In less than two weeks, the crown jewel of the Pacific Rim, Los Angeles, celebrates her 225th birthday. In my latest article for LA Alternative, Los Angeles c. 2231, I celebrate the City of Angels' past by taking a look at possibilities for her future as envisioned in three science fiction novels: Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler, Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, and Virtual Light by William Gibson. Mix and match to create your very own dystopian nightmare.
Here's a snippet:
In a Southern California where climate change has made water a scarcer commodity than gasoline, and civil society has been replaced with a predator/prey/scavenger nightmare, carbon emissions and long commutes are the least of people’s concerns. Far from being congested, freeways have turned into efficient, albeit dangerous, means of getting around—by foot.
Image: What might Los Angeles look like on her 450th birthday? Is she destined to lose her small-town charms?
