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Solarpunk: Ecological and Fantastical Stories in a Sustainable World
Imagine a sustainable world, run on clean and renewable energies that are less aggressive to the environment. Now imagine humanity under the impact of these changes. This is the premise Brazilian editor Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro proposed, and these authors took the challenge to envision hopeful futures and alternate histories. The stories in this anthology explore terrorism against green corporations, large space ships propelled by the pressure of solar radiation, the advent of photosynthetic humans, and how different society might be if we had switched to renewable energies much earlier in history. Originally published in Brazil and translated for the first time from the Portuguese by F�bio Fernandes, this anthology of optimistic science fiction features nine authors from Brazil and Portugal including Carlos Orsi, Telmo Mar�al, Romeu Martins, Antonio Luiz M. Costa, Gabriel Cantareira, Daniel I. Dutra, Andr� S. Silva, Roberta Spindler, and Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro.
284 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
63 people are currently reading
989 people want to read
About the author
Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro
127 books18 followersAlso uses the pseudonym Carla Cristina Pereira. See: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Also uses the pseudonym Daniel Alvarez. See: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
Also uses the pseudonym Daniel Alvarez. See: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
September 26, 2018
My second foray into the world of Solarpunk - and second buddy read with the awesome readers over at the Solarpunk group, where we've been reading and discussing this book.
My first venture was an exceptional and light-hearted affair. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given this book was translated from Portuguese after originally being published in Brazil, this was a much grittier affair. Already living in an economic dystopia must have it's effects on what you envision for the future.
But it's not just grit that Brazil brings to the table in this collection; rather, it's a vision of a myriad of futures that brought hope, despair, anger and excitement. All of them inventive, each story told it's tale in a clear and individual voice. The particular standouts for me were towards the end; Xibalba Dreams of the West, by Andre S. Silva, and Sun in the Hearth, by Roberta Spindler. At wildly different ends of the emotional spectrum, they were both absolutely outstanding stories. One, a look at a Mesoamerica that never saw it's bloodthirsty gods fall - the other, a quiet and touching piece about what it means to be human, and what it's worth sacrificing to survive.
There was the odd clunky translation in some of these stories - it's not completely avoidable in any translation, some things just don't translate. But overall this is a solid collection, and absolutely one I'd recommend to anyone with an interest in a new slant on ecological or speculative fiction.
My first venture was an exceptional and light-hearted affair. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given this book was translated from Portuguese after originally being published in Brazil, this was a much grittier affair. Already living in an economic dystopia must have it's effects on what you envision for the future.
But it's not just grit that Brazil brings to the table in this collection; rather, it's a vision of a myriad of futures that brought hope, despair, anger and excitement. All of them inventive, each story told it's tale in a clear and individual voice. The particular standouts for me were towards the end; Xibalba Dreams of the West, by Andre S. Silva, and Sun in the Hearth, by Roberta Spindler. At wildly different ends of the emotional spectrum, they were both absolutely outstanding stories. One, a look at a Mesoamerica that never saw it's bloodthirsty gods fall - the other, a quiet and touching piece about what it means to be human, and what it's worth sacrificing to survive.
There was the odd clunky translation in some of these stories - it's not completely avoidable in any translation, some things just don't translate. But overall this is a solid collection, and absolutely one I'd recommend to anyone with an interest in a new slant on ecological or speculative fiction.
September 27, 2018
I found this anthology through the Solarpunk group, where we've been discussing it. If you're interested in this bright new subgenre ;), by all means join us.
In terms of positive (or at least not dystopian) futures, Solarpunk doesn't quite deliver. Many of its visions are bleak in one way or another, or at least show no evolution of humankind as a whole. (But maybe more mature humans aren't mandatory for the genre? I'm new to it, so I'm still feeling my way.)
What I enjoyed the most was the chance to read Brazilian speculative fiction--I think it's my first time ever. Fábio Fernandes, the translator, has generally done a great job of preserving the diversity of styles and registers. I'll be happy if we've achieved a similar level in ФантАstika: Almanac of Bulgarian Speculative Fiction.
Here're my more vivid impressions:
~ Sarena Ulibarri's preface made me want to read Pacific Edge. That's an achievement, given my love-hate relationship with Kim Stanley Robinson, which dates back to his Mars trilogy. Robinson is a master of social analysis but can be uncomfortably detached when it comes to individual human beings.
And triple yay for:
Oh, for how long I've been waiting for this change of (global) mind ....
This is a fact I didn't know, and it's amazing:
Ulibarri's reflections on the (lack of) connection between renewable energy and left-wing liberalism were also eye-opening.
~ Up until its last quarter, Carlos Orsi's "Soylent Green is People!" reads like a lively Chandleresque story (those knees are killing me :) set in a colorful near future. The setting sometimes reminds me of my own part of the world, where you can indeed find a friendly hacker to fix your comp for a bottle of beer. ;)
Then the solarpunk element kicks in for real:
And then it gets sinister.
~ The language of Telmo Marçal's "When Kingdoms Collide" is brutiful. Kudos to the translator for all the slang and idioms.
The plot is not.
~ Here's how the adoption of renewable energy spreads around the world in Antonio Luiz M. C. Costa's "Once Upon a Time in a World":
Right, Eurasia? Right? :D
The alterfascist revolutionaries are also spot on:
All in all, this is an ambitious alternate history novella whose appreciation depends on our knowledge of the people and events spoofed. I could get most of the European references, but I don't know much about South America, so I must have missed a ton of stuff (such as who the Union of Nations measurement units were named after). It's a minor issue anyway.
My more serious problem was that there're too many characters and each needs more screen time to get properly fleshed out.
In terms of positive (or at least not dystopian) futures, Solarpunk doesn't quite deliver. Many of its visions are bleak in one way or another, or at least show no evolution of humankind as a whole. (But maybe more mature humans aren't mandatory for the genre? I'm new to it, so I'm still feeling my way.)
What I enjoyed the most was the chance to read Brazilian speculative fiction--I think it's my first time ever. Fábio Fernandes, the translator, has generally done a great job of preserving the diversity of styles and registers. I'll be happy if we've achieved a similar level in ФантАstika: Almanac of Bulgarian Speculative Fiction.
Here're my more vivid impressions:
~ Sarena Ulibarri's preface made me want to read Pacific Edge. That's an achievement, given my love-hate relationship with Kim Stanley Robinson, which dates back to his Mars trilogy. Robinson is a master of social analysis but can be uncomfortably detached when it comes to individual human beings.
And triple yay for:
Weariness with dystopian plots, coupled with a growing awareness of climate change, has been a driving force in the renewed interest in ecological science fiction in the 2010s.
Oh, for how long I've been waiting for this change of (global) mind ....
This is a fact I didn't know, and it's amazing:
Brazil is actually one of the world’s leaders in renewable energy, with 76% of the country’s energy in 2017 coming from wind, solar, and hydropower.
Ulibarri's reflections on the (lack of) connection between renewable energy and left-wing liberalism were also eye-opening.
~ Up until its last quarter, Carlos Orsi's "Soylent Green is People!" reads like a lively Chandleresque story (those knees are killing me :) set in a colorful near future. The setting sometimes reminds me of my own part of the world, where you can indeed find a friendly hacker to fix your comp for a bottle of beer. ;)
Then the solarpunk element kicks in for real:
“Generally speaking, more energy is extracted from a liter of oil than from a kilo of cane. And the global demand only increases. Soon we will reach a point where it will again make sense, economic sense, at least to extract and refine oil, as it was done in the twentieth century. Unless we can extract more energy from plants.”
“Cellulose?”
“Cellulose, yes. Plants are made of things other than sugar, such as cellulose, fat, and protein, and there are biological pathways to convert all of those into fuel. The point is only about price and unwanted waste. Cellulose started to be a part of the scene in the beginning of the century. Animal fat has been used for decades to produce aviation kerosene. Protein is the new frontier, mainly because of waste.”
“Waste?”
“Ammonia. Nitrates. In the old days, people thought that this wouldn’t be a problem, that after yeast and bacteria finished turning the protein into fuel, the part with the nitrogen could be reused as fertilizer. A closed cycle: nitrates for soil, soil for plant, plant for nitrates. But then… Have you ever heard of nitrogen pollution?”
I shook my head. He swallowed three more olives.
“Bottom line, having loose nitrogen compounds in the soil, air, and water is not a good idea. Acid rain. Pollution of lakes and oceans. Bad, really bad. Not at first, but over time… Synthetic fertilizers had to be regulated almost to extinction some ten years ago. Hence, the golden dream of the protein biofuel was sent to the compost heap.”
“Unless someone invented a process that could neutralize nitrogen,” I added. “Which was what Raul and Sabrina were working on.”
And then it gets sinister.
~ The language of Telmo Marçal's "When Kingdoms Collide" is brutiful. Kudos to the translator for all the slang and idioms.
The plot is not.
~ Here's how the adoption of renewable energy spreads around the world in Antonio Luiz M. C. Costa's "Once Upon a Time in a World":
After the unification of the planet, the Rebouças brothers’ study showed the dangers of greenhouse effect amplification for the climate and the planetary environment, after which UN resolutions increasingly restricted the use of fossil fuels. And also of nuclear energy, after its risks were evidenced when an earthquake followed by tsunami devastated the plant of Paramonga, in the Tauantinsuio.
Fifty years later, there were only thirty experimental nuclear power plants and three hundred small research reactors operating in the world, all under strict supervision by the Union of Nations Commission on Science and Culture. And coal, oil, and gas were being used only as chemical raw materials. Former mining and industrial centers disappeared in many places. Although the Union financed the substitution of renewable energy sources, the imposition aroused much resentment in Eurasia, where many saw the threat of global warming as a forged pretext to deprive them of their technological independence and subject them to the uniform and oppressive vulgarity of solar panels and wind turbines that turned magnificent landscapes in ugly things to behold.
Right, Eurasia? Right? :D
The alterfascist revolutionaries are also spot on:
“Can’t you go faster, Corporal?” asked Marinetti.
“No, mein Führer, the machine will follow the normal programming.”
“Could they not? Can the Union stop the damn engine?” he asked furiously.
“Rosenberg and Salazar were able to cut off the communication, the cameras, and the locks, but they didn’t figure out how to take direct control without damaging everything.”
“Maledetto robot!” he mumbled. “In the new order, vehicles will have steering wheels, brakes, and accelerating pedals. A machine is a woman, and it’s not fitting for it to refuse a man’s command!”
All in all, this is an ambitious alternate history novella whose appreciation depends on our knowledge of the people and events spoofed. I could get most of the European references, but I don't know much about South America, so I must have missed a ton of stuff (such as who the Union of Nations measurement units were named after). It's a minor issue anyway.
My more serious problem was that there're too many characters and each needs more screen time to get properly fleshed out.
October 25, 2022
If I’m not mistaken, then this is the first solarpunk anthology that was published. It was published in Brazil in 2012 only 4 years after the first mention of solarpunk online. The premise of Brazilian editor Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro was as follows: “Imagine a sustainable world, run on clean and renewable energies that are less aggressive to the environment. Now imagine humanity under the impact of these changes.” Sounds good? Well, that’s what I thought.
And then I started to read it, and to be quite honest, I don’t think this anthology really manages to work well with this premise. On the whole it feels more cyber- than solarpunk. Some of the stories do center around renewable energy, but the link to that is sometimes a bit vague.
The one where this link is the strongest is in the best story in the anthology, “Sun in the Heart” by Roberta Spindler. That story deals with the future, deals with the climate crisis, and shows a world where people have found a way to live despite all that has happened. It’s definitely not a utopian tale, but one that deals with wage inequality, and a dying world. Strong stuff. Spindler is the one of a few writers in this book that I might like to read more of.
Another story I liked was “Xibalba Dreams of the West” by André S. Silva which has a very Brazilian point of view. It was interesting to read a sci fi story that comes with such a non Western point of view. A story centering around a world where the European colonization of Brazil didn’t happen. Quite good, and interesting.
“Escape” by Gabriel Cantereira is the shortest story in the anthology, but it’s a story with such a strong drive. It really pulled me forwards right to the end. A strong story about being on the run.
The rest was interesting at best, baffling at worst. The tone of this book is something that I haven’t really come across very much in solarpunk anthologies. It really leans more heavily towards dystopia than any solarpunk anthology I’ve read so far. This could have worked, but in my view it fails to do so because it doesn’t works well enough with the premise, and some of the stories aren’t strong enough either as solarpunk or as something else. One the whole some good stories, but this anthology will never be among my favorite solarpunk anthologies.
And then I started to read it, and to be quite honest, I don’t think this anthology really manages to work well with this premise. On the whole it feels more cyber- than solarpunk. Some of the stories do center around renewable energy, but the link to that is sometimes a bit vague.
The one where this link is the strongest is in the best story in the anthology, “Sun in the Heart” by Roberta Spindler. That story deals with the future, deals with the climate crisis, and shows a world where people have found a way to live despite all that has happened. It’s definitely not a utopian tale, but one that deals with wage inequality, and a dying world. Strong stuff. Spindler is the one of a few writers in this book that I might like to read more of.
Another story I liked was “Xibalba Dreams of the West” by André S. Silva which has a very Brazilian point of view. It was interesting to read a sci fi story that comes with such a non Western point of view. A story centering around a world where the European colonization of Brazil didn’t happen. Quite good, and interesting.
“Escape” by Gabriel Cantereira is the shortest story in the anthology, but it’s a story with such a strong drive. It really pulled me forwards right to the end. A strong story about being on the run.
The rest was interesting at best, baffling at worst. The tone of this book is something that I haven’t really come across very much in solarpunk anthologies. It really leans more heavily towards dystopia than any solarpunk anthology I’ve read so far. This could have worked, but in my view it fails to do so because it doesn’t works well enough with the premise, and some of the stories aren’t strong enough either as solarpunk or as something else. One the whole some good stories, but this anthology will never be among my favorite solarpunk anthologies.
December 17, 2022
This collection is a strange mix. All stories are interesting in their own way, but I only really liked two of them: Xibalba Dreams of the West by André Silva and Sun in the Heart by Roberta Spindler.
In all other stories there was at least some amount of machismo present that might be typical and an indication for the sad reality in Brazil and Portugal. I must admit that's one of the main reasons most of this anthology fell flat for me.
Most of the stories had a late 70s/early 80s feel to them and felt outdated despite the intruiging ideas presented in them. I feel like seeing a list of each author's main influences would be quite revealing.
In all other stories there was at least some amount of machismo present that might be typical and an indication for the sad reality in Brazil and Portugal. I must admit that's one of the main reasons most of this anthology fell flat for me.
Most of the stories had a late 70s/early 80s feel to them and felt outdated despite the intruiging ideas presented in them. I feel like seeing a list of each author's main influences would be quite revealing.
March 20, 2021
Xibalba Dreams of the West by André S. Silva ★★★★★
This needs to be expanded into a book immediately! Welcome to an alternate history/future(?) that brings us a modern-day, storm-powered, unconquered Mesoamerica. It's a world of gods and demons, sacrifice and secrets. I want to know more!
Sun in the Heart by Roberta Spindler ★★★★★
It’s a beautiful new world where the sun provides for humans completely through photonutrient tattoos.
But not equally.
Not everyone can afford the tattoos that bring perfect healthy and double life span.
This story is one family’s drama of differing perspectives on the technology and their sick child.
Soylent Green is People! by Carlos Orsi ★★★★☆
“She was smiling. Not a fake smile, but something that accentuated the cruel aspect of her face: she had regained her composure.”
Interesting start. An old timey detective story where the beautiful dame filled with secrets comes asking for help.
As the title unsubtly hints there are experimental energy technology aspects to the crime. That said, this story would be right at home in a Best of Detective/Murder Mystery Anthology.
When Kingdoms Collide by Telmo Marçal ★★★★☆
“Come pick a flower.”
The first part of this story was written with the grace of a drunken juggler.
But it gets better.
Better and better the more I think about it.
It’s gone up a Star just as I write this review; thinking on what an amazing episode of The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror it would make.
A portion of the population, that have altered themselves to live without food, has been given an autonomous region by the government.
Now some of them are disappearing and have quietly contacted the government for aid.
Our MC must solve the case at great personal cost.
Escape by Gabriel Cantareira ★★★★☆
After a war destroys 70% of the fossil fuel supply large-scale solar satellites are built.
While the world may be changing for the better the 1% are willing to throw it away to retain power.
Not if Mariana can help it!
This short story was an enjoyable mini action movie.
Gary Johnson by Daniel I. Dutra ★★★★☆
“He said that science was above moral issues...”
Vicious story about an alternative clean energy future that could have been.
Breaking News! by Romeu Martins ★★☆☆☆
Translation failed this story because I wasn’t sure if this was a preparation for alien invasion story, a new world order story, or an evil rich men story. All of the above? None?
Once Upon a Time in a World by Antonio Luiz M.C. Costa ★★☆☆☆
I don’t even know where to start. There was just too much going on. I guess the point was that even with our power needs met ecologically, and with the hopes of substantial social and scientific advancement, there will still be terrorism.
Cobalt Blue and the Enigma by Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro DNF
I tried three times but it didn’t grab me.
Average of the 8/9 stories read: 3.75
This is a translation of a 2013 Brazilian work so some cultural context is needed.
Brazil is actually one of the world’s leaders in renewable energy, with 76% of the country’s energy in 2017 coming from wind, solar, and hydropower. Brazil’s political landscape, however, is certainly not a liberal utopia. Far (very far) from it. Some of these stories reflect that dynamic and defy the notion that sustainable = utopian.
- Sara Ulibarri
Some of the stories were brilliant and several others flagged due to translation, trying to fit too much into a short story, or both.
December 14, 2021
I didn't necessarily like every story, some of the wording was clunky and I would like more female voices however this was interesting, especially the last story (novella?) which asked ethical questions about loyalty and co-existance, while also being problematic in the way Anna Hickey-Moody discusses in her critique of a view of disability as remasculanised through prosthetics. There's an interesting view of disability in the story in any case whatever you end up making of it.
A couple of the stories looked at photosynthesis instead of eating. This was interesting albeit maybe a fetishisation of technology. Deeper questions (decolonial and posthuman questions) about the changes in our thinking necessary for species survival were absent, this was sci-fi rather than speculative that way.
I am thinking of getting some more of these anthologies (maybe some more female-weighted ones) to see if they spark my own creativity in new directions.
A couple of the stories looked at photosynthesis instead of eating. This was interesting albeit maybe a fetishisation of technology. Deeper questions (decolonial and posthuman questions) about the changes in our thinking necessary for species survival were absent, this was sci-fi rather than speculative that way.
I am thinking of getting some more of these anthologies (maybe some more female-weighted ones) to see if they spark my own creativity in new directions.
June 13, 2018
The stories in this anthology are quite diverse. Very, very interesting anthology overall both for the Brazil-centric POV of most of the stories as well as the solarpunk futuristic aspects.The first story "Soylent Green is People" by Carlos Orsi makes a strong start. Dealing with the disappearance of a rich old woman and her son, the author weaves in hard core science related to loose nitrogen compounds resulting from processing cellulose, the church, and coffee-loving into a Solarpunk version of a noir detective story complete with cynical PI. The translation was mostly transparent in this one, meaning I didn't notice strange sentence constructions.
The second story, "When Kingdoms Collide" was definitely a bit more difficult to get into. A story of, I think, a future where people are divided into chlorophyll people and regular people-- it follows a reporter going after an interview with the chlorophyll people. For me it was weird. Almost jokingly surreal at times. I had to reread sentences many times to try to guess what was going on. Things only started making sense about two thirds of the way through the short story.
Next up was "Breaking News" by Romeu Martins. This is the straight up science-twist SF story I'm used to reading in American 'zines. It starts out with a broadcast radio news story about protestors about to invade the largest plant genetic greenhouse in the world (in Brazil). It turns into a fun, twisted cautionary tale about weaponized genetic modifications. The translation of this one is really transparent and easy to read.
I was confused by "Once Upon a Time in the World" by Antonio Luiz M. C. Costa. The story itself is rich in nuclear physics lingo like "deuterium" and "bombardment of lithium atoms" etc. There's also the appearance of famous historical figures (like hitler) in alternate-world roles. And alot of names-- unknown names of characters, places, and organizations that made it hard to keep track of. At least the author put a glossary of the energy units names used in the story at the back. There was also some awkward sentence translations in this one that sometimes made me go back and reread for "he"/"she" issues.
"Escape" by Gabriel Cantareira is another more straight-forward tale of a post-war Sao Paulo. I highlighted this awesome line about one of the side-benefits of globalization "...Globalization can be a problem for militarism, since a nation's civilian population will find it difficult to accept killing enemies who watch the same TV programs as they do." In this story, a woman attempts to stop the sabotage of a solar power space station called Icarus-- very fast paced and lots of action.
"Gary Johnson" by Daniel I. Dutra is a kind of alternate history dealing with race and science and the human soul as a man uncovers a scientific secret from his grandfather's journal. It was fine.
"Xibalba Dreams of the West" by Andre S. Silva was a stand out story for me. I devoured it. Written from an alternate history POV where a modern, electrical society is powered by lightning strikes to towers, and the Mayan overlords were overthrown by other native gods, the story chronicles a woman's discovery of a powerful warrior in her city tangled up with her executed father's fate. It left me hungry for more just when the story ended.
"Sun in the Heart" by Robert Spindler was okay. A few strange sentences here and there due to translation.
"Enigma vs Blue Cobalt" by Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro. As far as I'm concerned, this was the stand-out story of the anthology. More a novella than a short story, its a mix of alternate history, espionage, and space opera told through the alternating POVs of a human agent with a military space suit and a son-of-the-night who throughout time has been the agent of a country called Palmares as they meet in space and try to destroy each other. Very, very cool story, but not as much chock full of ecological alternate energy as such. Translation is pretty smooth throughout.
Very worthwhile reading.
(More later)
The second story, "When Kingdoms Collide" was definitely a bit more difficult to get into. A story of, I think, a future where people are divided into chlorophyll people and regular people-- it follows a reporter going after an interview with the chlorophyll people. For me it was weird. Almost jokingly surreal at times. I had to reread sentences many times to try to guess what was going on. Things only started making sense about two thirds of the way through the short story.
Next up was "Breaking News" by Romeu Martins. This is the straight up science-twist SF story I'm used to reading in American 'zines. It starts out with a broadcast radio news story about protestors about to invade the largest plant genetic greenhouse in the world (in Brazil). It turns into a fun, twisted cautionary tale about weaponized genetic modifications. The translation of this one is really transparent and easy to read.
I was confused by "Once Upon a Time in the World" by Antonio Luiz M. C. Costa. The story itself is rich in nuclear physics lingo like "deuterium" and "bombardment of lithium atoms" etc. There's also the appearance of famous historical figures (like hitler) in alternate-world roles. And alot of names-- unknown names of characters, places, and organizations that made it hard to keep track of. At least the author put a glossary of the energy units names used in the story at the back. There was also some awkward sentence translations in this one that sometimes made me go back and reread for "he"/"she" issues.
"Escape" by Gabriel Cantareira is another more straight-forward tale of a post-war Sao Paulo. I highlighted this awesome line about one of the side-benefits of globalization "...Globalization can be a problem for militarism, since a nation's civilian population will find it difficult to accept killing enemies who watch the same TV programs as they do." In this story, a woman attempts to stop the sabotage of a solar power space station called Icarus-- very fast paced and lots of action.
"Gary Johnson" by Daniel I. Dutra is a kind of alternate history dealing with race and science and the human soul as a man uncovers a scientific secret from his grandfather's journal. It was fine.
"Xibalba Dreams of the West" by Andre S. Silva was a stand out story for me. I devoured it. Written from an alternate history POV where a modern, electrical society is powered by lightning strikes to towers, and the Mayan overlords were overthrown by other native gods, the story chronicles a woman's discovery of a powerful warrior in her city tangled up with her executed father's fate. It left me hungry for more just when the story ended.
"Sun in the Heart" by Robert Spindler was okay. A few strange sentences here and there due to translation.
"Enigma vs Blue Cobalt" by Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro. As far as I'm concerned, this was the stand-out story of the anthology. More a novella than a short story, its a mix of alternate history, espionage, and space opera told through the alternating POVs of a human agent with a military space suit and a son-of-the-night who throughout time has been the agent of a country called Palmares as they meet in space and try to destroy each other. Very, very cool story, but not as much chock full of ecological alternate energy as such. Translation is pretty smooth throughout.
Very worthwhile reading.
(More later)
March 24, 2014
Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro está acompanhado de outros oito autores já conhecidos no cenário de ficção científica nacional.
Resenha completa no blog: http://www.cafeinaliteraria.com.br/20...
Resenha completa no blog: http://www.cafeinaliteraria.com.br/20...
April 23, 2023
Solarpunk: Ecological and Fantastical Stories in a Sustainable World est la traduction en langue anglaise de la toute première anthologie de nouvelles solarpunk publiée dans le monde. La version originale avait été dirigée par Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro et publiée en 2013 au Brésil ; la version anglaise dont je vais vous parler ici a été traduite par Fabio Fernandes et publiée en 2018 chez World Weaver Press.
Imagine a sustainable world, run on clean and renewable energies that are less aggressive to the environment. Now imagine humanity under the impact of these changes. This is the premise Brazilian editor Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro proposed, and these authors took the challenge to envision hopeful futures and alternate histories. The stories in this anthology explore terrorism against green corporations, large space ships propelled by the pressure of solar radiation, the advent of photosynthetic humans, and how different society might be if we had switched to renewable energies much earlier in history.
Après une très belle préface de Serena Ulibarri, l’anthologie propose neuf nouvelles :
1. Soylent Green is People ! de Carlos Orsi : dans un futur où les thérapies géniques et les implants cybernétiques sont monnaie courante, un détective privé est engagé pour enquêter sur la mort d'un ingénieur quinquagénaire et sur la disparition de sa mère handicapée ; en effet, le testament de la mère, fervente croyante, lègue sa fortune à l'Eglise dans le cas où elle décèderait après son fils ; les circonstances exactes de la mort de l'homme et l'éventuelle survie de sa mère ont donc une importance capitale pour les éventuels héritiers
2. When Kingdoms Collide de Telmo Marçal : alors que les ressources notamment alimentaires se ratifient, une partie de la population choisit d'entrer dans un processus de chlorophyllisation pour se nourrir uniquement de la lumière du soleil, créant ainsi un schisme dans la société et s'installant dans des colonies autonomes, ce qui ne plait pas à tout le monde
3. Breaking News ! de Romeu Martins : au Brésil, une journaliste radio fait un reportage sur la manifestation contre un laboratoire agroalimentaire d'une multinationale, où se déroulent des expérimentations sur des OGM, et peut-être plus ...
4. Once Upon a Time in a World de Antonio Luiz M. C. Costa : dans cette uchronie où les énergies fossiles et le nucléaire ont été interdits après une grande guerre mondiale, les énergies renouvelables ont ransformé la géopolitique au profit des pays du Sud ; on croise dans ce récit parfois dérangeant des personnalités connues du XXe siècle
5. Escape de Gabriel Cantateira : après une guerre pour le contrôle des dernières énergies fossiles disponibles, le monde s'est reconstruit avec des énergies renouvelables, notamment l'énergie solaire ; cela s'est fait au bénéfice de compagnies privées ; une femme détient la preuve d'un complot visant à étendre plus encore le pouvoir du privé sur le gouvernement brésilien
6. Gary Johnson de Daniel I. Dutra : l'empreinte solarpunk est faible dans ce récit néanmoins très réussi autour d'une découverte scientifique par un savant et un prêtre au début du XXe siècle, autour d'une source d'énergie qui pourrait bouleverser le monde, la société, et les rapports humains
7. Xibalba Dreams of the West de André S. Silva : dans un Brésil théocratique héritier de l'empire Maya, une enseignante est confrontée au souvenir de son père, condamné à mort lorsqu'elle était une jeune fille
8. Sun in the Heart de Roberta Spindler : un couple s'inquiète, le jour où leur fils de sept ans, atteint d'une leucémie, va enfin recevoir son implant solaire qui va permettre à son corps de vivre grâce au soleil
9. Cobalt Blue and the Enigma de Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro : deux factions d'un Brésil futuriste s'affrontent dans le système solaire par l'intermédiaire d'un super-héros en armure et d'un super-vilain vampirique
Comme je le disais, cette anthologie est la première au monde à avoir regrouper des nouvelles solarpunk. Cela se sent, on perçoit que le genre se cherchait encore, dans ses aspects et ses frontières. Cela donne un recueil parfois déroutant mais passionnant à lire, avec des textes très différents mais qui m’ont tous plu, à leur façon.
Imagine a sustainable world, run on clean and renewable energies that are less aggressive to the environment. Now imagine humanity under the impact of these changes. This is the premise Brazilian editor Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro proposed, and these authors took the challenge to envision hopeful futures and alternate histories. The stories in this anthology explore terrorism against green corporations, large space ships propelled by the pressure of solar radiation, the advent of photosynthetic humans, and how different society might be if we had switched to renewable energies much earlier in history.
Après une très belle préface de Serena Ulibarri, l’anthologie propose neuf nouvelles :
1. Soylent Green is People ! de Carlos Orsi : dans un futur où les thérapies géniques et les implants cybernétiques sont monnaie courante, un détective privé est engagé pour enquêter sur la mort d'un ingénieur quinquagénaire et sur la disparition de sa mère handicapée ; en effet, le testament de la mère, fervente croyante, lègue sa fortune à l'Eglise dans le cas où elle décèderait après son fils ; les circonstances exactes de la mort de l'homme et l'éventuelle survie de sa mère ont donc une importance capitale pour les éventuels héritiers
2. When Kingdoms Collide de Telmo Marçal : alors que les ressources notamment alimentaires se ratifient, une partie de la population choisit d'entrer dans un processus de chlorophyllisation pour se nourrir uniquement de la lumière du soleil, créant ainsi un schisme dans la société et s'installant dans des colonies autonomes, ce qui ne plait pas à tout le monde
3. Breaking News ! de Romeu Martins : au Brésil, une journaliste radio fait un reportage sur la manifestation contre un laboratoire agroalimentaire d'une multinationale, où se déroulent des expérimentations sur des OGM, et peut-être plus ...
4. Once Upon a Time in a World de Antonio Luiz M. C. Costa : dans cette uchronie où les énergies fossiles et le nucléaire ont été interdits après une grande guerre mondiale, les énergies renouvelables ont ransformé la géopolitique au profit des pays du Sud ; on croise dans ce récit parfois dérangeant des personnalités connues du XXe siècle
5. Escape de Gabriel Cantateira : après une guerre pour le contrôle des dernières énergies fossiles disponibles, le monde s'est reconstruit avec des énergies renouvelables, notamment l'énergie solaire ; cela s'est fait au bénéfice de compagnies privées ; une femme détient la preuve d'un complot visant à étendre plus encore le pouvoir du privé sur le gouvernement brésilien
6. Gary Johnson de Daniel I. Dutra : l'empreinte solarpunk est faible dans ce récit néanmoins très réussi autour d'une découverte scientifique par un savant et un prêtre au début du XXe siècle, autour d'une source d'énergie qui pourrait bouleverser le monde, la société, et les rapports humains
7. Xibalba Dreams of the West de André S. Silva : dans un Brésil théocratique héritier de l'empire Maya, une enseignante est confrontée au souvenir de son père, condamné à mort lorsqu'elle était une jeune fille
8. Sun in the Heart de Roberta Spindler : un couple s'inquiète, le jour où leur fils de sept ans, atteint d'une leucémie, va enfin recevoir son implant solaire qui va permettre à son corps de vivre grâce au soleil
9. Cobalt Blue and the Enigma de Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro : deux factions d'un Brésil futuriste s'affrontent dans le système solaire par l'intermédiaire d'un super-héros en armure et d'un super-vilain vampirique
Comme je le disais, cette anthologie est la première au monde à avoir regrouper des nouvelles solarpunk. Cela se sent, on perçoit que le genre se cherchait encore, dans ses aspects et ses frontières. Cela donne un recueil parfois déroutant mais passionnant à lire, avec des textes très différents mais qui m’ont tous plu, à leur façon.
February 2, 2020
On ordering this collection I didn't realise that this was originally a Brazilian publication, translated to English via a Kickstarter-campaign. So, there were no well known (to me) authors in here. It give me the chance to read some SF originally written in portuguese as I hadn't to my knowledge read any SF from that language before. That the stories were all set in South America, Brazil to be precise, gave them an intrigueing feel. It's always interesting to note different themes and flourishes between SF written in your own language and that from another continent, and to see the world not from an eurocentric point of view. It's sometimes too easy to see your own continent as the centre of the world, and this collection neatly skewers that perfective. Also interesting to note from the introduction that Brazil is now already for a large part sustained by renewable energy sources. But that doesn't mean it's an utopia, or that there's no corruption anymore. So, even though this is 'solarpunk', with stories based on renewable energy and solar energy (the way steampunk is pased on steam based technology) a couple of stories are dystopian, there's grit in these stories, conflict, betrayal and a soupcon of horror. Also an interesting alternative history where the indiginous peoples of South America gained world dominance. And a story about vampires in space. There were some good ideas in here, but as my three star rating suggests, ultimately i was a bit disappointed by the overall quality of the collection. Most of the authors have not published many stories, and are not yet very experienced, but most of my frustration is with the translation. The translator usually translates from English to Portuguese - but now it's the other way around. I don't think being able to translate one way gives one the ability to translate the other way around. Here there were halting sentences, wrong use of times and verbs, repetition of word choices - it made some stories hard to read, missing the natural flow of a good translation or a story originally written in English. On the other hand it's interesting to read stories in this fledgling genre of renewable energy and eco consciousness, and from Brazil to boot, so if you want to expand your reading horizons and take in Sf from another continent, this is an interesting collection
August 12, 2022
What an interesting and unusual book. I came to Solarpunk expecting optimistic stories about the world during the climate crisis. I found that, but also more.
To explain: this is a science fiction anthology about the future after global warming has had some impact on the world. The nature of that impact varies from story to story. Also varying is the subgenre of story. Solarpunk offers alternate history, detective fiction, cyberpunk,
I was delighted to read stories all from Brazil. That's part of the sf world we usually see little of in the US.
Notes on some of the stories which stood out:
"When Kingdoms Collide" offers a new type of human being which lives on light and inhabits a commune. Things are more twisted than expected. "Sun in the Heart" offers a similar idea, but with a very different setting: parents helping their child (and themselves) cope with the biological transformation.
"Once Upon A Time in A World" is a future build on an alternate history where Brazil, not Britain, led the industrial revolution. It's a bit of a fantasy with various 20th century figures dropped into new roles, sort of.
"Gary Johnson" is another alternate history, or historical horror, about an early 20th century scheme to extract souls from human bodies. It manages to touch on religion and American scheming along the way.
"Xibalba Dreams of the West" is still another history. This time it looks like the Spanish failed to conquer what became Latin America, and instead a kind of Mayan-Inca megastate emerges, only to fall under the shadow of a technologically advanced Chinese empire (I think). The plot focuses on a secret scientific finding about changes to this world's energy source.
I'm not sure how these stories help me think about a positive Anthropocene. Instead, I think they are demonstrations of how the Solarpunk idea can inspire imaginative writers to spin new sf stories ranging out from that subgeneric core.
To explain: this is a science fiction anthology about the future after global warming has had some impact on the world. The nature of that impact varies from story to story. Also varying is the subgenre of story. Solarpunk offers alternate history, detective fiction, cyberpunk,
I was delighted to read stories all from Brazil. That's part of the sf world we usually see little of in the US.
Notes on some of the stories which stood out:
"When Kingdoms Collide" offers a new type of human being which lives on light and inhabits a commune. Things are more twisted than expected. "Sun in the Heart" offers a similar idea, but with a very different setting: parents helping their child (and themselves) cope with the biological transformation.
"Once Upon A Time in A World" is a future build on an alternate history where Brazil, not Britain, led the industrial revolution. It's a bit of a fantasy with various 20th century figures dropped into new roles, sort of.
"Gary Johnson" is another alternate history, or historical horror, about an early 20th century scheme to extract souls from human bodies. It manages to touch on religion and American scheming along the way.
"Xibalba Dreams of the West" is still another history. This time it looks like the Spanish failed to conquer what became Latin America, and instead a kind of Mayan-Inca megastate emerges, only to fall under the shadow of a technologically advanced Chinese empire (I think). The plot focuses on a secret scientific finding about changes to this world's energy source.
I'm not sure how these stories help me think about a positive Anthropocene. Instead, I think they are demonstrations of how the Solarpunk idea can inspire imaginative writers to spin new sf stories ranging out from that subgeneric core.
January 1, 2023
Not exactly solar punk but interesting, worth a read to sample sci-fi from another world view that doesn't put the US as the center of all scientific development. Some of the writing is clunky but it may be due to the translation. Favorites: Soylent Green is People, Escape and The Sun in the Heart. Also, one of the stories is about vampires, but I won't spoil the surprise by saying which one. Not one of my favorites but it was a very interesting take on the trope and I am here for it.
April 4, 2017
Coletânea interessante, mas que promete mais do que cumpre. A maioria dos contos aqui não tem muito a ver com solarpunk (alguns não têm nada a ver com solarpunk, na verdade), mas a leitura ainda é, no geral, válida. Destaque para o excelente Soylent Green Is People, de Carlos Orsi.
February 25, 2024
Algumas ideias até são boas, mas detestei a escrita de todos os contos. :c
July 10, 2018
Cyberpunk and steampunk are ubiquitous, but what on Earth is solarpunk? The concept is what caught my eye because I had never heard of self-sustaining/sustainable “-punk” literature before. The preface quotes the editor as saying that “…as a reader, I was feeling rather bored myself with all those old dystopian plots” of other -punk genres. That said, this collection gets pretty damn depressing and isn’t as utopian as one would expect.
In the preface, Sarena Ulibarri mentions that more are more writings about solarpunk than there are solarpunk stories published. That may explain why so many weaker stories made it in there – slim pickings, I guess? It may also explain how delightfully diverse the collection is – Solarpunk contains everything from hardboiled noir to Lovecraftian lovechildren.
[Find the rest of the review on my website missmacross.com!]
In the preface, Sarena Ulibarri mentions that more are more writings about solarpunk than there are solarpunk stories published. That may explain why so many weaker stories made it in there – slim pickings, I guess? It may also explain how delightfully diverse the collection is – Solarpunk contains everything from hardboiled noir to Lovecraftian lovechildren.
[Find the rest of the review on my website missmacross.com!]
February 27, 2022
There were two things that made this quite a boring read. Firstly, I suspect that the translation was not quite up to scratch: there was very little variation in narrative voice from one story to the next, so either the translation is not successfully creating a sense of the author, or these writers have been heavily edited in their original language and it is the editor's voice that is really coming through. Secondly, while I love the idea of solarpunk in the abstract, in these stories there was too much concentration on the details of future science, and not nearly enough on character work. Bluntly, I rarely cared what would happen, and often felt as though the author of a story really just wanted to write a pamphlet on green energy, not to tell the story in front of me.
February 2, 2020
Soylent Green is People! by Carlos Orsi - 4/5
O Confronto dos Rfeinos by Telmo Marçal - 1.5/5
E Atenção: Notícia Urgente! by Romeu Martins - 4/5
Era Uma Vez um Mundo by Antonio Luiz M. C. Costa - 5/5
Fuga by Gabriel Cantareira - 4.5/5
Gary Johnson by Daniel I. Dutra - 3.5/5
Xibalba Sonha com o Oeste by André S. Silva - 4.5/5
Sol no Coração by Roberta Spindler - 4/5
Azul Cobalto e o Enigma by Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro - 3.5/5
O Confronto dos Rfeinos by Telmo Marçal - 1.5/5
E Atenção: Notícia Urgente! by Romeu Martins - 4/5
Era Uma Vez um Mundo by Antonio Luiz M. C. Costa - 5/5
Fuga by Gabriel Cantareira - 4.5/5
Gary Johnson by Daniel I. Dutra - 3.5/5
Xibalba Sonha com o Oeste by André S. Silva - 4.5/5
Sol no Coração by Roberta Spindler - 4/5
Azul Cobalto e o Enigma by Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro - 3.5/5
August 31, 2015
Coletânea de histórias com uma temática muito interessante. Não dei uma nota maior porque coletânea de contos é sempre um saco de gatos: algumas histórias gostamos e outras nem tanto.
Destaco dois grandes contos: Soylent Green is People de Carlos Orsi, e Sol no Coração de Roberta Spindler. São os melhores contos da coletânea.
Destaco dois grandes contos: Soylent Green is People de Carlos Orsi, e Sol no Coração de Roberta Spindler. São os melhores contos da coletânea.
June 11, 2019
Interesting collection of stories for due to it being: i) Solarpunk; and, ii) Brazillian SF. Worth a go based on those two things alone. My fave is probably the story about the photoreceptive tattoos.
First finished: 11Jun19
Source: Amazon Kindle Store
First finished: 11Jun19
Source: Amazon Kindle Store
November 19, 2025
3.5 because I did like some of the ideas and I love thinking about all these things in a n alternate world where we have sustainable energy. Also, I really liked reading about it in the Brazilian perspective.
I’ll leave a summary of the stories so I can remember them afterwards:
Soylent green is people!
It felt like a SPN case, with a guy committing suicide by locking himself into a car. The private detective figures out he kills himself with biofuel (his mother’s corpse) under his girlfriend’s influence, since he was experimenting with protein-based fuel (which would be “sustainable” since it uses waste). I liked it, very interesting. Probably among my favorites.
When kingdoms collide
I did not love the style. People turn themselves into plants to stop eating and get energy from the sun. This causes segregation, so there are ghettos of plant-People. Basically it’s about how the government will support and promote whatever’s convenient to them at the time.
Breaking news!
I didn’t like the first structure to tell the news of the rural people attacking the transgénica lab and greenhouse, but I liked the villain reveal about the use of this protein to change human behavior. And I really liked how the CEO discredited the movement, it has hideous but very intelligent and reminded me of my actual government. Also among my favorites.
Once upon a time in a world
Also about news made interestingly and people in mars. It’s an alternative history of the world, where we become a global village (with a global language and measurements). The point is, even with the energy conversion there are still consequences (and what’s the right balance between pros and cons in news?). Also, it’s fun how it references various famous figures in history. I was very confused by the dialogue about war, though.
Escape
Companies noticed that after countries have q great crisis, they can come in and “help” in exchange for controlling the area they helped, thus creating censorship, corruption and complete control under private demands. A rich girl decides to do what’s right even when this corporations even fit her. I hated the writing, even if the point of the story was good.
Gary Johnson
A guy tells the story through his great grandfather’s journal of a priest and scientist who discovered how to transform the soul into energy, but it drains the life and leaves people older. The priest has a premonition that this discovery will be used to power cities like Blood over bright haven style (with prisoner Gary Johnson). Then he finds the scientist is doing this with black convicts, so the priest kills him. After, he reports this to the Vatican so it won’t happen again, and a boy shines his shoes, Gary Johnson). I low-key liked it.
Xibalba dreams of the west
I wanted more! I was very invested but couldn’t get the full scope of the story with this length, I think I missed a lot of cultural details that are told differently in Mexico vs Brazil.
Sun in the heart
Solar flares get bad because of pollution so crops and animals die and people get cancer. So the alternative is implants to reverse the adverse events of the sun and produce photonutrition. They discuss social inequality yo get these medical needs, and for the privilege of wondering if we’re humans anymore, if losing the taste of food is worth it, etc. I really liked this one. The last of my favorites.
Cobalt blue and the enigma
There’s an exoskeleton that makes you a super soldier. It is an interplanetary war between the True people (apparently Inca god figures and other deities) and normal people. I didn’t like it, too much for giving me too little.
I’ll leave a summary of the stories so I can remember them afterwards:
Soylent green is people!
It felt like a SPN case, with a guy committing suicide by locking himself into a car. The private detective figures out he kills himself with biofuel (his mother’s corpse) under his girlfriend’s influence, since he was experimenting with protein-based fuel (which would be “sustainable” since it uses waste). I liked it, very interesting. Probably among my favorites.
When kingdoms collide
I did not love the style. People turn themselves into plants to stop eating and get energy from the sun. This causes segregation, so there are ghettos of plant-People. Basically it’s about how the government will support and promote whatever’s convenient to them at the time.
Breaking news!
I didn’t like the first structure to tell the news of the rural people attacking the transgénica lab and greenhouse, but I liked the villain reveal about the use of this protein to change human behavior. And I really liked how the CEO discredited the movement, it has hideous but very intelligent and reminded me of my actual government. Also among my favorites.
Once upon a time in a world
Also about news made interestingly and people in mars. It’s an alternative history of the world, where we become a global village (with a global language and measurements). The point is, even with the energy conversion there are still consequences (and what’s the right balance between pros and cons in news?). Also, it’s fun how it references various famous figures in history. I was very confused by the dialogue about war, though.
Escape
Companies noticed that after countries have q great crisis, they can come in and “help” in exchange for controlling the area they helped, thus creating censorship, corruption and complete control under private demands. A rich girl decides to do what’s right even when this corporations even fit her. I hated the writing, even if the point of the story was good.
Gary Johnson
A guy tells the story through his great grandfather’s journal of a priest and scientist who discovered how to transform the soul into energy, but it drains the life and leaves people older. The priest has a premonition that this discovery will be used to power cities like Blood over bright haven style (with prisoner Gary Johnson). Then he finds the scientist is doing this with black convicts, so the priest kills him. After, he reports this to the Vatican so it won’t happen again, and a boy shines his shoes, Gary Johnson). I low-key liked it.
Xibalba dreams of the west
I wanted more! I was very invested but couldn’t get the full scope of the story with this length, I think I missed a lot of cultural details that are told differently in Mexico vs Brazil.
Sun in the heart
Solar flares get bad because of pollution so crops and animals die and people get cancer. So the alternative is implants to reverse the adverse events of the sun and produce photonutrition. They discuss social inequality yo get these medical needs, and for the privilege of wondering if we’re humans anymore, if losing the taste of food is worth it, etc. I really liked this one. The last of my favorites.
Cobalt blue and the enigma
There’s an exoskeleton that makes you a super soldier. It is an interplanetary war between the True people (apparently Inca god figures and other deities) and normal people. I didn’t like it, too much for giving me too little.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2022
"While it is part of the larger movement of 'climate fiction,' and the 'solar' in solarpunk has come to represent not only the ecological aspect of this budding subgenre, but also the idea of brightness and hope."
As a growing subgenre of science fiction, solarpunk is most often a reaction against the bleaker dystopian worlds of cyberpunk. While not always unfalteringly optimistic, the subgenre intersects strongly with the concurrent rise in ecological fiction. This volume, translated into English from its original publication in Portuguese, eloquently represents the diversity of stories that can fall under the umbrella of solarpunk. By the editor's own admission, it is somewhat a departure from the bright and hopeful futures more commonly seen in English solarpunk, but this anthology of stories, nevertheless, illustrates the broad turn away from technology-centered dystopian futures and towards the creative possibilities of alternate future wherein climatological and environmental themes are the focal points.
Some of the more notable stories in this volume are:
"When Kingdoms Collide" by Telmo Marcal - Set in a world wherein people choose to undergo surgery to become effectively plant-humans hybrids that live through photosynthesis, this story delves into some of the sociological and cultural challenges that such a post-human transformation would entail.
"Xibalba Dreams of the West" by Andre S. Silva - As an apparent alternate future based on Mayan civilization, Silva's tale is an atmospheric narrative that envisions a possible world in which the schoolteacher Maiara struggles with the legacy left behind by her supposedly dishonored father.
"Sun in the Heart" by Roberta Spindler - A shorter story that, like Marcal's contribution, focuses on an ecological post-human transformation. The futuristic discovery of a tattoo-like implant allows humans to subsist only on the energy of the sun. The story itself, then, centers on the worries and hopes for a family whose young son is undergoing the operation for the implant.
As a growing subgenre of science fiction, solarpunk is most often a reaction against the bleaker dystopian worlds of cyberpunk. While not always unfalteringly optimistic, the subgenre intersects strongly with the concurrent rise in ecological fiction. This volume, translated into English from its original publication in Portuguese, eloquently represents the diversity of stories that can fall under the umbrella of solarpunk. By the editor's own admission, it is somewhat a departure from the bright and hopeful futures more commonly seen in English solarpunk, but this anthology of stories, nevertheless, illustrates the broad turn away from technology-centered dystopian futures and towards the creative possibilities of alternate future wherein climatological and environmental themes are the focal points.
Some of the more notable stories in this volume are:
"When Kingdoms Collide" by Telmo Marcal - Set in a world wherein people choose to undergo surgery to become effectively plant-humans hybrids that live through photosynthesis, this story delves into some of the sociological and cultural challenges that such a post-human transformation would entail.
"Xibalba Dreams of the West" by Andre S. Silva - As an apparent alternate future based on Mayan civilization, Silva's tale is an atmospheric narrative that envisions a possible world in which the schoolteacher Maiara struggles with the legacy left behind by her supposedly dishonored father.
"Sun in the Heart" by Roberta Spindler - A shorter story that, like Marcal's contribution, focuses on an ecological post-human transformation. The futuristic discovery of a tattoo-like implant allows humans to subsist only on the energy of the sun. The story itself, then, centers on the worries and hopes for a family whose young son is undergoing the operation for the implant.
January 18, 2021
Probably 2.5 stars.
I hadn't heard of Solarpunk we read this for a book club. I've read so much dystopian speculative/science fiction, so I was really looking forward to reading stories with a more positive outlook on the future. I was also interested so see how the writers would picture a future world based on sustainability. Most of the stories in this book were pretty depressing, though. Some of them addressed issues of climate change and sustainability directly, but some were only tangential to the stories.
On the plus side, it was interesting to read an anthology of Brazilian writers. It was different to glimpse world with Brazil at the center rather than North America or Europe.
The writing and/or translation could have been a lot better in most of the stories.
I hadn't heard of Solarpunk we read this for a book club. I've read so much dystopian speculative/science fiction, so I was really looking forward to reading stories with a more positive outlook on the future. I was also interested so see how the writers would picture a future world based on sustainability. Most of the stories in this book were pretty depressing, though. Some of them addressed issues of climate change and sustainability directly, but some were only tangential to the stories.
On the plus side, it was interesting to read an anthology of Brazilian writers. It was different to glimpse world with Brazil at the center rather than North America or Europe.
The writing and/or translation could have been a lot better in most of the stories.
July 16, 2022
This was my introduction to the Solarpunk anthologies. I started with this one as I am making my way through them chronologically. I definitely think I would have enjoyed this much more if I could have read it in the original Portuguese. I really enjoyed a few of the stories - my favourite was Once Upon a Time in a World. With solarpunk originating out of Brazil, this anthology being originally published in 2013, and the crowdfunded nature of this translation's publication, I respect this anthology and happy to have read it.
August 3, 2025
Anthology of solarpunk stories from Brazilian writers. Most stories were interesting and entertaining. this is the 4th collection of solarpunk I have read from this publisher and this one has a more apocalyptic tone than the other volumes. My favorite was the first story 'Soylent Green is People' but I am a sucker for detective fiction. 'Xibalba Dreams of the West' was also a great mix of world-building and relatable characters. A futuristic latin american empire was a common theme in many stories and makes for a great setting, would love to read more translations from Brazilian authors.
June 2, 2019
Odotukset olivat liian suuret, myönnän. Tämä antologia osoittautui valitettavasti pettymykseksi. Daniel I. Dutran novelli Gary Johnson ja Roberta Spindlerin Sun in the Heart nousivat muita harkitumpina ja paremmin toteutettuina esille. Monissa teksteissä oli hyviä ideoita, mutta antologian toteutuksen taso ei palvellut niitä. Useissa teksteissä sorruttiin infodumppaamaan ja liikaan selittelyyn hahmojen ja tarinoiden kustannuksella.
April 5, 2022
This is a collection of short stories from Brazil. It is titled Solarpunk but the stories have nothing to do with it. Solar collectors get mentioned and that’s about it. There is maybe one story that could be classified as solarpunk. Technology is portrayed in a negative way in all stories; from being used to get rid of a corpse to mass surveillance and control. Stories are a mix of crime/detective stories and shooters. There was one decent story but I found others forgettable.
Read
March 16, 2025First or one of the first anthologies in the solarpunk genre. Felt different from the more recent ones from English speaking countries, possibly due to some cultural codes, but also a way of storytelling that focuses not so much on the struggle for a better society, but rather on experimenting with familiar narratives in green tech settings - for example, a whodunit, a superhero battle, and a family drama.
January 1, 2022
Sadly enough not as interesting as I thought it would be. There were a few stories I really liked, but the rest of them didn’t really feel like solarpunk to me, and the last story was difficult for me to finish because it just couldn’t really hook me. However, that’s just my personal opinion and there are a few interesting ideas in this anthology, so it can’t hurt to give it a try.
Read
October 7, 2019Quite a dark book to be solarpunk. It is one of the first solarpunk. The stories talk about things related to the natural world, though and a genre, a movement (solarpunk) needs to start somewhere.
Bravo to Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro, then!
Bravo to Gerson Lodi-Ribeiro, then!
December 15, 2020
Devoured this book
I know that Solar Punk is optimistic, this collection not so much. But I enjoyed the stories grappling with real world problems. I did not want to put this book down.
I know that Solar Punk is optimistic, this collection not so much. But I enjoyed the stories grappling with real world problems. I did not want to put this book down.
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