagination. Alas. I wish there were so much more.
February 2, 2021
There were many times during this collection when I found myself thinking that I was reading sci-fi that was set in the world of Zootopia or Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Not in a bad way, though; it just makes the whole thing a little surreal when your characters are hyper-sexualized Disney icons, or Beatrix Potter by way of Animal Farm. Di Filippo also has a love for dense cyberpunk jargon, at times frustratingly so; there were times when the feat of deciphering what he was saying detracted from the story's momentum.
(That's right: I'm complaining about a writer using fancy words. Poor me.)
7/10 would eat here again, but I'd probably have to bring a dictionary to the table.
(That's right: I'm complaining about a writer using fancy words. Poor me.)
7/10 would eat here again, but I'd probably have to bring a dictionary to the table.
February 3, 2021
Jag tror jag förstod ungefär hälften av den här boken. Inte för att intrigerna i sig är så snåriga att man tappar bort sig, de flesta är inte så komplicerade alls, men de är dränkta i neologismer och vad jag antar är biologiska facktermer. Det tar ett tag innan man kommer in i det hela. Jag tror att detta är det första rena exemplet av Biopunk jag (om än att det funnits som ingrediens innan) läst; lite som om William Gibson tagit syra och varit mer intresserad av biologi än teknik och samhälle. De flesta av de noveller som är med är bra, det är en imponerande lägstanivå. Det är egentligen bara "The Afterschool Special" som var lite motsträvig. Di Filippo ska absolut utforskas mera.
November 10, 2018
This was an interesting collection of short stories, and personally I'd give it 4 stars. But I rate it 3 here because I think my enjoyment of it stemmed from the fact I have a biology degree. Without the right background, some of the words (often enjambment of moderately advanced biology terms) may be impenetrable. But, don't take my word for it. It's definitely something different and pretty interesting. Some great characters and interesting stories all through. And when it comes to trying to create a new genre, it definitely lives up to what it's intended to be... biopunk.
July 8, 2021
The moronic thoughts of an ignoramus.
> Cybernetics was a dead science when cyberpunk SF was born, a cul-de-sac without living practitioners.
Cybernetics is so much around him and he can't grasp it. Someone with a implant for glycemic index IS a cyborg. Someone on a respirator is a cyborg. Someone with a heart monitor implant is a cyborg.
> Punk was a dead music when cyberpunk SF was born, a cul-de-sac albeit with living practitioners who just hadn't gotten the message yet.
Oh. So he is the chosen one to get the message about the dead punk.
So, no, thank you.
> Cybernetics was a dead science when cyberpunk SF was born, a cul-de-sac without living practitioners.
Cybernetics is so much around him and he can't grasp it. Someone with a implant for glycemic index IS a cyborg. Someone on a respirator is a cyborg. Someone with a heart monitor implant is a cyborg.
> Punk was a dead music when cyberpunk SF was born, a cul-de-sac albeit with living practitioners who just hadn't gotten the message yet.
Oh. So he is the chosen one to get the message about the dead punk.
So, no, thank you.
May 17, 2024
I read Ribofunk when it first came out in the mid-1990s and it thoroughly rocked my world. I found breathtaking both the way Paul diFilippo plays with language, and his inventive worldbuilding of a dystopian future in which biomanipulation has become the prosaic norm. Re-reading it now in 2024, one story still holds up as an eternal gem for me: the glorious mashup named "McGregor." If you've read Beatrix Potter, visited any theme park, have held a job where you suffered under horrible bosses or uneven power dynamics, thirst for revolutionary justice, or even like rabbits, you'll love it too.
October 18, 2021
Really fun collection, all the stories are set in the same not so distant future world where genetic engineering and biosciences have largely displaced the typical cyberpunk hardware. Too bad "Ribofunk" didn't displace cyberpunk in real life!
"Before us reared the tallest building in all of old Nuevo York, what used to be old man Trump’s very HQ, before he was elected president and got sliced and diced like he did."
"Before us reared the tallest building in all of old Nuevo York, what used to be old man Trump’s very HQ, before he was elected president and got sliced and diced like he did."
July 22, 2020
I've read a little of the author's work before, but this is the first time I read a complete collection of short stories. In general, I liked most of them although I was put off by the first story and some of rest because of the "slang" used. I'd suggest skipping the first story on first reading and go back to it once you've gotten used to the way he writes.
January 5, 2021
I'm a long time Trekkie and am used to Technobabble but I couldn't keep up with it in this book. Story lines and character development were well done. I'm afraid I'm too old for the mental gymnastics needed to figure out the jargon.
February 5, 2019
Too dated. Old fashioned ideas of what cyberpunk should be.
Want to read
January 19, 2020
May 14, 2022
That was fun. And I love short stories
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