Science Fiction Book set in Boston/Cambridge Involving a Volcano Crater

July 29, 2013 1:16 PM

Help me find this science fiction book set in Boston involving a volcano crater. A long time ago, I read the first chapter of a science fiction book set in Boston and Cambridge where the premise was that the greater Boston area was located on an extinct volcano crater. For the life of me, I can't remember its title, and Google is failing me.

On the first couple of pages, there was a large map of the greater Boston area showing the outline of a volcano crater roughly contiguous with route 128. The first chapter of the story involved a young college dropout making his living as a sysadmin or programmer living in Cambridge in the shadow of MIT and shopping at the used clothing store "The Garment District." Does this book ring any bells to anyone?

posted by deanc to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

Was it Strong Motion by Jonathan Franzen?
posted by topoisomerase at 2:00 PM on July 29, 2013

I do not know your book, but the idea that The Garment District somehow survives a volcano is hilarious.
posted by maryr at 3:18 PM on July 29, 2013 [3 favorites]

In the early '90s, there was a loosely affiliated 'shared world' series of books about "Future Boston", which included at least David Alexander Smith's In the Cube and his shared-world anthology Future Boston.

I haven't read them, but the anthology (at least) has maps of "future Boston", so that might the book you're remembering....


Table of Contents:

Map: Boston in 1772
"Boston will sink, claims MIT prof" / David Alexander Smith
Map: Boston in 1990
Seeing the edge / Sarah Smith
Momads / Alexander Jablokov
Projects / Geoffrey A. Landis
Dying in hull / David Alexander Smith
Map: Boston in 2014
The elephant-ass thing / Jon Burrowes
The parade / Steven Popkes
Seating arrangement / Alexander Jablokov
The uprising / Jon Burrowes
Fennario / Resa Nelson and Sarah Smith
Topology of the loophole / Geoffrey A. Landis
Not for broadcast / Steven Popkes
When the Phneri Fell / David Alexander Smith
Map: Boston in 2030
Playing chess with the bishop / Steven Popkes and David Alexander Smith.Letter to the editor / Alexander Jablokov
Who is venture capital? / David Alexander Smith
IPOB dining hall procedures / Alexander Jablokov
So you want to meet the bishop? / Steven Popkes
Camomile and crimson; or, thetale of the Brahmin's wife / Geoffrey A. Landis
The test / Steven Popkes
The place of no shadows / Alexander Jablokov
Map: Boston in 2050
The lady of Port Moresby incident / Alexander Jablokov
Three Boston artists / Sarah Smith
Focal plane / Alexander Jablokov
Ye citizens of Boston / Sarah Smith
Map: Boston 2061
The adoption / Alexander Jablokov
WereWhereWear / Alexander Jablokov
Sail away / David Alexander Smith.
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 7:15 PM on July 29, 2013

I know this was late, but this is definitely In the Cube. Great collection.
posted by Philbo at 8:21 PM on August 11, 2013