Metatropolis

METAtropolis: The Dawn of Uncivilization by John Scalzi
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a collection of five long short stories nominally themed around new cities, but I'd put more emphasis on the "Dawn of Uncivilization" subtitle than the main theme. For various not-quite-specified reasons--but clearly including massive environmental stresses--the state is no longer powerful, western civilization doesn't work, and people huddle in megacities trying to get by one way or another.

The first story by Jay Lake I basically didn't understand the point of--presumably out of boredom and lack of attention as it rambled on. Maybe there is something of value there but I put the collection down for a year after that one. Everything else was good. Scalzi's is sweet and almost young adult in tone. The other three could almost be Snow Crash or Diamond Age Neal Stephenson in setting and plot. Buckell & Bear's entries follow capable loaners on the fringes of a society that is almost all fringes. The last story, by Schroeder, throws in virtual reality and is probably the most imaginative. I'm glad I didn't give up on the collection forever--the later stories are good enough that I'll probably seek out other things by Buckell and Schroeder, who I was not previously familiar with.