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Fairyland by Paul J. McAuley (FUTURE CLASSICS)
01/10/2007 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
pub: Gollancz. 373 page enlarged paperback. Price: £ 7.99 (UK only). ISBN: 978-0-575-08110-9. Buy Fairyland in the USA - or Buy Fairyland in the UK  check out website: www.orionbooks.co.uk
After reading and enjoying McAuley's latest book, 'Cowboy Angels', I thought I would be on relatively safe ground looking at one of his earlier books written in 1985. From an idea perspective, where nanotechnology has taken a firm grip on the world, there are certain parallels to the effect that William Gibson's 'Neuromancer' had with generating the cyberpunk sub-genre. Without adequate safeguards, nanotech would be regarded as another Frankenstein's monster, doing what it likes to the world with nothing much capable of stopping or fostering its development.
As far as it goes, this is an interesting concept even if this examines the threat as opposed to the benefit. Then again, how much of Science Fiction has been dominated with the dangers than the benefits? Alex Sharkey, a rogue designer drugs developer, gets drawn into this world when he is befriended by the young girl, Milena, who has developing nano-technology before using him as part of her escape plan to escape her employers. She vanishes and Sharkey himself has to go on the run leaving London for Europe and eventually encountering Fairyland, the nanotech based land that Milena has created representing her dreams and odd nightmares. The place protects itself and sees anything that doesn't belong as a threat. Sharkey is drawn in to find Milena and get samples of the nanotechnology.
What really lets this book down is the prose. There is a definite lacking in emotional content and the text borders on reporting events. As such, it makes it very difficult to develop a rapport with any of the characters McAuley uses here or particularly cares for their fate. This is in a marked contrast to 'Cowboy Angels' where McAuley has this nailed down properly. Had McAuley used what he knows now then, I think this book would have had much more depth and carried itself off better. As it is, you might want to pick this book up to see an author under development but do so with caution.
GF Willmetts
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