Review of The New Cyberiad by Paul Di Filippo

If I were to assign the task of writing a story in tribute to Stanislaw Lem’s The Cyberiad to any contemporary sf writer, there is a very short list erudite yet gonzo enough to pull it off. I think Rudy Rucker, Michael Swanwick, Charles Stross, and possibly Bruce Sterling could. (Catherynne Valente has already, and it’s worth it.) But the first name on my list would be Paul Di Filippo. In accordance, his novelette “The New Cyberiad” is everything that Lem’s stories of the two constructors Trurl and Klapaucius are, right down to the prose, all the while making space for itself.  (Just, ignore the title. :)

Ennui has rendered the two constructor bots, Trurl and Klapacius, like unto sunbathers on the beach of space. At the outset of the story, they moan about having nothing to do, and thus decide to inject a little dynamism into their lives by resurrecting humanity—an interesting project, indeed. From its wild lexicon to esoteric ideas, the ensuing story is as much in the spirit of Lem as is possible: laugh-out-loud funny yet effortlessly profound.

If it isn't clear, any fan of Stanislaw Lem's Cyberiad would do well to search out this little novelette.  Readers should be wary whenever a writer attempts to produce story from another writer's imagination, but in this case Di Filippo pays the fullest of respect to Lem by creating something worthy of the original creation.  It goes without saying, if you haven't read the original, try that first.