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filipmagnus's review against another edition
5.0
What a great, fantastic issue, filled with great stories about AI and many imaginative, entirely different visions of the future!
else's review against another edition
4.0
Review of Rusties by Nnedi Okorafor & Wanuri Kahiu.
Haven't read the rest of the issue.
Haven't read the rest of the issue.
sarrie's review
4.0
My favorites here were The Calculations of Artificials by Chi Hui (going to prove this is an author I enjoy), Rusties by Nnedi Okorafor and Wanuri Kahiu (no one should be surprised I enjoyed the Nnedi Okorafor story), and The Very Pulse of the Machine by Michael Swanwick.
The essays and articles weren't as strong for me but I did really like Fran Wilde's 'proposal', and the Jazz Music and Greek Myths interview with Mr. Beagle was interesting enough that I may go pick up Summerlong at the library. I haven't read a Peter S. Beagle book in a stupidly long time, it seems a shame.
The cover, as always, is beautiful. Done by Peter Mohrbacher.
The essays and articles weren't as strong for me but I did really like Fran Wilde's 'proposal', and the Jazz Music and Greek Myths interview with Mr. Beagle was interesting enough that I may go pick up Summerlong at the library. I haven't read a Peter S. Beagle book in a stupidly long time, it seems a shame.
The cover, as always, is beautiful. Done by Peter Mohrbacher.
thesffreader's review
4.0
The Next Scene by Robert Reed 3*
What if AIs wanted to be entertained by humans melodrama ? That's the idea explored by Reed in this very interesting and unique short story. I usually like Reed shorts but it's true that I always have the same complain, I always think that the ideas behind his stories are good but I wish he explored them a bit more. The ending of this stry was really good but it could have expanded a bit. I want to try his novels to see if he has the same issue writing longer works.
One Sister, Two Sisters, Three by James Patrick Kelly 2*
This was my least favorite of the issue, its two main characters are sisters and they live on a remote island where technologies are seen as evil and dehumanizing. The inhabitants of the islands are seen as tourist attraction but then one of the sister falls in love with a tourist and dramas ensues. It wasn't particularly original and the ralationship between the two sisters wasn't really present enough which made some of the dramas a little boring. For what it was, it should have been a lot shorter.
The Calculations of Artificials by Chi Hui 4.5*
This is a very depressing story about the consequences of human violence and our need of mutual destruction. Wonderful little gem but it's pretty terrifying, chinese short stories usually are. :P
Everyone from Themis Sends Letters Home by Genevieve Valentine 4*
What started out as what seemed a space colonization tale ended as something way different. This was probably even more depressing that the previous story. I didn't really enjoyed the first part of the tale but when you realize it's not what you expected at all, it became way more fascinating. Yes I know that this is an extremely vague blurb but you shoukd definitely go into this one blind.
Rusties by Nnedi Okorafor and Wanuri Kahiu 5*
Definitely my favorite of the issue, you should listen to the podcast of this because it's going to turn this into a much more powerful experience. It's about Nigeria, people, an AI revolution and love. It was so easy to relate with the main character and the writing was spectacular. The more I read Okorafor, the more I realize how much of a great writer she is.
Old Domes by JY Yang 3*
Great concept but the execution was a bit lacking. It's based on the idea that each building has a guardian, a caretaker that needs to be put down if you want to destroy the building. It was interesting because it's set in Singapore and this context is really important to the story but it could have been so much more in my opinion.
The Very Pulse of The Machine by Michael Swanwick 4*
What started as pretty meh really ended in a suprising way. I don't want to say too much about this because the "twist" is so amazing that it shouldn't be spoiled. Let's just said it's about an astronaut stranded on Io who starts to hear voices coming from her dead friend's body. If that doesn't intrigue you I don't know what wrong with you ! :P
Overall a very strong issue really focused on AIs which is not surprising for Clarkesworld. After a couple of meh months, I stopped my subscription but I might start it again if next year if the next issues are as good at this one!
What if AIs wanted to be entertained by humans melodrama ? That's the idea explored by Reed in this very interesting and unique short story. I usually like Reed shorts but it's true that I always have the same complain, I always think that the ideas behind his stories are good but I wish he explored them a bit more. The ending of this stry was really good but it could have expanded a bit. I want to try his novels to see if he has the same issue writing longer works.
One Sister, Two Sisters, Three by James Patrick Kelly 2*
This was my least favorite of the issue, its two main characters are sisters and they live on a remote island where technologies are seen as evil and dehumanizing. The inhabitants of the islands are seen as tourist attraction but then one of the sister falls in love with a tourist and dramas ensues. It wasn't particularly original and the ralationship between the two sisters wasn't really present enough which made some of the dramas a little boring. For what it was, it should have been a lot shorter.
The Calculations of Artificials by Chi Hui 4.5*
This is a very depressing story about the consequences of human violence and our need of mutual destruction. Wonderful little gem but it's pretty terrifying, chinese short stories usually are. :P
Everyone from Themis Sends Letters Home by Genevieve Valentine 4*
What started out as what seemed a space colonization tale ended as something way different. This was probably even more depressing that the previous story. I didn't really enjoyed the first part of the tale but when you realize it's not what you expected at all, it became way more fascinating. Yes I know that this is an extremely vague blurb but you shoukd definitely go into this one blind.
Rusties by Nnedi Okorafor and Wanuri Kahiu 5*
Definitely my favorite of the issue, you should listen to the podcast of this because it's going to turn this into a much more powerful experience. It's about Nigeria, people, an AI revolution and love. It was so easy to relate with the main character and the writing was spectacular. The more I read Okorafor, the more I realize how much of a great writer she is.
Old Domes by JY Yang 3*
Great concept but the execution was a bit lacking. It's based on the idea that each building has a guardian, a caretaker that needs to be put down if you want to destroy the building. It was interesting because it's set in Singapore and this context is really important to the story but it could have been so much more in my opinion.
The Very Pulse of The Machine by Michael Swanwick 4*
What started as pretty meh really ended in a suprising way. I don't want to say too much about this because the "twist" is so amazing that it shouldn't be spoiled. Let's just said it's about an astronaut stranded on Io who starts to hear voices coming from her dead friend's body. If that doesn't intrigue you I don't know what wrong with you ! :P
Overall a very strong issue really focused on AIs which is not surprising for Clarkesworld. After a couple of meh months, I stopped my subscription but I might start it again if next year if the next issues are as good at this one!
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