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mitskacir's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very uplifting and optimistic sci-fi collection, which is very welcome and unusual for the genre. A mix between a collection of short stories and a novel, there were definitely particular stories that I liked better than others. "The Day Shion Came" was by far my favorite, and I would perhaps recommend just that story over the entire book. I tend to prefer sci-fi that focuses on the human story rather than the mechanics of the technology itself, and this book definitely did just that (the central tenet of the book is essentially whether or not AI are human). I also will say that Yamamoto did an excellent job writing his women and female-presenting characters - they are heavily represented, varied and nuanced in character, and their sexuality is addressed only when relevant, and usually through their own voices.
forgottenteacup's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
3.75
tokisuno's review against another edition
5.0
phenomenal. loved reading this book a lot. probably one of longer books i've read in a while. really great story.
dozinganna's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
artofmulata's review against another edition
4.0
Nutshell review: Mr. Yamamoto has written an excellent collection of stories that looks forward and back at the poverty of discrimination. Using androids as a foil, the author asks us to reconsider the many ways in which we oppress based on exigencies such as skin color, gender, age, or anything else that most consider unchangeable.
Like many before him, Grant Morrison, Bill Willingham, Warren Ellis, Mr. Yamamoto believes in the power of fiction to change the world. The book is structured in the form of the traditional collection we know as the 1001 Nights with an android, the titular Ibis, playing the role of Scheherazade and a young, human male in the strangely deformed role of the king. She tells the tales and we/the young man listen, hopefully taking what we've learned and influencing ourselves and those we encounter to better ourselves and thus the world.
Like many before him, Grant Morrison, Bill Willingham, Warren Ellis, Mr. Yamamoto believes in the power of fiction to change the world. The book is structured in the form of the traditional collection we know as the 1001 Nights with an android, the titular Ibis, playing the role of Scheherazade and a young, human male in the strangely deformed role of the king. She tells the tales and we/the young man listen, hopefully taking what we've learned and influencing ourselves and those we encounter to better ourselves and thus the world.
cythera15's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
5.0
Definitely the book that I will be writing about in my dissertation! The novel interrogates the place that fiction has in humanity, in addition to dismantling anxieties surrounding robot uprising
laurenlaufman's review against another edition
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
jazzypizzaz's review against another edition
4.0
the importance of fiction, as a lens to reshape reality; the power of stories, as a reflection of ourselves, as our dreams and ideals; humanity's technological achievements as our dreams made manifest; our constant striving to reshape the world to better align with those dreams, to be better than our species specs allow; our fundamental loneliness and desire to connect...
good stuff.
good stuff.
lordnikon's review against another edition
5.0
Probably the finest anthology of sci-fi AI stories I've ever had the absolute pleasure of reading. Gorgeously realized, and cleverly assembled, this book actively CHANGED what I thought about humans and AI interacting. Amazing. You OWE it to yourself to read this book.