# Robot Artists & Black Swans: The Italian Fantascienza Stories - Hardcover

by **Bruce Sterling** (Author), **Neal Stephenson** (Introduction by), **Bruno Argento** (Foreword by)

**The Godfather of Cyberpunk has emerged in this new collection of Italian-themed fantasy and science-fiction stories. Bruce Sterling now introduces us to his alter ego: Bruno Argento, the preeminent author of _fantascienza_. Sterling, writing as Argento, skillfully combines cutting-edge technology with art, mythology, and history.**

**"It's as if Sterling is the only writer paying attention."--_Locus_**

In the Esoteric City, a Turinese businessman's act of necromancy is catching up with him. The Black Swan, a rogue hacker, programs his way into alternate versions of Italy. A Parthenopean assassin awaits his destiny in the arms of a two-headed noblewoman. Infuriating to both artists and scientists, a robot wheelchair makes uncategorizable creations.

Bruno Argento is the acknowledged master of Italian science fiction. Yet that same popular _fantascienza_ author also is known in America--as Bruce Sterling. In _Robot Artists and Black Swans_, we present the first collection of their uniquely visionary Italian-themed fiction, including tales never before published in English.

### Author Biography

**Bruce Sterling** (_Schismatrix_, _The Zenith Angle_, _Zeitgeist_) is an internationally bestselling author, journalist, editor, columnist, and critic. He is perhaps best known as the author of ten visionary science-fiction novels and as a founder of the cyberpunk movement. He was also the editor of the quintessential cyberpunk anthology, _Mirrorshades_.

Sterling's much-heralded nonfiction includes _The Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier_ and _The Epic Struggle of the Internet of Things_. A renowned expert on technology, Sterling has appeared on ABC's _Nightline_, the BBC's _The Late Show_, _MTV_, _TechTV_, and _Wired_, where he is a featured blogger, as well as in _Time_, _Newsweek_, the _Wall Street Journal_, the _New York Times_, _Fortune_, _Nature_, _La Stampa_, _La Repubblica_, and many other venues.

Sterling splits his time among the cities of Austin, Turin, and Belgrade.

**Number of Pages:** 256

**Dimensions:** 1.1 x 8.1 x 5.7 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** April 27, 2021

## Details

- **Price:** 25.95 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 25.95 USD | In stock |

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> Updated: 2026-07-23