Singularity

Singularity Sky by Charles Stoss, shortlisted for the Hugo Award in 2004. Sequel Iron Sunrise is shortlisted for the best novel Hugo Award for 2005.

Just finished this and really enjoyed it, although for me, one needs to really pay attention to the characters and parallel stories, complicated by the fact that the author introduces his own quasi-language. Lots of puns and plays on names and places, make this an engrossing read. It takes place in a strange world which has been spared all the problems and benefits of modern technology. I can recommend it for those who enjoy science fiction (I read somewhere that sci-fi is a rather passe term now, and only used by plebs) that explores social mores with the use of this medium. For me the greatest is Philip K. Dick, who I met once, and there again lies a tale that I will exposit later. This is in that same strange, highly original style of writing.