Scan barcode
par3's review
4.0
4 Stars! This rating/review is for the short story “One Basket” by C.C. Finlay. Excellent story. Reminded me of Artemis by Weir a little bit.
Read: 1/17/23
Link: https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/one-basket/?fbclid=IwAR3zSpBH2C_XGlVjbxxLm2t-8j65nNt4HJ3sueTsCeD-fswIgAiYqxfO4cg
Quotes:
- “Nothing’s going to happen, we’ll be fine… But just because we’ll be fine doesn’t mean we won’t be careful. It’s the other way around—careful is what keeps us fine. Got it?”
- “Being trapped on Earth made people small—we had to move into space in order to grow.”
- “Anybody who doesn’t have their head up in the stars the first time they go for a walk has their head up their ass.”
- “You don’t have a choice. Sometimes all your eggs are in one basket. But then you better take good care of that basket.”
Read: 1/17/23
Link: https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/one-basket/?fbclid=IwAR3zSpBH2C_XGlVjbxxLm2t-8j65nNt4HJ3sueTsCeD-fswIgAiYqxfO4cg
Quotes:
- “Nothing’s going to happen, we’ll be fine… But just because we’ll be fine doesn’t mean we won’t be careful. It’s the other way around—careful is what keeps us fine. Got it?”
- “Being trapped on Earth made people small—we had to move into space in order to grow.”
- “Anybody who doesn’t have their head up in the stars the first time they go for a walk has their head up their ass.”
- “You don’t have a choice. Sometimes all your eggs are in one basket. But then you better take good care of that basket.”
tpietila's review
3.0
A pretty average issue.
Noise Level • [Martin Nagle] • (1952) • novelette by Raymond F. Jones
A reprinted classic story. A group of scientists is invited to a military base with utmost security. They are shown a film, which appears to prove that antigravity is real. An inventor wears a west, rises high on air and lowers himself down. Then he gives a rambling explanation of his invention, riddled with nonsensical references to astrology and other pseudoscience. When he is giving a second demonstration, his apparatus starts to smoke, then he falls to his death and breaks the machine. Scientists are supposed to recreate the invention. The inventor’s lab has no notes. His books are a strange mix of science and esoterica. Is it possible to recreate his work? A bit overlong, very Campbellian, even irritatingly Campbellian story. I think I have read pretty much the same story with a different invention (FTL-travel?) somewhere? Or have I read this one and mixing my memories? ***½
Camphor • short story by Mark W. Tiedemann
A planet has had an ambassador for a long time, but he really doesn’t understand the people of the planet. They have a strange taboo about bare arms, and everyone keeps their arms always covered. There might be an invasive animal who might be a carrier of severe disease that demands swift action. A lot of the story is just discussion. And there was too little backstory, so it was hard to get involved with it. ***
Expecting to Fly • short story by Manny Frishberg and Edd Vick
A girl is brought up by insectoid aliens, who go through a cocoon phase and transform from a pulpal phase to an adult phase. She is unhappy, as she can’t-go through that, learn to fly, and find her purpose. Then, she is rescued by humans. But adjusting to human life can be hard. A pretty nice, well-told, but, at places, slightly hurried story. ***+
Midstrathe Exploding • short story by Andy Dudak
An explosion of a city has been frozen. It will take a thousand years to happen. Tourists and religious fanatics journey to the wavefront of the explosion. A nice story with good mood, but once again there was not enough backstory to really get into it. ***
Dix Dayton, Jet Jockey • short story by Liz A. Vogel
A single passenger ship notices that a pirate ship is approaching a vital supply shipment. He doesn’t have any weapons. What to do? A simple scene-like story with little actual plot. ***
Cooling Chaos • short story by Gregory Benford
A “story” about how spreading aerosols to a higher atmosphere might stop global warming. There is a plot of sorts, but it is extremely thin. Another non-story. **
Respite • short story by Catherine Wells
A man arrives at a space station where no one has come for a long time. The people there have barely survived, and machinery is breaking down. The man who came has actually been building the station hundreds of years ago and is still alive due to antiaging treatments and time dilation. He can take only eleven people back with him and getting help will take more time than the machinery will last. A good story that works well as itself. ****-
Curious Algorithms • short story by Hayden Trenholm
An AI vehicle transports people who come from another side of a wall. It isn’t entirely clear what is on the other side and if people escaping or being deported through the wall. It isn’t entirely clear where the car is taking those people. Is it to a "rescue camp" that is really for imprisonment? The car wonders about that and even more when some restrictions are removed. Another story with a scant background that was more of a scene from a larger tale. ***+
War Lily • short story by Beth Dawkins
A soldier who has died in duty has three sessions where an AI recording of her personality can be accessed for a limited time. Nice and sweet story, but without an explanation of why the AI is so limited. ***+
On the Causes and Consequences of Cat Ladies • short story by Richard A. Lovett
A husband and wife team has developed a food that turns rats smarter. FDA didn’t allow human tests, and a foreign pet food company bought the patent. The husband has died of glioblastoma (he had been sampling his wares, so perhaps FDA wasn’t so wrong after all.) The wife lives with her cat, who dies after been mauled by unknown animals. But soon, there is another cat, and then second and a third. They all seem to be very particular about their food. A pretty good story with a not-too-happy ending. ***½
Zeroth Contact • short story by Joshua Cole
An astronomer spots a disk that seems to be eating a metal-rich asteroid. Eventually, several of the disks are spotted, but no attempt of contact with them seems to succeed. A pretty nice story where humanity is just a bystander. ****-
Lemonade Stand • short story by Brenda Kalt
A daring rescue attempt at the asteroid belt involving an emotionally absent father and an ex. This is a somewhat-too-short story where everyone seems to have close connections, more or less by an accident. ***
Rover • short story by A. T. Sayre
A Mars rover has been able to scavenge parts of other abandoned mars probes and has been able to function well past what was expected. It hasn’t been able to contact the Earth base for a long time, but then it finds a signal of a beacon. I wonder how the probe was able to achieve that level of AI. Also, the ending was a bit too unexplained. ***+
One Hundred • short story by Sean Monaghan
A Martian colony of 100 people is barely surviving after Earth has been destroyed by an asteroid strike. They are making advances, but slowly. A pretty good story, but perhaps it was too short - it wasn’t easy to learn to know the characters and their predicaments in a short story. ***½
One Basket • novelette by Charles Coleman Finlay [as by C. C. Finlay]
An asteroid colony is running low on water (I wonder where the water has gone, it should be 100% recyclable). A teenage girl is doing her homework when her grandmother asks her to go outside to gather eggs. A nice but simple story with a very strong YA vibe. ***½
Noise Level • [Martin Nagle] • (1952) • novelette by Raymond F. Jones
A reprinted classic story. A group of scientists is invited to a military base with utmost security. They are shown a film, which appears to prove that antigravity is real. An inventor wears a west, rises high on air and lowers himself down. Then he gives a rambling explanation of his invention, riddled with nonsensical references to astrology and other pseudoscience. When he is giving a second demonstration, his apparatus starts to smoke, then he falls to his death and breaks the machine. Scientists are supposed to recreate the invention. The inventor’s lab has no notes. His books are a strange mix of science and esoterica. Is it possible to recreate his work? A bit overlong, very Campbellian, even irritatingly Campbellian story. I think I have read pretty much the same story with a different invention (FTL-travel?) somewhere? Or have I read this one and mixing my memories? ***½
Camphor • short story by Mark W. Tiedemann
A planet has had an ambassador for a long time, but he really doesn’t understand the people of the planet. They have a strange taboo about bare arms, and everyone keeps their arms always covered. There might be an invasive animal who might be a carrier of severe disease that demands swift action. A lot of the story is just discussion. And there was too little backstory, so it was hard to get involved with it. ***
Expecting to Fly • short story by Manny Frishberg and Edd Vick
A girl is brought up by insectoid aliens, who go through a cocoon phase and transform from a pulpal phase to an adult phase. She is unhappy, as she can’t-go through that, learn to fly, and find her purpose. Then, she is rescued by humans. But adjusting to human life can be hard. A pretty nice, well-told, but, at places, slightly hurried story. ***+
Midstrathe Exploding • short story by Andy Dudak
An explosion of a city has been frozen. It will take a thousand years to happen. Tourists and religious fanatics journey to the wavefront of the explosion. A nice story with good mood, but once again there was not enough backstory to really get into it. ***
Dix Dayton, Jet Jockey • short story by Liz A. Vogel
A single passenger ship notices that a pirate ship is approaching a vital supply shipment. He doesn’t have any weapons. What to do? A simple scene-like story with little actual plot. ***
Cooling Chaos • short story by Gregory Benford
A “story” about how spreading aerosols to a higher atmosphere might stop global warming. There is a plot of sorts, but it is extremely thin. Another non-story. **
Respite • short story by Catherine Wells
A man arrives at a space station where no one has come for a long time. The people there have barely survived, and machinery is breaking down. The man who came has actually been building the station hundreds of years ago and is still alive due to antiaging treatments and time dilation. He can take only eleven people back with him and getting help will take more time than the machinery will last. A good story that works well as itself. ****-
Curious Algorithms • short story by Hayden Trenholm
An AI vehicle transports people who come from another side of a wall. It isn’t entirely clear what is on the other side and if people escaping or being deported through the wall. It isn’t entirely clear where the car is taking those people. Is it to a "rescue camp" that is really for imprisonment? The car wonders about that and even more when some restrictions are removed. Another story with a scant background that was more of a scene from a larger tale. ***+
War Lily • short story by Beth Dawkins
A soldier who has died in duty has three sessions where an AI recording of her personality can be accessed for a limited time. Nice and sweet story, but without an explanation of why the AI is so limited. ***+
On the Causes and Consequences of Cat Ladies • short story by Richard A. Lovett
A husband and wife team has developed a food that turns rats smarter. FDA didn’t allow human tests, and a foreign pet food company bought the patent. The husband has died of glioblastoma (he had been sampling his wares, so perhaps FDA wasn’t so wrong after all.) The wife lives with her cat, who dies after been mauled by unknown animals. But soon, there is another cat, and then second and a third. They all seem to be very particular about their food. A pretty good story with a not-too-happy ending. ***½
Zeroth Contact • short story by Joshua Cole
An astronomer spots a disk that seems to be eating a metal-rich asteroid. Eventually, several of the disks are spotted, but no attempt of contact with them seems to succeed. A pretty nice story where humanity is just a bystander. ****-
Lemonade Stand • short story by Brenda Kalt
A daring rescue attempt at the asteroid belt involving an emotionally absent father and an ex. This is a somewhat-too-short story where everyone seems to have close connections, more or less by an accident. ***
Rover • short story by A. T. Sayre
A Mars rover has been able to scavenge parts of other abandoned mars probes and has been able to function well past what was expected. It hasn’t been able to contact the Earth base for a long time, but then it finds a signal of a beacon. I wonder how the probe was able to achieve that level of AI. Also, the ending was a bit too unexplained. ***+
One Hundred • short story by Sean Monaghan
A Martian colony of 100 people is barely surviving after Earth has been destroyed by an asteroid strike. They are making advances, but slowly. A pretty good story, but perhaps it was too short - it wasn’t easy to learn to know the characters and their predicaments in a short story. ***½
One Basket • novelette by Charles Coleman Finlay [as by C. C. Finlay]
An asteroid colony is running low on water (I wonder where the water has gone, it should be 100% recyclable). A teenage girl is doing her homework when her grandmother asks her to go outside to gather eggs. A nice but simple story with a very strong YA vibe. ***½
oleksandr's review
3.0
This is Analog Science Fiction and Fact, the most popular of SFF paid magazines. The issue is March/April 2020 (Vol 140, Nos. 3 & 4).
The Art of Noise [Editorial (Analog)] essay by Alec Nevala-Lee Another notion that this is the 90th year of publishing and a short review of what in the issue with spoilers of the “best of” novelette.
Noise Level [Martin Nagle] this is 1952 novelette, quite interesting in both idea and execution. The story starts as the brass collects scientists and show them that some unknown guy uncovered anti-grav, but died during the demonstration. And because it is the Cold War era, all efforts are send to re-discover how anti-grav works before the USSR does it. 4 stars
Veiling the Earth [Science Fact (Analog)] essay by Gregory Benford an essay linked to the story by the author in the same issue.
The Pournelle Volume essay by Arlan Andrews, Sr. how to establish a worth of asteroid
The House of Styx (part 1 of 3) [Venus Ascendant 1] a serialized novel, set on Venus in mid-22nd century. The planet (or its atmosphere, 50 km and higher) is colonized by people from Quebec. They live in dirigibles or/and local flying plants, extracting stuff from lower atmosphere. The D’Aquillon family is in the center of the story. After they decided not to abort their son with Down Syndrome, the authorities limited their supply, so the family become a major player in the black market. A very well done hard SF, reminding me of [b:Red Mars|77507|Red Mars (Mars Trilogy, #1)|Kim Stanley Robinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440699787l/77507._SY75_.jpg|40712], even if styles are quite different. 3.5 stars
Camphor short story by Mark W. Tiedemann a planet is rediscovered by a multi-star human government after something akin to what was predicted in x took place. The ‘ambassador’ there got a visitor from that government reporting that there is a non-native species on the planet that can potentially cause epidemics. 2.5 stars
Expecting to Fly short story by Manny Frishberg and Edd Vick another take on Mowgli, an Earth girl grown by hive aliens. 5 stars
Midstrathe Exploding short story by Andy Dudak a temporal bomb was blown a long ago and now tourist came to witness people stuck like a fly in amber. A young boy present alternative ways to tourists to watch the site. 2 stars
How to Go Twelfth poem by Mary Soon Lee a short poem
The Inconstant Hubble Constant [The Alternate View] essay by John G. Cramer two different ways give different estimates for the Hubble Constant, and if we introduce just another kind of dark matter they can be made consistent. Interesting, but I am skeptical of adding one more variable we can only theoretically justify.
Plank poem by Josh Pearce
A Stone's Throw from You short story by Jenn Reese One sister goes studying to save our oceans while another bio-mods herself to a mermaid and dies. The story is a monologue of the former during the funeral of the later. 3 stars
Dix Dayton, Jet Jockey short story by Liz A. Vogel a sneak attack on space pirates by supposedly unarmed civil ship. The idea was in Men-Kzin wars by [a:Larry Niven|12534|Larry Niven|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1596428206p2/12534.jpg] in the 70s, so a low mark. 1 star.
Cooling Chaos short story by Gregory Benford increasing Earth albedo to lower temperature in Arctic. Scientifically sound, literally weak. 2.5 stars.
In Times to Come (Analog, March-April 2020) [In Times to Come (Analog)] essay by uncredited plans for the next issue
Respite short story by Catherine Wells there is a failing far away colony to which suddenly a ship comes. Onboard in the creator of the colony, for in ‘bigger world’ people can live forever. Now he can try to save a few while the colony fails. 3.5 stars
Curious Algorithms short story by Hayden Trenholm an AI works at delivering refugees from “behind the wall”, but meets a man Joshua, who tells that her work is based on a lie. 3 stars.
War Lily short story by Beth Dawkins instead of sending back bodes of fallen solders, an artificial flower with their memories is sent back. But it has only 4 activations. As an idea quite nice, but why activations are limited makes ‘science-y’ part suspect. 3 stars.
On the Causes and Consequences of Cat Ladies short story by Richard A. Lovett a widow gets a house away from the city and starts to feed stray cats that come. An unexpected final twist, which changes the gene of the story. 3 stars
Zeroth Contact short story by Joshua Cole an astronomer following heavy metal asteroids sees a flying saucer that eats it. All attempts to contact the aliens fails. 3.5 stars.
The Halting Problem short story by Em Liu a barman in the airport, who was a programmer but now has a strange psychological issue. 4 stars.
The Smartest Damn Machine on Earth short story by Bo Balder an old former NSA computer works in carnivals and a girl finally asks it the right type of question. 3.5 stars.
Lemonade Stand short story by Brenda Kalt a young woman should decide to follow her path of collecting stuff to finally get financial independence or help a stranded man. I thought it will be another take on [b:The Cold Equations|53638991|The Cold Equations|Tom Godwin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590797323l/53638991._SX50_.jpg|83960707], but it is not. 2 stars
Rover short story by A. T. Sayre Martian rover wanders across the red planet, cannibalizing old Earth tech to function, while Earth doesn’t send it any new instructions. 4 stars.
One Hundred short story by Sean Monaghan a 100 strong colony on Mars has to find new ways to cope after the Earth had a disaster. 2 stars
One Basket novelette by Charles Coleman Finlay [as by C. C. Finlay] a girl follows her grandma to find an old cash on the asteroid that will boost their finances. 2.5 stars.
The Reference Library (Analog, March-April 2020) [The Reference Library] essay by Don Sakers some new releases
Brass Tacks (Analog, March-April 2020) [Brass Tacks] essay by various letters and answers
Upcoming Events (Analog, March-April 2020) [Upcoming Events] essay by Anthony R. Lewis [as by Anthony Lewis]
The Art of Noise [Editorial (Analog)] essay by Alec Nevala-Lee Another notion that this is the 90th year of publishing and a short review of what in the issue with spoilers of the “best of” novelette.
Noise Level [Martin Nagle] this is 1952 novelette, quite interesting in both idea and execution. The story starts as the brass collects scientists and show them that some unknown guy uncovered anti-grav, but died during the demonstration. And because it is the Cold War era, all efforts are send to re-discover how anti-grav works before the USSR does it. 4 stars
Veiling the Earth [Science Fact (Analog)] essay by Gregory Benford an essay linked to the story by the author in the same issue.
The Pournelle Volume essay by Arlan Andrews, Sr. how to establish a worth of asteroid
The House of Styx (part 1 of 3) [Venus Ascendant 1] a serialized novel, set on Venus in mid-22nd century. The planet (or its atmosphere, 50 km and higher) is colonized by people from Quebec. They live in dirigibles or/and local flying plants, extracting stuff from lower atmosphere. The D’Aquillon family is in the center of the story. After they decided not to abort their son with Down Syndrome, the authorities limited their supply, so the family become a major player in the black market. A very well done hard SF, reminding me of [b:Red Mars|77507|Red Mars (Mars Trilogy, #1)|Kim Stanley Robinson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1440699787l/77507._SY75_.jpg|40712], even if styles are quite different. 3.5 stars
Camphor short story by Mark W. Tiedemann a planet is rediscovered by a multi-star human government after something akin to what was predicted in x took place. The ‘ambassador’ there got a visitor from that government reporting that there is a non-native species on the planet that can potentially cause epidemics. 2.5 stars
Expecting to Fly short story by Manny Frishberg and Edd Vick another take on Mowgli, an Earth girl grown by hive aliens. 5 stars
Midstrathe Exploding short story by Andy Dudak a temporal bomb was blown a long ago and now tourist came to witness people stuck like a fly in amber. A young boy present alternative ways to tourists to watch the site. 2 stars
How to Go Twelfth poem by Mary Soon Lee a short poem
The Inconstant Hubble Constant [The Alternate View] essay by John G. Cramer two different ways give different estimates for the Hubble Constant, and if we introduce just another kind of dark matter they can be made consistent. Interesting, but I am skeptical of adding one more variable we can only theoretically justify.
Plank poem by Josh Pearce
A Stone's Throw from You short story by Jenn Reese One sister goes studying to save our oceans while another bio-mods herself to a mermaid and dies. The story is a monologue of the former during the funeral of the later. 3 stars
Dix Dayton, Jet Jockey short story by Liz A. Vogel a sneak attack on space pirates by supposedly unarmed civil ship. The idea was in Men-Kzin wars by [a:Larry Niven|12534|Larry Niven|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1596428206p2/12534.jpg] in the 70s, so a low mark. 1 star.
Cooling Chaos short story by Gregory Benford increasing Earth albedo to lower temperature in Arctic. Scientifically sound, literally weak. 2.5 stars.
In Times to Come (Analog, March-April 2020) [In Times to Come (Analog)] essay by uncredited plans for the next issue
Respite short story by Catherine Wells there is a failing far away colony to which suddenly a ship comes. Onboard in the creator of the colony, for in ‘bigger world’ people can live forever. Now he can try to save a few while the colony fails. 3.5 stars
Curious Algorithms short story by Hayden Trenholm an AI works at delivering refugees from “behind the wall”, but meets a man Joshua, who tells that her work is based on a lie. 3 stars.
War Lily short story by Beth Dawkins instead of sending back bodes of fallen solders, an artificial flower with their memories is sent back. But it has only 4 activations. As an idea quite nice, but why activations are limited makes ‘science-y’ part suspect. 3 stars.
On the Causes and Consequences of Cat Ladies short story by Richard A. Lovett a widow gets a house away from the city and starts to feed stray cats that come. An unexpected final twist, which changes the gene of the story. 3 stars
Zeroth Contact short story by Joshua Cole an astronomer following heavy metal asteroids sees a flying saucer that eats it. All attempts to contact the aliens fails. 3.5 stars.
The Halting Problem short story by Em Liu a barman in the airport, who was a programmer but now has a strange psychological issue. 4 stars.
The Smartest Damn Machine on Earth short story by Bo Balder an old former NSA computer works in carnivals and a girl finally asks it the right type of question. 3.5 stars.
Lemonade Stand short story by Brenda Kalt a young woman should decide to follow her path of collecting stuff to finally get financial independence or help a stranded man. I thought it will be another take on [b:The Cold Equations|53638991|The Cold Equations|Tom Godwin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590797323l/53638991._SX50_.jpg|83960707], but it is not. 2 stars
Rover short story by A. T. Sayre Martian rover wanders across the red planet, cannibalizing old Earth tech to function, while Earth doesn’t send it any new instructions. 4 stars.
One Hundred short story by Sean Monaghan a 100 strong colony on Mars has to find new ways to cope after the Earth had a disaster. 2 stars
One Basket novelette by Charles Coleman Finlay [as by C. C. Finlay] a girl follows her grandma to find an old cash on the asteroid that will boost their finances. 2.5 stars.
The Reference Library (Analog, March-April 2020) [The Reference Library] essay by Don Sakers some new releases
Brass Tacks (Analog, March-April 2020) [Brass Tacks] essay by various letters and answers
Upcoming Events (Analog, March-April 2020) [Upcoming Events] essay by Anthony R. Lewis [as by Anthony Lewis]
More...