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Not a toney pun, but never mind you’ll enjoy Bruce Sterling’s Distraction. In
a dystopic near future (Utopic only for the scientists on strike against
paperwork), pork-barrel politicians and image polishers carve up the spoils. Be
prepared to sit up late (it’s impossible to put down), and relish the details
from the handkerchief mobile phone—the invisible computer come home to
roost—to the sad animals cloned from extinct species, whose ferocity has
been tuned out. Excellent writing, convoluted plot. Published by Bantam
Doubleday Dell, $23.95, ISBN 0553104845.