Central Station
Page 22
Yan Chong—a cousin. A responsible member of his community. Designs viruses for advertising purposes. Engaged to Youssou.
Isobel Chow—a member of the Chow family, which like the Chongs and the Joneses have been living in Central Station for generations. Young Isobel works in the virtuality, holding the rank of captain in the Guilds of Ashkelon universe.
Carmel—a hunted data-vampire. Born on Ng. Merurun, a small asteroid/longhouse in the Belt. Infected with the Nosferatu Code on board the Emaciated Saviour cargo ship.
Ibrahim—a rag-and-bone ( alte-zachen) man. Also called the Lord of Discarded Things. He lives in Jaffa on the hill, in the historic neighbourhood of Ajami. Joined with an Other. A man very much like him has been seen around Jaffa for centuries. Possibly immortal, if anyone can truly be said to be.
Ismail—Ibrahim’s adopted son and, like Kranki, a child of Central Station.
Motl—a Robotnik. A veteran of long-forgotten wars, now itinerant. Has a dependency on Crucifixation that he attempts to combat. Engaged to Isobel.
Ezekiel—a Robotnik. Sort of a boss.
R. Brother Patch-It—a robo-priest. An ordained minister in the Way of Robot and a Hajj, having travelled to the robot’s Vatican in Tong Yun City. Also a part-time moyel.
Ruth Cohen—the Oracle. Joined with an Other. Oracles tend to meddle.
Matt Cohen—Progenitor of the Others. Later sainted. Rumours of his death may have been exaggerated.
Eliezer—a god artist. Dubious character. Eliezer might not even be his real name. Like the Oracle, he likes to meddle.
Bill Glimmung—star of a series of Martian Hardboiled novels and films. A fictional character. Probably.
British Science Fiction and World Fantasy Award-winning author Lavie Tidhar was born in Israel. He grew up on a kibbutz and has lived all over the world, including in Vanuatu, Laos, and South Africa. Tidhar has been compared to Philip K. Dick by the Guardian and to Kurt Vonnegut by Locus. His most recent novels, The Violent Century and A Man Lies Dreaming, were published to rapturous reviews in the UK, with the Independent referring to them both as “masterpieces.” He currently makes his home in London.
Extended Copyright
Substantively different versions of the individual chapters of Central Station were previously published as the following.
“The Smell of Orange Groves” copyright © 2011 by Lavie Tidhar. First published in Clarkesworld, #62, November 2011.
“Under the Eaves” copyright © 2012 by Lavie Tidhar. First published in Robots: The Recent A.I. (Maryland: Prime Books).
“The Indignity of Rain” copyright © 2012 by Lavie Tidhar. First published in Interzone, #240, May/June 2012.
Robotnik” copyright © 2012 by Lavie Tidhar. First published in Dark Faith: Invocations, (Kentucky: Apex Book Company).
“Strigoi” copyright © 2012 by Lavie Tidhar. First published in Interzone, #242, September/October 2012.
“The Lord of Discarded Things” copyright © 2012 by Lavie Tidhar. First published in Strange Horizons, October 15, 2012.
“The Bookseller” copyright © 2013 by Lavie Tidhar. First published in Interzone, #244, January/February 2013.
“The Core” copyright © 2013 by Lavie Tidhar. First published in Interzone, #246, May/June 2013.
“The Oracle” copyright © 2013 by Lavie Tidhar. First published in Analog, September 2013.
“Filaments” copyright © 2013 by Lavie Tidhar. First published in Interzone #249, November/December 2013.
“Vladimir Chong Chooses to Die” copyright © 2014 by Lavie Tidhar. First published in Analog, September 2014.
“Births” copyright © 2016 by Lavie Tidhar. Original to this collection.
“The God Artist” copyright © 2016 by Lavie Tidhar. Original to this collection.