For this issue of Fiction Factor I'm doing something I don't normally do: I'm taking a look at a new e-zine that has only one issue under their cyber belts. The reason I rarely review such new sites is that many don't make it to their second issue. However,  Neometropolis (http://www.neometropolis.com) is a new cyberpunk zine that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy and I hope they'll be with us for a long time to come.

It's probably easier to define this sub-genre of science fiction by telling you what it's not rather than what it is. Cyberpunk is not for the timid, nor is it for the easily offended. Typically, cyberpunk stories are set in the present or near future with protagonists who live on the edges of society.  The cyberpunk universe is typically over-industrialized and dystopian. The Matrix and Bladerunner are two of the best known movie examples of cyberpunk. Bill Gibson's multi-award winning  Neuromancer is considered the original and possibly best example.

(for more information about cyberpunk check out this site: http://www.edu.uleth.ca/runte/ncfguide/fangloss.htm )

The first issue of Neometropolis brings six cyberpunk tales to the 'net in one tidy PDF downloadable file. These stories are raw, edgy and very well written. Fiction Factor's editor-in-chief, Lee Masterson, has a story titled "Bliss" in the zine's inaugural issue. Don't let the title deceive you, "Bliss" is dark and gritty like all good cyberpunk stories. You will find strong language on the site and in some of the stories. There's only one or two strong words in most of the stories but there is no limit on which words are used.

When you first journey to the opening page of Neometropolis don't look for the stories in the menu to the left. The link for the PDF download is in the center column and very easy to find. You have the choice between zipped or non-zipped files. The links to the left will take you to something most e-zines don't have, a forum for lovers of cyberpunk to discuss the genre, their own writing, and anything that pertains to the cyberpunk world.

From Neometropolis's guidelines page: "WHAT WE WANT:

Fiction—technological fiction, "classic cyberpunk" (fiction in the tradition of William Gibson, John Shirley, Philip K. Dick), or even slipstream
Music Reviews—techno, industrial, EBM, synthpop, darkware, futurewave, etc
Fashion Commentary—cyberpunk fashion, cybergoth, etc
Articles about cyberculture/society—hacker subculture, rave scene, designer drugs, futurism, etc
Articles about technology—nanotech, pervasive computing, AI, etc
Interviews—anything you think is relevant
Original work only (stuff written by YOU). Reprints okay.

WHAT WE DON'T WANT:
Fantasy, anthropomorphic sci-fi (talking animals), space opera.

If you are submitting fiction, then no gratuitous violence or sex. It is true that many postmodern visions will include sexual/violent content, however there is a limit to what we will read." [end quote]

Neometropolis pays 1-6 ¢/word and $5-10 for artwork. While they don't pay for poetry, they do accept it. Preferred length is 10,000 words or less.

For ease of loading, quick download of the PDF file, simple navigation and well presented work, Neometropolis earns a  * * * * *  review.
 

© Copyright Tina Morgan  2004