''Dreaming Metal'' is a 1997

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

novel by American writer

Melissa Scott Melissa Scott (born 1960, in Little Rock, Arkansas) is an American science fiction and fantasy author noted for her science fiction novels featuring LGBT characters and elaborate settings. Biography Scott studied history at Harvard College and B ...

, which explores the question of at what point artificial intelligence becomes indistinguishable from human intelligence. Another theme of the book is the impact of terrorism on the lives of people and how artists react to this. The book is an example of the

cyberpunk Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction in a dystopian futuristic setting that tends to focus on a "combination of lowlife and high tech", featuring futuristic technological and scientific achievements, such as artificial intelligence and cyber ...

genre.

Characters

*Celeste is an artificial intelligence. One component was originally owned by Reverdy Jian. A second component was added by Celinde Fortune, who needs a computer assistant to operate the

karakuri Karakuri ( ja, からくり, , mechanism) may refer to: * ''Karakuri'' (manga), a manga by Masashi Kishimoto *Karakuri puppet are traditional Japanese mechanized puppets or automata, made from the 17th century to the 19th century. The dolls ...

(lifelike manikins) for her act. *Celinde Fortune is an illusionist who uses lifelike manikins as part of her act to deliberately blur the line between "human" and "robot", "real" and "artificial". *Reverdy Jian, female spaceship pilot, is a main character from '' Dreamships'', in which Scott establishes the political conflicts between those who advocate rights for artificial intelligences and those who view them as property. Her co-pilot, Imre Vaughn, is in a gay partnership with Red, who had a relationship with Fanning Jones in the past. *Fanning Jones is a cousin of Celinde Fortune and member of a band that comes to perform at the same theatre as Fortune. The band is controversial because it includes members from two social classes. Fanning programs the visual effects for the band. He has the contacts that enable Fortune to purchase the components that become Celeste.

Sources

* Hamburger, Susan, and Barbara Hoffert. "Dreaming Metal". ''Library Journal'' 122.9 (15 May 1997): 106-106. * "In Prints: New In Paperback". ''Lambda Book Report'' 7.6 (Jan. 1999): 36. * Steinberg, Sybil S., and Jeff Zaleski. "Forecasts: Fiction". ''Publishers Weekly'' 244.24 (16 June 1997): 50. * Mort, John. "Adult books: Fiction". '' Booklist'' 93.19/20 (June 1997): 1669. 1997 science fiction novels Cyberpunk novels 1997 novels 1990s LGBT novels LGBT speculative fiction novels {{1990s-sf-novel-stub