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life_couch's review against another edition
3.0
It's impossible to rate this one, I really enjoyed most of the stories. They are not like Asimov or Dick's work, and in some parts they reminded me of (space) 1001 arabian nights, as weird as it sounds! My favorite story was Automatthews friend
thebookfestclub's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
Mortal Engines is a series of comical scifi short stories. As its original name suggest (Fables for Robots), most of the short stories are written in the form of fairy tales set in a universe where there are only robots.
They feature the classic characters of a fairy tale such as the style of writing which I can only describe as once-upon-a-time-ish and the presence of royalty and knights. However, they differ from actual fairy tales in their ending which is not always a happy one and virtue doesn't always triumph as Lem himself says.
I have to say, Lem has the best neologism (elektrofriend; ferromagnecity). I loved the absurd humor and creativity behind the stories. However, some are way better than others, thus the 3.5-stars rating. Quality really shifts from one story to the other. I loved some of them - my favourites being 'Tale of the Comouter that Fought a Dragon' and 'The Advisers of King Hydrops' - but I found some quite boring...
The last and longest story, The Mask, is quite good. It is not written in the genre of a fairy tale. Its themes are reminiscent of Solaris, but also tackle the good ol’ question of AI/robot and free will. It has elements of horror and fantasy that actually work quite well within the story - especially the horror elements.
They feature the classic characters of a fairy tale such as the style of writing which I can only describe as once-upon-a-time-ish and the presence of royalty and knights. However, they differ from actual fairy tales in their ending which is not always a happy one and virtue doesn't always triumph as Lem himself says.
I have to say, Lem has the best neologism (elektrofriend; ferromagnecity). I loved the absurd humor and creativity behind the stories. However, some are way better than others, thus the 3.5-stars rating. Quality really shifts from one story to the other. I loved some of them - my favourites being 'Tale of the Comouter that Fought a Dragon' and 'The Advisers of King Hydrops' - but I found some quite boring...
The last and longest story, The Mask, is quite good. It is not written in the genre of a fairy tale. Its themes are reminiscent of Solaris, but also tackle the good ol’ question of AI/robot and free will. It has elements of horror and fantasy that actually work quite well within the story - especially the horror elements.
blissful_day's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
charleyroxy's review
adventurous
challenging
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5
"I knew all along he would not understand. If he'd had a grain of sense to begin with, he never would have come here. For what use to a being that lives under the sun are jewels of gas and silver stars of ice?"
Mortal Engines is a collection of short stories by Stanislaw Lem and translated from the Polish by Michael Kandel. I loved reading that this collection was assembled by the translator who is well known for his translations of Lem's work. The stories are satirical, fantastical fairy tales and fables of machines, automatons, assassins and electroknights in amazing new worlds. I enjoyed every story but particularly The Three Electroknights, Tale of the Computer That Fought A Dragon, The Advisers of King Hydrops and King Globares and the Sages.
I also listened to the audiobook while reading which increased my enjoyment exponentially. Scott Aiello was the perfect narrator and all his voices made this unforgettable. Listen to these stories, if nothing else, and you won't regret it.
"I wished, in my mythologizing, to reach the limits of improbability, and I believe that I came close. You know this already, therefore what you really wanted to ask was if the Universe is indeed ludicrous. But that question each must answer for himself."
Mortal Engines is a collection of short stories by Stanislaw Lem and translated from the Polish by Michael Kandel. I loved reading that this collection was assembled by the translator who is well known for his translations of Lem's work. The stories are satirical, fantastical fairy tales and fables of machines, automatons, assassins and electroknights in amazing new worlds. I enjoyed every story but particularly The Three Electroknights, Tale of the Computer That Fought A Dragon, The Advisers of King Hydrops and King Globares and the Sages.
I also listened to the audiobook while reading which increased my enjoyment exponentially. Scott Aiello was the perfect narrator and all his voices made this unforgettable. Listen to these stories, if nothing else, and you won't regret it.
"I wished, in my mythologizing, to reach the limits of improbability, and I believe that I came close. You know this already, therefore what you really wanted to ask was if the Universe is indeed ludicrous. But that question each must answer for himself."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts
In the story Automatthew's Friend there is a tiny "friend" in his ear who tries to get him to kill himself instead of slowly dying on a deserted island.vcrog's review against another edition
3.0
I was not expecting, when I started this book, to find short fables set in space. Sci-fi Aesop maybe? Anyway, it was a really fun discovery.
I really enjoyed these stories of cyberknights, digital-mechanic dragons and scheming computers - all the tropes of fairy tales, but warped and twisted for space and the future.
I much preferred the shorter fable-esque stories in this collection, finding the final two, longer stories a bit meandering and lacking the pithy wit, humour and oddness of the shorter stories.
I really enjoyed these stories of cyberknights, digital-mechanic dragons and scheming computers - all the tropes of fairy tales, but warped and twisted for space and the future.
I much preferred the shorter fable-esque stories in this collection, finding the final two, longer stories a bit meandering and lacking the pithy wit, humour and oddness of the shorter stories.
psycona's review against another edition
funny
reflective
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
5.0
This is Lem in full variety, in a collection compiled by the translator. It is principally robot fairytales, but also includes a hard SF action tale and a gorgeous Gothic romance.
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