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exeidur's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
With an average of 6,8/10, it's a solid bundle of short stories, though the subject matters can be heavy and some stories are really difficult to even understand if you do not have a bit of a scientific background. Would recommend for fans of slightly bleak but ultimately realistic sci-fi.
1. The Things
7,5/10
Maybe this story works better if you have <I>The Thing</I> (movie or novel) fresh in your memory, but it has been some years since I watched it. This story is told from the alien life-form's perspective, and the way it has been given voice works quite well. But I was at a bit of a loss for what exactly was going on from time to time.
2. The Island
7/10
I understood about half of the words here, but it was still somehow good.
3. The Second Coming of Jasmine Fitzgerald
8/10
A not so cautionary tale on editing the fabric of the universe.
4. A Word for Heathens
8,5/10
A devout warrior is challenged in his beliefs after he burns his heathen enemies. Believers are connected to God through some sort of electromagnetic waves, which sounds pretty weird, but it's a cool concept!
5. Home
6/10
A reptile who is actually a woman comes home, only to realise she doesn't want to be there. Yeah, it's weird.
6. The Eyes of God
6,5/10
Technology has come so far that your brain can be temporarily overridden in a way that you won't be able to act on any "evil" impulses. Cool concept, didn't terrify me as much as it should've.
7. Flesh Made Word
6,5/10
Made me feel dumb. Many difficult words very specific to certain scientific subjects, illustrating a man's search for the essence of passing away - what is the last thing going on in our brains.
8. Nimbus
6/10
Sentient clouds.
9. Mayfly
7,5/10
A four year old with a four digit IQ who is a prisoner of her own flesh. A bit disturbing, but still good.
10. Ambassador
7/10
Humanity's ambassador attempts to escape a hostile encounter only to get caught in a web.
11. Hillcrest v. Velikovsky
6,5/10
Perhaps the most ridiculous court case ever heard of, told in a voice full of character.
12. Repeating the Past
6/10
Implanting trauma.
13. A Niche
5,5/10
Very long for what is actually being told: two women on a deep-sea station who don't get along well. The atmospheric underwater stuff is good, though.
14. Outtro: En Route to Dystopia with the Angry Optimist
7/10
It's not actually a story, but the author's closing thoughts on the anthology. Not really necessary for me; I'm not one of the critics against whom he's defending himself. But it's fun to know in what light he himself sees these stories.
1. The Things
7,5/10
Maybe this story works better if you have <I>The Thing</I> (movie or novel) fresh in your memory, but it has been some years since I watched it. This story is told from the alien life-form's perspective, and the way it has been given voice works quite well. But I was at a bit of a loss for what exactly was going on from time to time.
2. The Island
7/10
I understood about half of the words here, but it was still somehow good.
3. The Second Coming of Jasmine Fitzgerald
8/10
A not so cautionary tale on editing the fabric of the universe.
4. A Word for Heathens
8,5/10
A devout warrior is challenged in his beliefs after he burns his heathen enemies. Believers are connected to God through some sort of electromagnetic waves, which sounds pretty weird, but it's a cool concept!
5. Home
6/10
A reptile who is actually a woman comes home, only to realise she doesn't want to be there. Yeah, it's weird.
6. The Eyes of God
6,5/10
Technology has come so far that your brain can be temporarily overridden in a way that you won't be able to act on any "evil" impulses. Cool concept, didn't terrify me as much as it should've.
7. Flesh Made Word
6,5/10
Made me feel dumb. Many difficult words very specific to certain scientific subjects, illustrating a man's search for the essence of passing away - what is the last thing going on in our brains.
8. Nimbus
6/10
Sentient clouds.
9. Mayfly
7,5/10
A four year old with a four digit IQ who is a prisoner of her own flesh. A bit disturbing, but still good.
10. Ambassador
7/10
Humanity's ambassador attempts to escape a hostile encounter only to get caught in a web.
11. Hillcrest v. Velikovsky
6,5/10
Perhaps the most ridiculous court case ever heard of, told in a voice full of character.
12. Repeating the Past
6/10
Implanting trauma.
13. A Niche
5,5/10
Very long for what is actually being told: two women on a deep-sea station who don't get along well. The atmospheric underwater stuff is good, though.
14. Outtro: En Route to Dystopia with the Angry Optimist
7/10
It's not actually a story, but the author's closing thoughts on the anthology. Not really necessary for me; I'm not one of the critics against whom he's defending himself. But it's fun to know in what light he himself sees these stories.
kitsuneheart's review against another edition
4.0
In our exploration of the stars, our store of knowledge will have to adpt to new and strange situations. That's why humanity made sure that there were both humans and a sophisticated AI piloting their most far-reaching ship. When the ship comes across a stat which seems to be exhibit intelligence--not creatures on the planets surrounding the star, but the star ITSELF--one of the human occupants begins an intense fight against their AI to redefine life and intelligence before their mission puts the one alien creature they have discovered in danger.
I can't explain precisely why I enjoyed this tale--perhaps its the examination of what we believe to constitute life, or the interplay between the female lead, her suddenly acquired son, and the casually malevolent Chimp. But I did enjoy it enough to recommend it to other readers. It's even available as a podcast from the StarShipSofa, so you can listen as you go about your day, rather than reading.
I can't explain precisely why I enjoyed this tale--perhaps its the examination of what we believe to constitute life, or the interplay between the female lead, her suddenly acquired son, and the casually malevolent Chimp. But I did enjoy it enough to recommend it to other readers. It's even available as a podcast from the StarShipSofa, so you can listen as you go about your day, rather than reading.
mxsallybend's review against another edition
4.0
Science fiction is an incredibly diverse genre, both in terms of content and in terms of storytelling. At one end of the spectrum you have your pulp sci-fi, rollicking adventure stories that often skirt the boundaries of science to tell their fantastic tales. Further along the line, at the middle of the spectrum, you find space opera, which generally uses (and often abuses) the more outlandish possibilities in science to tell a tale. Finally, at the other end of the spectrum you have hard science-fiction, which more often than not uses the techniques of the tale to convey the intricacies of its science.
That, of course, is a gross simplification, but if we think of the spectrum in those terms, then Beyond the Rift is the kind of collection that often peers back towards the centre, but which is very firmly grounded in the hard. Peter Watts is an interesting guy, a scientist, an author, and something of a political philosopher. He's been described as "too dark" by some, and as both "exhilarating" and "deeply paranoid" by others. To dismiss him as just another depressing, pessimistic hard science fiction author, however, is to do him a huge disservice. Personally, I would lean more towards terms like deep, daring, and deliberately thoughtful. He's an author who isn't afraid to stare off into the bleakness of space and ponder our own insignificance, but one who also isn't afraid to look inward and question the very core of what makes us human.
I won't attempt to tackle everything in the collection, but instead look at the highlights.
"The Things" kicks off the anthology with, as he describes it himself, a bit of fan fiction. Watts takes the story of The Thing and turns it inside out, exploring the shapeshifting monster as not the aggressor, but the victim. He stares back at humanity from an evolutionary distance, expressing not the horror of the monster lurking inside, but the emptiness it inhabits.
"The Island" is a bleak, creepy sort of tale, one that tackles the subjects of first contact, artificial intelligence, genetic manipulation, and extended lifespans. It's absolutely stunning in its ingenuity and scope, but rather cold in its long-term prognosis. "The Second Coming of Jasmine Fitzgerald" is one of my favorites, a simple story about sanity and the war between the psyche and the soul, which dares you to accept the fact that it may also be about resurrection and restoration as well.
"The Eyes of God" is absolutely brilliant in its exploration of free will, of human privacy, and of the question between intent and action. It takes a bold, almost frightening twist at the end, when you find out what heinous sin the computer deemed the protagonist to be capable of, but Watts asks some crucial questions here that force the reader to come to a difficult conclusion.
"Nimbus" is probably the simplest, most straightforward of all the tales, but I liked its idea of an antagonistic sky almost as much as I appreciated its exploration of a father's conflicting emotions. "Mayfly" continues with the parental theme, but takes a hard look at what happens when we dare to mess with the natural order of conception, birth, and nurturing.
"Ambassador" takes another stab at the first contact story, but perverts the assumption that any race intelligent enough to make first contact must be benevolent. It's a tale with some rather chilling implications, not the least of which is how far the instinct for self-preservation can push someone.
"Hillcrest vs. Velikovsky" is a short, straightforward tale that almost seems out of place in the collection, but which is still intriguing. Watts asks whether faith can really overcome human illness, and then asks whether it's a crime to reveal that placebo for what it is. It's almost a cruel sort of courtroom drama, but fascinating on an intellectual (and even spiritual) level.
The collection ends with "A Niche" that, quite literally, takes us into the rift itself. It's probably the most complex narrative in the collection, one in which a woman's abuse has oddly conditioned her for the claustrophobic confines of living underwater. It's a very psychological tale, one which forces a confrontation between the scientist and the experiment. Watts baits us early and takes his time reeling us in, waiting for the very end to reveal precisely what's going on, but the payoff is worth it.
Like I said, Beyond the Rift is deep, daring, and deliberately thoughtful. It's not a collection to be breezed through in a few sittings, but one which demands we pause after each story to let it settle, and to see what our imagination can make of it. It is definitely hard in the sense of where it falls in the genre spectrum, but easier reading than most tales claiming to share that same space.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
That, of course, is a gross simplification, but if we think of the spectrum in those terms, then Beyond the Rift is the kind of collection that often peers back towards the centre, but which is very firmly grounded in the hard. Peter Watts is an interesting guy, a scientist, an author, and something of a political philosopher. He's been described as "too dark" by some, and as both "exhilarating" and "deeply paranoid" by others. To dismiss him as just another depressing, pessimistic hard science fiction author, however, is to do him a huge disservice. Personally, I would lean more towards terms like deep, daring, and deliberately thoughtful. He's an author who isn't afraid to stare off into the bleakness of space and ponder our own insignificance, but one who also isn't afraid to look inward and question the very core of what makes us human.
I won't attempt to tackle everything in the collection, but instead look at the highlights.
"The Things" kicks off the anthology with, as he describes it himself, a bit of fan fiction. Watts takes the story of The Thing and turns it inside out, exploring the shapeshifting monster as not the aggressor, but the victim. He stares back at humanity from an evolutionary distance, expressing not the horror of the monster lurking inside, but the emptiness it inhabits.
"The Island" is a bleak, creepy sort of tale, one that tackles the subjects of first contact, artificial intelligence, genetic manipulation, and extended lifespans. It's absolutely stunning in its ingenuity and scope, but rather cold in its long-term prognosis. "The Second Coming of Jasmine Fitzgerald" is one of my favorites, a simple story about sanity and the war between the psyche and the soul, which dares you to accept the fact that it may also be about resurrection and restoration as well.
"The Eyes of God" is absolutely brilliant in its exploration of free will, of human privacy, and of the question between intent and action. It takes a bold, almost frightening twist at the end, when you find out what heinous sin the computer deemed the protagonist to be capable of, but Watts asks some crucial questions here that force the reader to come to a difficult conclusion.
"Nimbus" is probably the simplest, most straightforward of all the tales, but I liked its idea of an antagonistic sky almost as much as I appreciated its exploration of a father's conflicting emotions. "Mayfly" continues with the parental theme, but takes a hard look at what happens when we dare to mess with the natural order of conception, birth, and nurturing.
"Ambassador" takes another stab at the first contact story, but perverts the assumption that any race intelligent enough to make first contact must be benevolent. It's a tale with some rather chilling implications, not the least of which is how far the instinct for self-preservation can push someone.
"Hillcrest vs. Velikovsky" is a short, straightforward tale that almost seems out of place in the collection, but which is still intriguing. Watts asks whether faith can really overcome human illness, and then asks whether it's a crime to reveal that placebo for what it is. It's almost a cruel sort of courtroom drama, but fascinating on an intellectual (and even spiritual) level.
The collection ends with "A Niche" that, quite literally, takes us into the rift itself. It's probably the most complex narrative in the collection, one in which a woman's abuse has oddly conditioned her for the claustrophobic confines of living underwater. It's a very psychological tale, one which forces a confrontation between the scientist and the experiment. Watts baits us early and takes his time reeling us in, waiting for the very end to reveal precisely what's going on, but the payoff is worth it.
Like I said, Beyond the Rift is deep, daring, and deliberately thoughtful. It's not a collection to be breezed through in a few sittings, but one which demands we pause after each story to let it settle, and to see what our imagination can make of it. It is definitely hard in the sense of where it falls in the genre spectrum, but easier reading than most tales claiming to share that same space.
Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins
arachnichemist's review against another edition
5.0
For a forty page short story he manages to create a very cool universe that left me wanting so much more. I want more Mr. Watts!!!!
It is hard to describe this properly as I felt the same while reading Blindsight. It reminds me of when I had to walk home at night during snowstorms in college. The world was a hazy mix of streetlight in snow. I felt cold and lonely, yet so at peace with my thoughts. I could withdraw into my thoughts with no disturbances as who the hell is out in a night time snowstorm?
That is what reading this short story and Blindsight feel like to me. I only wish it was longer.
Merged review:
A good short story that smacks you in the face with it's ending. The main character is trying to figure out what every brain is doing as it dies and the answer is haunting. A great story on what it means to be alive.
It is hard to describe this properly as I felt the same while reading Blindsight. It reminds me of when I had to walk home at night during snowstorms in college. The world was a hazy mix of streetlight in snow. I felt cold and lonely, yet so at peace with my thoughts. I could withdraw into my thoughts with no disturbances as who the hell is out in a night time snowstorm?
That is what reading this short story and Blindsight feel like to me. I only wish it was longer.
Merged review:
A good short story that smacks you in the face with it's ending. The main character is trying to figure out what every brain is doing as it dies and the answer is haunting. A great story on what it means to be alive.
rocketiza's review against another edition
3.0
Prefer his novels to the short stories, but always interesting.
prond's review against another edition
5.0
Пять баллов ставлю за великолепный, разноплановый, поражающий воображение рассказ "Остров".
rotorguy64's review against another edition
4.0
I've read The Island shortly after finishing [b:Blindsight|48484|Blindsight (Firefall, #1)|Peter Watts|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386924412s/48484.jpg|47428] and some other short stories from Watts. It's everything you'd expect from him: Immersive, strange, and thought-provoking. Not quite the best in any of these regards, and I think most of the themes have been explored better in other works. Intelligence implies malevolence, for example, was a major theme in both [b:Blindsight|48484|Blindsight (Firefall, #1)|Peter Watts|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1386924412s/48484.jpg|47428] and The Ambassador. The Island sadly didn't make much more of it than a bleak twist. Still, it's a good short story that captures Watts' essence very well, and a worthy contribution to the genre that more than holds up to the competition.