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amyosuilleabhain's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
truncarlos's review against another edition
4.0
Se luce muchísimo más en los cuentos más cortos. Algunos son prácticamente ensayos ficcionados. Mientras que "La historia de tu vida y otros cuentos" era más variado, aquí se centra en dos temas: aprendizaje y libre albedrío.
loriluo's review against another edition
4.0
It's difficult to rate a collection of short stories, but I believe Exhalation sits at a solid 4 stars. Even for someone who isn't an avid reader of science fiction, there was something about these stories that drew me in from the very beginning and kept me to the very last story.
My favorite stories were probably the very first one in the collection (The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate) and the very last one (Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom). Both deal with themes of time and regret; the first is set in more of a realm of fantasy, where a merchant in Baghdad offers the narrator a solution to go back in time, while giving the stories of those who have used it. Can one truly escape the inevitable, though? The last story comes with yet another solution to answer the question so many of us ask: What if? What if we did or didn't make that one choice, did or didn't say the words we did, weren't that that one place at that one time? Here, the solution is the prism, a chance to talk to our other selves in those alternate timelines. Are we better off knowing or not knowing these outcomes though?
The stories in between were intriguing, though I didn't personally enjoy them as much. The Lifecycle of Software Objects was an incredible work of world building, but there seemed to be too much clutter in the story. Others, like Dacey's Automatic Patent Nanny, were a little too bizarre for me. Nonetheless, all of these stories were able to condense these questions and problems we've long held and offered ways to rethink about them in the guise of technology and science fiction. Definitely worth the read.
My favorite stories were probably the very first one in the collection (The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate) and the very last one (Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom). Both deal with themes of time and regret; the first is set in more of a realm of fantasy, where a merchant in Baghdad offers the narrator a solution to go back in time, while giving the stories of those who have used it. Can one truly escape the inevitable, though? The last story comes with yet another solution to answer the question so many of us ask: What if? What if we did or didn't make that one choice, did or didn't say the words we did, weren't that that one place at that one time? Here, the solution is the prism, a chance to talk to our other selves in those alternate timelines. Are we better off knowing or not knowing these outcomes though?
The stories in between were intriguing, though I didn't personally enjoy them as much. The Lifecycle of Software Objects was an incredible work of world building, but there seemed to be too much clutter in the story. Others, like Dacey's Automatic Patent Nanny, were a little too bizarre for me. Nonetheless, all of these stories were able to condense these questions and problems we've long held and offered ways to rethink about them in the guise of technology and science fiction. Definitely worth the read.
itsbrittles's review against another edition
3.0
A collection of science fiction short stories. I really liked three of them so three stars it is!
iancarpenter's review against another edition
I know I'm alone on this... but clever ideas, little for me to hang on. Not for me.
thehancam's review against another edition
5.0
This book was originally recommended to me by a guy I’d met on a dating app— we’d gone out a few times and talked about books, travel, and music before we promptly stopped seeing each other upon realizing he used to intern for my dad
leovino's review against another edition
4.0
yo someone should get this guy to write for black mirror
lexish00's review against another edition
4.0
My favorite stories in this collection:
* The Lifecycle of Software Objects -- this is the 4th story and one of the longest. Before I got to it, I was medium on the whole collection, but this one really stood out and I enjoyed it. It reminded me of Greg Egan's story in Axiomatic called The Cutie, but much more positive. It took a wild turn about 3/4ths through that I didn't expect and didn't necessarily like but it was an interesting development.
* Dacey's Patent Automatic Nanny -- I'm a sucker for baby related things, and history-of-baby-rearing-ideas, so this was a fun thought experiment.
* Omphalos -- Really unique look at the relationship between science and religion.
* Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom -- A much different look at parallel universes/quantum-whatever than I've read before. Again, Chiang is more positive than other sci-fi writers, so that made this story not go in obvious cynical directions.
I liked Chiang's long stories better than the short ones, he has more time to look at different angles of an idea, or the evolution of ideas with technology. He is definitely heavy-handed with his points, which he always has, and lets you know. That turned me off some stories for sure. In the longer stories I felt like that got balanced out with actual plot.
* The Lifecycle of Software Objects -- this is the 4th story and one of the longest. Before I got to it, I was medium on the whole collection, but this one really stood out and I enjoyed it. It reminded me of Greg Egan's story in Axiomatic called The Cutie, but much more positive. It took a wild turn about 3/4ths through that I didn't expect and didn't necessarily like but it was an interesting development.
* Dacey's Patent Automatic Nanny -- I'm a sucker for baby related things, and history-of-baby-rearing-ideas, so this was a fun thought experiment.
* Omphalos -- Really unique look at the relationship between science and religion.
* Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom -- A much different look at parallel universes/quantum-whatever than I've read before. Again, Chiang is more positive than other sci-fi writers, so that made this story not go in obvious cynical directions.
I liked Chiang's long stories better than the short ones, he has more time to look at different angles of an idea, or the evolution of ideas with technology. He is definitely heavy-handed with his points, which he always has, and lets you know. That turned me off some stories for sure. In the longer stories I felt like that got balanced out with actual plot.
emblem's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
fast-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
5.0