First published 2021
Bruno Argento crafts stories where technology collides with Italian mythology and history. In Turin, a businessman faces consequences from his necromantic practices. The Black Swan, a rogue hacker, codes his way through alternate Italian realities. A Parthenopean assassin encounters his fate with a two-headed noblewoman. Meanwhile, a robot wheelchair creates art that defies classification, frustrating both artists and scientists alike. Sterling presents these Italian-themed tales through his alter ego Argento, blending advanced technology with classical elements. The collection marks the first English publication of several stories, showcasing fantascienza that bridges American cyberpunk sensibilities with distinctly Italian settings and themes.
Genres: science-fiction, art, fantasy, 21st-century, alternate-history, cyberpunk
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: alternate-reality, found-family, technology-and-magic
Setting: Italy, Turin
Period: 21st-century
315 pages · Kindle Edition · Tachyon Publications