Heavy Weather

Forty years hence, a ragtag band of computer experts and atmospheric scientists called "The Storm Troupers" track a group of massive tornadoes in Texas--a result of the greenhouse effect--in preparation for the worst storm in history.

Cyberpunk prophet Sterling, whose last book was a nonfiction exploration of computer hackers and the law (The Hacker Crackdown), returns to SF with a near-future thriller. In 2031, the world suffers from "heavy weather"-tornadoes and typhoons caused by a runaway greenhouse effect. While most people wisely try to avoid the storms, one group of counterculture techno-enthusiasts calling themselves the Storm Troupe chases them through the badlands of Texas and Oklahoma. Led by the visionary scientist Jerry Mulcahey, the Troupe studies the storms with an array of high-tech equipment, trying to document what Mulcahey believes is coming soon-a superstorm, the "F-6," a tornado far more powerful than any ever seen and which might even prove unstoppable, a perpetual violent disturbance ravaging the landscape. When Mulcahey's lover, Juanita ("Jane") Unger, drags her brother Alex (who suffers from some strange disease as well as an irritating anomie) from an illegal Mexican clinic back to the Troupe's camp, tensions are ignited among the Troupers. But those plot threads are abruptly dropped when the F-6 hits, and the Troupe pulls together to fight the elements. Some similarities between this book and Sterling's previous fiction are evident: the Troupe uses the word "hack" as computer users do, saying they "hack" heavy weather, and they've got a similar case of technophilia, but it lacks the scope and the big, innovative ideas that gave novels like Islands in the Net their power. This one has some sharp moments and intriguing characters, but it never offers that exciting sense of vision.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Everybody talks about the weather; but Jane Unger and her band of Storm Troupers hack the weather. In the late 2030s, as a legacy of the greenhouse effect, millions of people have died or been displaced due to heavy weather. A renegade band of meteorologists and computer experts, the Storm Troupe, prowls the Texas plains, chasing funnel clouds, gathering data, and waiting for the meteorological equivalent of the Big One: an F-6 tornado, a twister so big that it could mean the end of civilization. Using flying robots, cross-terrain vehicles, virtual reality, and raw courage, the Troupe risks life and limb for the sake of scientific knowledge (and for the attendant thrills). Into the somewhat unstable society of the Troupe comes Jane's younger brother Alex, professional invalid and family ne'er-do-well. To everyone's astonishment, Alex thrives and brings a perspective on loyalty, family, and sacrifice that helps pull the Troupe into the solid team they will need to be if they are to survive an F- 6. Lucid and tremendously entertaining. Sterling (The Hacker Crackdown, 1992, etc.) shows once more his skills in storytelling and technospeak. A cyberpunk winner. -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

In 2031, mankind has ravaged the climate, and tornadoes roam the Texas plains. Following them are the Storm Troupers, a nomadic group of hackers led by a charismatic mathematician. They are attempting to predict the F-G, a supertornado that may overwhelm the entire world. Alex, the brother of one of the Troupers, must battle the heavy weather and his own desperate illness as he attempts to find his own place in the Troupe and the world. Sterling moves far beyond cyberpunk in this tornado-paced story, exploring not only humanity's relationship with the planet but also the intricate connections and bonds of a group of people dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. Dennis Winters

A dying young man and his renegade sister find acceptance and meaning in the company of the Storm Troupers, a nomad band of computer hackers and atmospheric researchers who spend their days and nights chasing and documenting the frequent tornadoes that rampage across the Texas landscape. One of cyberpunk's most gifted authors, Sterling (Islands in the Net, Ace Bks., 1989) creates a drama of real world and virtual adventure set against the stark landscape of postgreenhouse America. Along with John Barnes's Mother of Storms (LJ 6/15/94), this high-tech disaster novel should appeal to a wide readership.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.