Cory Doctorow's "sequel novela" to Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom is a great read, and another just plain cool dip into the "Bitchun" society, coclear inplants, retinal displays, backups of human memories and conscienceness. I know that Doctorow has most of his fun inventing new "universes" and doesn't like to go back and do sequels, but as a big fan, I am glad he did.

This novella is set sometime after Down and Out, and involves a teenager dealing with typical teenage problems like rebellion against parental authority, trying to find ones own path in life, deciding what to do about college, but all set in this post-death world that adds a neat spin to those obstacles. This novella isn't a sequel as much as a short story set in the same time frame with the same technology and "ideas". If Down and Out piqued your interest in society, and the world of the Bitchun society, go now and check out Truncat. It is available for free on Salon.com: http://dir.salon.com/story/tech/feature/2003/08/26/truncat/index.html

Check out Doctorow's site for more info on Trauncat's birth and original publishing: http://craphound.com/?p=121 ( )