New Taboos

Overview

A new collection from the writer of The Crow and lyricist for Blue Oyster Cult

Mixing outlaw humor, sci-fi adventure, and cutting social criticism, this collection draws upon John Shirley’s entire arsenal. The title essay, "New Taboos" is his prescription for a radical revisioning of America. A new short story, "State of Imprisonment," is a horrifying and hilarious look at the privatization of the prison industry. The one percent gets their comeuppance in "Where the Market's Hottest." His TEDx address (delivered in Brussels in 2011) presents his proudly contrarian views of the next 40 years. Also featured is an Outspoken Interview showcasing the author's progressive sensibility, deep humanity, and mordant wit.

Reviews

"Readers who enjoy living a little dangerously are likely to appreciate the sheer, headlong exuberance of Shirley's imagination." —San Francisco Chronicle

"Astonishingly consistent and rigorously horrifying. All his stories give off the chill of top-grade horror.” —New York Times

"One of our best and most singular writers. A powerhouse of ideas and imagery." —William Gibson

"John Shirley achieves things that other writers wouldn't dare attempt. Brilliant. The true quill." —Bruce Sterling

"Shirley writes at the neon-lit frontier of sensory experience." —Publishers Weekly

"New Taboos is a slim volume offering an intriguing sampling of John Shirley's writing and ideas." —quarkstomper, Daily KOS

"Lyricist and “Dread Lord” of cyberpunk Shirley releases a full-throated howl about the twinned perils of corporate hegemony and citizen apathy... Brief but potent, the book is a treat for Shirley fans, and a reasonable starting point for newcomers." —Publishers Weekly

Author Biography

John Shirley is one of the original “Dread Lords” of Cyberpunk who brought a new noir sensibility to SF and Fantasy in the 1990s. He is the author of numerous books and many short stories, including the novels Bleak History, Crawlers, Demons, In Darkness Waiting, and the seminal cyberpunk works City Come A-Walkin' and A Song Called Youth trilogy of Eclipse, Eclipse Penumbra, and Eclipse Corona. His collections include the Bram Stoker and International Horror Guild Award–winning Black Butterflies, Living Shadows, and In Extremis. As a musician, he has fronted his own bands and written lyrics for Blue Öyster Cult and others. He lives in San Francisco.