I-O

by Simon Logan

i-o is the first collection of industrial fiction to be manufactured by simon logan. It contains eight stories, none of which have been seen before, exploring a world of dead TV's, hallucinogenic chemicals, sad machines and concrete wastelands of scrap metal. The settings are as carcinogenic as a lethal poison, the characters constructed like semi-automatic pistols. Here the only future is that which is produced on the assembly line in one hundred thousand identical units from which you must choose. Welcome to the realm of the cybergoth - welcome to Science Friction.

Genres: Horror, Bizarro Fiction, Science Fiction, Short Stories

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the early 2000s Logan was finding his way into a genre he calls "industrial fiction," with a noirish, at times gruesome focus on machine production and its interface with the human body and psyche. In its unity of effect and overlapping themes, it reminds me of William Gibson's cyberpunk stories in "Burning Chrome." I enjoyed this collection, in particular the first three tales, "Prism," "Coaxial-Creature" and "Partofit." Occasionally the phrasing is clunky, and some of the imagery comes off as strained or forced to keep up with the demands of the author's ambitions, in my opinion, but the book is a great place to start if you're interested in Logan's work. His sense of language and pacing is strong and his voice one I enjoy even when a story isn't quite successful for me. Definitely will read more of him (warning: the Kindle version has quite a few typos; wasn't a big deal for me). Wish Goodreads would let me give it another half-star.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is pretty screwed up - that's my literary opinion.

No, really. A couple of the stories in this collection achieve a sort uncomfortable, dark paranoia and terror that's only achieved in the best David Cronenberg movies.

The most memorable of the stories is about a factory worker who's locked in a small room for his entire existence, doing the same task again and again, hour after hour, day after day. It happens that the task is sticking metal rods into odd lumps of flesh. The worker gradually comes to question his purpose and this leads to a pretty well executed conclusion on Logan's part. The factory makes workers to run the factory. Sounds corny, but Logan really delivers.

The most disappointing of the lot is the last, in which a brood of groupies collects the semen of rock stars in a glass jar and then commits mass suicide - or something like it. Sounds better than it is, believe me.

Logan definitely has talent, but his tendency to go overboard ruins an otherwise stellar collection.

[Byron 'Giggsy' Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Logan is an exciting and refreshing new voice. Building from cyberpunk groundwork, Logan delivers new visions and dystopias in what is being termed as industrial-punk or dieselpunk. The collection starts and ends on strong notes, with some work that is a little raw and lacking direction, but overall very exciting and a writer I'm eager to read more from.

I also like the inability to tie these works down to a decade, often feeling a blend of Great Depression, WW2-era, and Cold War misery juxtaposed into an unknown dark future dystopian culture. Cyberpunk needs the invention of computers and the internet, Steampunk needs Victorian era steam-powered machines, but Logan isn't limited, and the reader is stuck in a future-past void

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Industrial fiction, indeed. These eight stories inhabit a frightening mechanized alternate universe with echoes of our own - "Ignition" is stellar; "Akin to Insects" is disturbingly fabulous and is the perfect story to end the collection, making me want more Logan.

[BeerDiablo · Rating 2 out of 5]

An industrial/cyberpunk/bizarro collection of shorts that has it's moments but the author doesn't have the technical[scientific/computer] background to pull it off.

[Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorites were:
"coaxial creature"
"ignition"
"foetal chambers"
"the Method of Pulse"

[Reggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very unique collection of short stories, mixture of dystopia, cyberpunk, industrial and horror. I really dug the gritty and grimy vibes of these stories and enjoyed most of the ones in the collection. The last two felt a bit confusing but the Coaxial Creature was the standout for me. Will be tracking down more by this author!!

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark and brooding stories of people, and their fractured lives. Playing out under the soft glow of television static while rotting cabling ensnares them, drawing them closer together into the undercurrent of forbidden subcultures. Wildly descriptive, the harsh environments mold the characters, creating new patterns of survival, and explorations of self destruction. Wielding a dark edge that most genre work strives for, these stories provide that glimpse down the dark alley-ways that many authors quickly push the reader past.
Highly suggested for anybody that wants to explore the ghettos of the brightly lit cyberpunk fiction that is all too common.

[Padraig MacIain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simon Logan is one of the most intense writers I have ever read. This book is a collection of short stories that is raw and powerful. Gritty industrial-punk that give you the sensation of a future of dystopia and acrid oil dripping down your throat.

[Simon Logan · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first collection of industrial short stories.

[Christy Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Industrial romanticism.

[Depressivefish · Rating 5 out of 5]

my favourite one, the most sentimental, touching and sad cyberpunk i've ever read. not even sure which one of the short stories i liked the best