Book Review: Spaceland

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Spaceland     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Rudy Rucker
Class/Genre:   Science Fiction
Tor, Jun 2002, $24.95, 304 pp.

To add spice to his sagging marriage on the millennium’s New Year’s Eve, hi tech middle manager Joe Cube plans a special night with his increasingly discontented wife. He brings food, drink, and an experimental TV. However, Joe’s idea of fun fails to match that of Jena, who prefers a night of hot sex than watching another of her husband’s electronic gadgets.

While Jena finds solace in the arms of Joe's engineering buddy, the three dimensional TV he brought home thrusts Momo, a siren from the fourth dimension, into our world. Momo tricks Joe into assisting her people the Kluppers in the fight with their mortal enemies the Dronners as the techie "controls" the three-dimensional reality of SPACELAND that separates the warring races.

SPACELAND is a strange satirical science fiction tale that successfully mixes humor with mathematical theory in order to slice the sacred technological icons of modern society. The story line simply asks at what prices do we sell our souls to the Gods of technology, but does so with humor. Using mirth and irony, Rudy Rucker provides a powerful indictment of the technological damning of all of us.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner