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mjr313's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I read Exhalation prior to this collection so had some familiarity with Chiang’s work. I found this collection to be thought provoking in a wide range of disciplines and philosophies, from religion to linguistics to the perception of beauty. Essential for any fan of speculative fiction.
jenbsbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This is an anthology of eight short stories ... it seems most people have picked this up because of the link between the story "Story of Your Life" which was adapted into the movie "Arrival". I happened upon the author and his stories because of [book:Uglies|24770] ... which I read many years ago, and then again more recently when it was part of my son's school study. I noticed a dedication "This novel was shaped by a series of email exchanges between myself and Ted Chiang about his story 'Liking What You See: A Documentary.' His input on the manuscript was also invaluable." THAT is what made me look up that story, and found it was included in this compilation. I was able to find the audio on Hoopla, and a Kindle copy on Libby.
Two narrators on audio - one male, one female. The first two stories were the male narrator, while the second two were the female narrator, and there just wasn't really a break or notice as one story ended and another started. I'm not a fan of music interludes, but this needed SOMETHING in the audio (or if they had switched up the stories so it was male/female/male/female ...) Hoopla's display was also entirely lacking, no table of contents or notification of where you were (which story). With Amazon's short story collections, I don't always read all of them, but I read all the ones here ...
Tower of Babylon: This one was okay ... the biblical idea of building a tower, I struggled a bit with the names (Hillalum, Nanni, Elam, Karun, Beli, Lugatum, Yahweh, Kudda, Damquiya, Ahuni, ) I think perhaps I was working so hard trying to remember the names and who was who that I didn't pay enough attention to the story. I didn't quite follow (build up, hit a roof? vault? Now have to dig? resivoir - swimming to heaven?) People living on the tower, never going down to the land/earth below. "Their labor would not reveal to them any more of Creation than they already knew. Yet through their endeavor, men would glimpse God's work."
Understand: This one was interesting ... a bit of a "Flowers for Algernon" feel, but except going from a mental handicap to brilliance, this went from regular to beyond brilliant after a hormone therapy after an accident. Regrowing neurons, increased intelligence to genius levels. There is a danger in an individual becoming SO smart ... pulling back (but now the patient has progressed too far to agree to this). But he's not alone ... there is another. Who will win the battle of the brain?
Division by Zero: This one was a little (okay, a lot) "mathy" ... too much so. I didn't really understand the equation or its impact. The presentation was interesting though. There were nine sections, each started with a general idea, then did (a) her side and then (b) his side. The final one is 9A=9B. Her side is how she's lost belief in the world/life because of this mathematical proof that underlies everything ... his is how his reality has changed, because he has fallen out of love with her.
Story of Your Life: This is the one that "Arrival" is based on. I watched the movie years ago and loved it. This shifted from a very strange first person POV/present tense ... ish, sometimes a little past-ish, sometimes future-ish (talking about different times as if they are yet to happen, talking TO a person, her daughter) to a first person/past tense telling the story of Louise Banks and the aliens. Made me want to watch the movie again.
Seventy-Two Letters: This short story centered on automatons ... I have read a few "golem" stories, parts here sounded a little like modern-day issues (replacing humans with AI/mechanics). It got a little too scientific, with genetics ... I struggled a bit to follow. Hit on the idea of the government controlling who could have children, comparing men (the assassin) to an automata (just doing what they are told). I didn't quite get the whole "name" thing...
The Evolution of Human Science: very short ... barely remember this one ... does bring up the question, if you could augment your child's brain (has to be in before birth) ... do you? Your child would be "metahuman" and grown beyond your own comprehension, or do you not, and is that "deprivation"?
Hell Is the Absence of God: This made me think of "The Boys" a little ... there, SuperHEROES, they are wonderful, right? But sometimes bad things happen around them too. Here, it's angels. There are visitations, where there are healings and blessings, but sometimes causalities from their appearances also. Interesting views of heaven and hell (hell not being some horrid place, just without God) ... the thought "if he had to choose between going to Hell while Sarah went to Heaven, or having both of them go to Hell together, he would choose the latter; he would rather she be exiled from God than separated from him." Sad ending ...
Liking What You See: A Documentary: This story was the reason I picked up this compilation (as mentioned above). I really liked the presentation (the documentary take, the different POVs and voices) and the story itself ... more than Uglies ;) So many interesting things to think about ...
Two narrators on audio - one male, one female. The first two stories were the male narrator, while the second two were the female narrator, and there just wasn't really a break or notice as one story ended and another started. I'm not a fan of music interludes, but this needed SOMETHING in the audio (or if they had switched up the stories so it was male/female/male/female ...) Hoopla's display was also entirely lacking, no table of contents or notification of where you were (which story). With Amazon's short story collections, I don't always read all of them, but I read all the ones here ...
Tower of Babylon: This one was okay ... the biblical idea of building a tower, I struggled a bit with the names (Hillalum, Nanni, Elam, Karun, Beli, Lugatum, Yahweh, Kudda, Damquiya, Ahuni, ) I think perhaps I was working so hard trying to remember the names and who was who that I didn't pay enough attention to the story. I didn't quite follow (build up, hit a roof? vault? Now have to dig? resivoir - swimming to heaven?) People living on the tower, never going down to the land/earth below. "Their labor would not reveal to them any more of Creation than they already knew. Yet through their endeavor, men would glimpse God's work."
Understand: This one was interesting ... a bit of a "Flowers for Algernon" feel, but except going from a mental handicap to brilliance, this went from regular to beyond brilliant after a hormone therapy after an accident. Regrowing neurons, increased intelligence to genius levels. There is a danger in an individual becoming SO smart ... pulling back (but now the patient has progressed too far to agree to this). But he's not alone ... there is another. Who will win the battle of the brain?
Division by Zero: This one was a little (okay, a lot) "mathy" ... too much so. I didn't really understand the equation or its impact. The presentation was interesting though. There were nine sections, each started with a general idea, then did (a) her side and then (b) his side. The final one is 9A=9B. Her side is how she's lost belief in the world/life because of this mathematical proof that underlies everything ... his is how his reality has changed, because he has fallen out of love with her.
Story of Your Life: This is the one that "Arrival" is based on. I watched the movie years ago and loved it. This shifted from a very strange first person POV/present tense ... ish, sometimes a little past-ish, sometimes future-ish (talking about different times as if they are yet to happen, talking TO a person, her daughter) to a first person/past tense telling the story of Louise Banks and the aliens. Made me want to watch the movie again.
Seventy-Two Letters: This short story centered on automatons ... I have read a few "golem" stories, parts here sounded a little like modern-day issues (replacing humans with AI/mechanics). It got a little too scientific, with genetics ... I struggled a bit to follow. Hit on the idea of the government controlling who could have children, comparing men (the assassin) to an automata (just doing what they are told). I didn't quite get the whole "name" thing...
The Evolution of Human Science: very short ... barely remember this one ... does bring up the question, if you could augment your child's brain (has to be in before birth) ... do you? Your child would be "metahuman" and grown beyond your own comprehension, or do you not, and is that "deprivation"?
Hell Is the Absence of God: This made me think of "The Boys" a little ... there, SuperHEROES, they are wonderful, right? But sometimes bad things happen around them too. Here, it's angels. There are visitations, where there are healings and blessings, but sometimes causalities from their appearances also. Interesting views of heaven and hell (hell not being some horrid place, just without God) ... the thought "if he had to choose between going to Hell while Sarah went to Heaven, or having both of them go to Hell together, he would choose the latter; he would rather she be exiled from God than separated from him." Sad ending ...
Liking What You See: A Documentary: This story was the reason I picked up this compilation (as mentioned above). I really liked the presentation (the documentary take, the different POVs and voices) and the story itself ... more than Uglies ;) So many interesting things to think about ...
charizard_era's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
xtie's review against another edition
4.0
Its a Ted Chiang moment (for me!) think I liked Exhalation a little more for the more complex subject matter, but this one also slaps, no less for the titular story which I think we can agree outpaces the film in depth :)
nicholasw's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
anne__reads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
klparmley's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting collection
The only thing these stories have in common is the author. They are very different in style and subject. And all good. I look forward to more of Chiang's work.
The only thing these stories have in common is the author. They are very different in style and subject. And all good. I look forward to more of Chiang's work.
filip_bachorz's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0