Subscribe for Free
-
Gu is a science fiction novel in more or less the style of Charles Stross.
Gu - the Protean substance, the last industrial product, the stuff that can be anything, can morph into any shape. Susan Halwaz, the famous maker of digital-experience documentaries, is tracing the human story of the development of Gu. You experience this story through her eyes and the eyes of the people she interviews.
Start reading here
C-Side Media Home
Buy a nicely-formatted ebook on Amazon
Or buy on Smashwords (all ebook formats) -
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
Author Archives: Mike Reeves-McMillan
Destiny
“Any communications technology is, sooner or later, going to be used for a sexual purpose,” you say. “No, scratch that – there’s no ‘sooner or later’. Sooner.” Reverse shot to Halwaz’s perspective, revealing that you began this scene from the … Continue reading
Posted in Brandy and Clint, Gusex, Joe Dillon, John Sweet, Linda Carr
3 Comments
Is You Is, or Is You Ain’t My Baby?
We’re back with Joe Dillon, the social psychologist, who is introducing you to one of his graduate students. The young woman – who doesn’t, in fact, look much younger than her academic supervisor – is called Leah Hart, and the … Continue reading
Posted in Joe Dillon, Leah Hart
1 Comment
Three Laws
Tavita Sharma, the only one of the original development team that we haven’t seen since the documentary’s opening, develops Gubots these days. She is still plump and graceful, with a gleaming smile which hints at a sense of mischief. Her … Continue reading
Posted in Gubots, Guplicates, poverty, robots, Tavita Sharma, unemployment
1 Comment
Spread Across the World
Ngo Cong An is also known as Andy Ngo. He’s 16 years old, chunky, and wears his hair in a buzz cut. He sits in a traditional Vietnamese home – wooden, built on stilts, with a thatched roof – and … Continue reading
Posted in Agnes Avila, Callie Arnold, Dorothy, Gina Ma, Jan Kress, Jill Kwan, Ngo Cong An, Serena Koslowski, servants, Ted Anderson
1 Comment
Working up to it
Larry Herschel is an economist for the Department of Labor. He’s evidently balding but has shaved his head – an old-fashioned style these days – and wears a conservative business shirt and dark trousers. His analysis, though, is very current. … Continue reading
Posted in Gubots, Larry Herschel
1 Comment
With Many Eyes…
You are standing in a simulation of the North American continental weather, up to your ankles in thunderclouds. You twist a virtual control with your right hand and Alice up. Now you’re tall enough to see across the Atlantic to … Continue reading
Posted in Janet Pennington, sousveillance
2 Comments
Rubber Pets
As Halwaz, you walk across the Harvard campus from Digby Duke’s office to that of Tarla Meyer, in the psychology department. As you go, you scan the students and staff who are passing back and forth or sitting between classes, … Continue reading
Posted in gupets, Henry Matherson, Irene Dalgleish, Joe Dillon, Tarla Meyer
2 Comments
Just Cos
Once again, we’re back at the Gu launch 15 years ago, picking up where we left off. The Colonel’s question has kicked off a flurry of hands and point-to-point hails, both of which you are ignoring. “I will take further … Continue reading
Posted in cosplay, Digby Duke, gupets, Jayden Todman, robots
2 Comments
Unconstrained Morph
You are Bill Davidman, and you are exercised. This is quite usual. “You see, exing that clip, what I’m struck by is the dishonesty underneath the apparent frankness,” you say to Halwaz. “That last remark. ‘There’s nothing like an economic … Continue reading
Posted in art, Bill Davidman, intellectual property, Jacob Merrilees, lawyer, open-source, Pat Finnan, piracy, security
3 Comments
Cracking Gu
Footage: A carnival float. Cheerful people in anime coses are waving from it. Suddenly, their coses attack them and they fall thrashing and choking to the ground. Reset: Same float. This time, the coses suddenly stiffen, then lurch from the … Continue reading