This is mad fun. I’m surprised by Sterling’s prose style and approach to catch the ridiculous spirit of fascist futurism. Counterfactual but of substance, well informed of the underlying real world history, insane in its depiction of political fractions and competing world views in the post WWI era. Pirate Utopia is Dieselpunk hinting at the atom, is satire, is full of familiar but alienated historical characters, each named by titles like The Ace of Hearts or The Minister of Vengeance Weapons, which render everything in this tale as superpowered illusional lunacy.
The edition comes with a great forword by Warren Ellis and with additional articles as well as a long and sophisticated interview with the author, also with lots of cunning artwork. Cliffhanging in the end there is hope for a sequel..
Read!