Lust

Lust
Geoff Ryman

What if you could sleep with anyone in the world, just by thinking about it?Michael Blasco, a young scientist, is waiting for the train when he spies a friend he fancies. Idly, he imagines Tony naked and an extraordinary thing happens – Tony strips there and then on the platform and offers himself in front of all onlookers. Horrified, Michael flees. But back home, Tony magically reappears. Then disappears, when Michael wishes him away.Michael sets out to test the parameters of his new-found gift, rapidly calling up Billie Holiday, Johnny Weismuller, Lawrence of Arabia, Alexander the Great, Picassao, and even his younger self. The world is there for the taking and Michael runs the gamut of his fantasies. But what does he really want?

Lustor

No Harm Done

Geoff Ryman

Dedication (#ulink_7e9c858d-e025-5e60-a521-f9287e661ceb)

para o meu Txay

Um livro dedicado a ti deveria ser intitulado Amor, ou no mínimo: Sem Escândalo. Eu prometi que nele tu não te encontrarias, mas tu estás em todo lugar.

Epigraph (#ulink_881d388e-d705-5069-ac87-ababcc88c356)

‘In the bend God created the hen and the education. And the education was without founder, and void; and death was upon the falsehood of the demand. And the sport of God moved upon the falsehood of the wealth. And God said, Let there be limit; and there was limit.’

A text produced from the Book of Genesis using a method invented by Jean Lescure in which each noun is replaced with the seventh noun following it in a dictionary.

As reported in Oulipo Compendium edited by Harry Matthews and Alastair Brotchie

Contents

Cover (#u16a81ea5-5e7c-559c-a872-8e9b55f2a368)

Title Page (#u6b3940c9-0d64-52f1-bb9f-348ed72d40cf)

Dedication (#ulink_bc31a598-9d54-545d-80ae-e34424a4ee22)

Epigraph (#ulink_107fdeef-75d6-5d2c-99df-c82b006c1e01)

Part I

So how does it start? (#ulink_3f046678-fa56-5df8-b6d6-1b44e1ecac92)

Who indeed is Michael? (#ulink_24b3993b-883d-5afa-a135-2a5d1afae055)

So where is Philip? (#ulink_ef907299-e5af-5862-8044-01a1b25060d9)

Was the guard hit? (#ulink_d14a8f1d-7445-5e79-9f03-72548be6e5e1)

Can I call up a copy of someone else? (#ulink_979c0ad9-2dac-52eb-b06f-0cf56f331a18)

What if this isn’t about sex? (#ulink_b0da9c0d-1506-5038-a352-247e87f76010)

Can Angels be dead? (#ulink_8ff1421b-521a-5383-8a05-7566459b8e0e)

Can I make them do it when I’m not there? (#ulink_a3d62fdc-91e8-5bb3-8a21-36130883dad9)

Do they have to be male? Can I make more than one at once? Where do they go back to? (#ulink_1d2f5d09-98f4-5946-bb55-6818d859b9fb)

Who killed Dumb Duck? (#ulink_d83da613-9d90-5b49-9db3-f82091719b75)

Do people I copy really know it? (#ulink_dbb0d2cd-45e2-5f83-87aa-250db38d6fc4)

Can Angels do work? (#ulink_6e255fc8-ed11-57d2-afeb-37cb2ee3d700)

Can they give me Aids? (#ulink_c2c7c302-9bca-51d0-af98-380e7c788ca3)

Can I cure Angels who are sick? (#litres_trial_promo)

Part II

What’s so painful about love? (#litres_trial_promo)

Why don’t you just try joy? (#litres_trial_promo)

Does Viagra work? (#litres_trial_promo)

If you could sleep with anyone in the world, who would it be? (#litres_trial_promo)

The men I slept with, did they make a difference? (#litres_trial_promo)

Why are men satisfied with whores? (#litres_trial_promo)

Do blondes have more fun? (#litres_trial_promo)

Who’s for real? (#litres_trial_promo)

What’s eating Michael Blasco? (#litres_trial_promo)

So what do you want, Michael? (#litres_trial_promo)

You are a person? (#litres_trial_promo)

What am I looking for? (#litres_trial_promo)

Why does God suffer the Devil? (#litres_trial_promo)

Did we learn anything? (#litres_trial_promo)

Part III

What do you want for Christmas? (#litres_trial_promo)

What do I do next? (#litres_trial_promo)