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gnashchick's review against another edition
5.0
Daniel Arthur Smith tells us right up front that Hugh Howie Lives is an homage to the author best known for his serial stories now collected as the Silo series. There are a lot of words out there to read, and while I know of him, I’ve never read any of his work. When I began reading this novella, I wanted to know if it would stand on its own for people who didn’t know anything about Hugh Howie.
The story begins with Tia and Kay, a couple from New Miami, sailing in search of an island. They come from different backgrounds with Tia the daughter of the upper class, and Kay the daughter of poverty. Despite their differences, they are a loving pair, both with a passion for their work Tia works in the University botanical gardens. Kay is obsessed with an author whose heyday was two centuries ago.
Kay is convinced that the stories released by The Archive were actually written by Howie, and Tia indulges her, following the clues from the books to find the island. Kay believes he’s there, still writing after two hundred years. When they land on the island and meet the company of research scientists working there, the intricacies and secrets of the Archive are revealed.
It’s a novella, so Smith has to keep his storytelling tight, and he does a good job. He takes on a tried-and-true SF trope, exploring the idea of Artificial Intelligence without dipping too far into techno-speak.
I’m sure there are easter eggs in this story that I didn’t catch because I’m unfamiliar with Howie’s work, but I was able to answer my first question. Yes, the story stands alone for science fiction readers who aren’t obsessive fans. It would be entirely possible to use a fictitious name, or the name of any wildly popular author and this story would work, minus the nuggets of fan trivia I may have missed.
There was one thing that rubbed me the wrong way. The chemistry between Tia and Kay was lacking. Kay’s only topic of conversation seems to be Hugh Howie trivia, and it gets tiresome after a while.
While it’s clear that the future Earth is different from our own, it seems to be a mostly civilized place where scientists and creators from many nations work together. There are hints of piracy in the open ocean, which isn’t unreasonable for a society that gets its power from ocean-based turbines.
Over the past few decades, most stories involving AI devolve into a foregone conclusion. I thought the end of the book was heading towards such a predictable end, but it caught me entirely off-guard. High Howie Lives isn’t an action-packed thriller, nor is it a story of a bleak and violent future. Nevertheless, the actions of two women on a small island could shape the future of their society for better or for worse.
It’s a lovely novella, and if you’re in the mood for the kind of story that makes you think about imagination, technology, humanity, and where the lines between them cross, pick up a copy for yourself. Just download it from the Archive.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Originally published at www.bookie-monster.com
The story begins with Tia and Kay, a couple from New Miami, sailing in search of an island. They come from different backgrounds with Tia the daughter of the upper class, and Kay the daughter of poverty. Despite their differences, they are a loving pair, both with a passion for their work Tia works in the University botanical gardens. Kay is obsessed with an author whose heyday was two centuries ago.
Kay is convinced that the stories released by The Archive were actually written by Howie, and Tia indulges her, following the clues from the books to find the island. Kay believes he’s there, still writing after two hundred years. When they land on the island and meet the company of research scientists working there, the intricacies and secrets of the Archive are revealed.
It’s a novella, so Smith has to keep his storytelling tight, and he does a good job. He takes on a tried-and-true SF trope, exploring the idea of Artificial Intelligence without dipping too far into techno-speak.
I’m sure there are easter eggs in this story that I didn’t catch because I’m unfamiliar with Howie’s work, but I was able to answer my first question. Yes, the story stands alone for science fiction readers who aren’t obsessive fans. It would be entirely possible to use a fictitious name, or the name of any wildly popular author and this story would work, minus the nuggets of fan trivia I may have missed.
There was one thing that rubbed me the wrong way. The chemistry between Tia and Kay was lacking. Kay’s only topic of conversation seems to be Hugh Howie trivia, and it gets tiresome after a while.
While it’s clear that the future Earth is different from our own, it seems to be a mostly civilized place where scientists and creators from many nations work together. There are hints of piracy in the open ocean, which isn’t unreasonable for a society that gets its power from ocean-based turbines.
Over the past few decades, most stories involving AI devolve into a foregone conclusion. I thought the end of the book was heading towards such a predictable end, but it caught me entirely off-guard. High Howie Lives isn’t an action-packed thriller, nor is it a story of a bleak and violent future. Nevertheless, the actions of two women on a small island could shape the future of their society for better or for worse.
It’s a lovely novella, and if you’re in the mood for the kind of story that makes you think about imagination, technology, humanity, and where the lines between them cross, pick up a copy for yourself. Just download it from the Archive.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Originally published at www.bookie-monster.com
jordanimal's review against another edition
4.0
The story is well-written, but I didn't really like the characters.
aprilsarah's review against another edition
3.0
I saw Hugh Howey and I had to read, and that might have hindered my enjoyment of this story. In my mind I kept trying to see Howey in the writing and of course that is so not the point.
The story line and premise of 'Hugh Howey Lives' is quite intriguing, if not a bit creepy. The sociological elements of why they have stories set up as they do, is the most interesting part yet doesn't really get hinted at until the end. And part of me is a bit irked about how complicit everyone is.
I personally did not connect with either of the main two characters but I can see where they are coming from. At the same time, once again, I was constantly unhappy with them as well.
I have so many mixed emotions about this story. My brain did a lot of thinking. This, of course, was nothing of what I expected and I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad one.
The story line and premise of 'Hugh Howey Lives' is quite intriguing, if not a bit creepy. The sociological elements of why they have stories set up as they do, is the most interesting part yet doesn't really get hinted at until the end. And part of me is a bit irked about how complicit everyone is.
I personally did not connect with either of the main two characters but I can see where they are coming from. At the same time, once again, I was constantly unhappy with them as well.
I have so many mixed emotions about this story. My brain did a lot of thinking. This, of course, was nothing of what I expected and I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad one.
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