Exploring The Matrix: Visions Of The Cyber Present edited by Karen Haber
01/06/2003 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 

pub: St. Martin's Press, USA. 271 page hardback. Price: $24.95 (US), $36.95 (CAN). ISBN: 0-312-31358-6 .

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With the upcoming pair of 'Matrix' films coming out, it was inevitable that we'd see some books around the subject.

If anything, this kind of book has been a long time in coming but understandable why it would be out now. This is 17 essays from some of Science Fiction's finest about their feelings and reaction to the first 'Matrix' film.

These authors range from regular SF writers to the cyberpunk variety with a lot of different reactions so there should be plenty in there for everyone.

Just in case anyone thinks their being left out, they are: Pat Cadigan, Bruce Sterling, John Shirley, Darrel Anderson, Pail Di Filippo, Kathleen Ann Goonan, Mike Resnick, Walter Jon Williams, Karen Haber, Dean Motter, Ian Watson, Joe Haldeman, David Brin, Alan Dean Foster, James Patrick Kelly, Kevin J Anderson and Nick Berry.

A scattershot that must surely include one or more of your favourite authors. To single anyone out of this pot-pourii is likely to do some disservice to others. I found I was reacting differently according to the essay I was reading.

Everyone was taking a different viewpoint. Granted this means no one is going to come away without thinking someone agreed with their own opinions just that there was no consensus opinion whether to be for or against the film. Mind you, that shouldn't anyone.

When has a group of out-spoken SF fans let alone professionals have the same opinion about anything? I will take issue with Joe Haldeman though. Not that his over-view was wrong just not far-reaching enough.

Yes, film and TV SF material have yet to reach the same level as the SF written word. To expect these media to jump ahead without some growing pains or developing through the material to get a better acceptance from the general film viewer can't be done over night.

It looks like it's the company executives that are allowing a little more adventuresome that will see such changes happen providing that there is a profit to be made. 'The Matrix' indicates that SF cyber-media has reached a level of acceptability, so they're only 30 years behind now.

SF films just decades at a time.

With the computer technology keeping some sort of budget, mayhap expansion will be ever quicker. Like when 'Star Wars' hit the mass media, 'The Matrix' undoubtedly will move popular opinion another quantum notch up the ladder.

Editorially, I do think it was a mistake of editor Karen Haber's to put the authors' bios at the end rather than with each piece where its purpose would be served better.

Linking what authority each author is talking from would only improve rather than diminish the impact.

However, this is a book that does deserve to be bought or read if for no other reason that there are few SF opinion books around and sales here could encourage more on other subjects.

GF Willmetts