Kiyomori is told that his grandson will someday become emperor. Kiyomori does indeed become the grandfather of an emperor, but whether he can be thought of as a hero depends upon the reader's definition of the word. A Novel of Metamorphosis. By Bruce Sterling. Leggy Starlitz is the real focus of the locus in a shifting sea of characters and situations, and the book just zips along.
Sterling proves that science fiction still has a healthy sense of humor and self-deprecation.
There's a reason he has won his share of awards.