Arachne

Description

High above the dangerous streets of post-quake San Francisco Island, mechanically modified professionals link minds in a cybernetic telespace to push through big deals and decisions at lightning speed. But unexplained telelink blackouts and bizarre hallucinations have marred mediator Carly Quester's debut appearance before a computer-generated Venue–forcing her to consider delicate psychic surgery at the hands of a robot therapist, Prober Spinner.

Suddenly the ambitious young mediator is at risk in a deadly Artificial Intelligence scheme to steal human souls–because the ghosts of Carly's unconscious may be a prize well worth killing for.

A special Extra for Arachne will follow soon. Buy now and receive the extra when it's launched.

Why you'll love it

Arachne is an unique entry in the cyberpunk genre. It steps between the dystopia of William Gibson and the otherworldliness of Phillip K. Dick.

Full of 'almost' body-horror, corporations so mega that they transact court cases in nanoseconds, and AI characters with more spiritualism in their circuits than the humans that inhabit this post Big-One San Francisco.

A must-read for cyberpunk fans!

Reviews

Locus Magazine

Cybernetics, robotics, the aftermath of San Francisco's Big Quake II, urban tribalism - Lisa Mason combines them all with such deftness and grace, they form a living world. Mason spins an entertaining tale... She allows Carly's robotic allies a measure of personality and sophistication beyond the stock role of a chirping R2D2 or a blandly sinister Hal... Her characters and their world will stay with you long after you've finished this fine book.

The San Francisco Chronicle

Lisa Mason stakes out, within the cyberpunk sub-genre, a territory all her own.

Booklist

Mason's endearing characters and their absorbing adventures will hook even the most jaded SF fan.

Nancy Kress, author of Brain Rose

Arachne is an impressive debut by a writer gifted with inventiveness, wit, and insight. The characters face choices well worth reading about. This is cyberpunk with a heart.

Paul Preuss, author of Core

There is a refreshing amount of energy associated with Lisa Mason's writing. The good old values are there: fun, excitement, drama - but served up with new and original twists. Lisa Mason is definitely a writer to watch - and to read.

Ed Bryant

Lisa Mason must be counted among science fiction's most distinctive voices as we rush toward the new millennium.

About Lisa Mason

Lisa Mason is the author of eleven novels, including Summer of Love (Bantam), a San Francisco Chronicle Recommended Book and Philip K. Dick Award finalist, and The Golden Nineties (Bantam), a New York Times Notable Book and New York Public Library Recommended Book.

Her most recent speculative novel is CHROME.

Mason published her first story, Arachne, in Omni and has since published short fiction in magazines and anthologies worldwide, including Omni, Full Spectrum, Universe, Year's Best Fantasy and Horror, Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Unique, Transcendental Tales, Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Immortal Unicorn, Tales of the Impossible, Desire Burn, Fantastic Alice, The Shimmering Door, Hayakawa Science Fiction Magazine, Unter Die Haut, and others. Her thirty-two stories and novelettes have been translated into Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, and Swedish.

Mason's story, Tomorrow's Child, first published in Omni Magazine, is in active development at Universal Studios.

Lisa Mason lives in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband, the renowned artist and jeweller Tom Robinson.

Author page

Find Lisa Mason

• Website
• @lisaSmason