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scmiller's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Violence, Animal cruelty, Colonisation, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Addiction, Abandonment, Death, Death of parent, Misogyny, Murder, Sexism, Drug abuse, and Grief
rorikae's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
'Exhalation' by Ted Chiang is an exceptional speculative short story collection filled with stories that utilize science and technology to explore philosophy, the human experience, and more. Chiang's stories are all expertly crafted. Each word and idea feels intentional and each story touches on a different aspect of the lived experience. I really enjoyed his first short story collection but I think this one is even better. It's hard to pick favorite stories because each approaches its topics in unique ways. A few that stood out include:
'The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate," which touches on how people react to the possibilities of time travel and its ability to calm fears and regrets.
"Exhalation," which discusses a world built on air pressure reaching equilibrium and how this discovery effects an individual.
"What's Expected Of Us," a short but powerful story about free will and what happens when we stop believing we have free will.
"The Great Silence," about how humanity's quest for extraterrestrial life stops it from connecting with other species on Earth.
"Omphalos," about a world where the creation of man is proven by science and how faith is shaken by discoveries in the solar system.
"Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom," which looks at what would happen if branching worlds were able to talk to one another and how people would take advantage of this technology.
Each of Chiang's stories is accompanied by a note at the end of the collection discussing what inspired the story and what Chiang is exploring in the story. I love this as a way to peek behind the curtain of stories that are clearly so carefully thought-out. If you are looking for contemplative stories based on science and technology that delve into psychology and larger questions of the universe then you must pick up 'Exhalation.' A truly superb collection.
'The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate," which touches on how people react to the possibilities of time travel and its ability to calm fears and regrets.
"Exhalation," which discusses a world built on air pressure reaching equilibrium and how this discovery effects an individual.
"What's Expected Of Us," a short but powerful story about free will and what happens when we stop believing we have free will.
"The Great Silence," about how humanity's quest for extraterrestrial life stops it from connecting with other species on Earth.
"Omphalos," about a world where the creation of man is proven by science and how faith is shaken by discoveries in the solar system.
"Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom," which looks at what would happen if branching worlds were able to talk to one another and how people would take advantage of this technology.
Each of Chiang's stories is accompanied by a note at the end of the collection discussing what inspired the story and what Chiang is exploring in the story. I love this as a way to peek behind the curtain of stories that are clearly so carefully thought-out. If you are looking for contemplative stories based on science and technology that delve into psychology and larger questions of the universe then you must pick up 'Exhalation.' A truly superb collection.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death, Violence, and Toxic friendship
sunn_bleach's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It’s hard to write speculative fiction with a social issues bent in the 2010s and beyond without accusation of Black Mirror-lite. So, perhaps readers might be interested to hear some of these stories predate the show, and that they have more in common with the tradition of Borges and other Argentinian/Chilean magical realism authors in addition to the contemporary issues of today (and yesterday, and tomorrow). I respected how the “Lifecycle” story to its extreme end, I found the title story masterful as a response to Kierkegaard’s “leap of faith”, and I enjoyed the parable-esque nature of the rest. The only one I thought a little trite was “The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling”, which kinda failed on the dual-story part with the African analog seeming cliché. But it’s a small price to pay for the overall collection.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Cursing and Sexual content
Minor: Domestic abuse
kylieqrada's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Docked a half star for acephobia in one of the stories (that also happened to be one of my favorites). Ted Chiang is an undeniable genius.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Addiction, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Grief, Murder, and Death
Minor: Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, and Car accident
arayo's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Child abuse
Minor: Colonisation, Murder, Drug abuse, Addiction, Gun violence, and Forced institutionalization
amsswim's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
So I started this book thinking the short story the movie Arrival was based on was in this book, turns out it is in a different book lol. THat being said I still love all science fiction and these short stories were so good. If you're a fan of science fiction that touches on new tech in our modern world and the moral implications, this is for you.
My favorite stories were: The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate, Exhalation, The Lifecycle of Software Objects, and The Truth of Fact the Truth of Feeling.
My favorite stories were: The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate, Exhalation, The Lifecycle of Software Objects, and The Truth of Fact the Truth of Feeling.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Cursing, Death, Animal death, Car accident, Child abuse, and Misogyny
juliatsang's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Death, and Grief
Minor: Drug use and Drug abuse
mlewis's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Abandonment, Drug use, Ableism, Addiction, and Grief
Minor: Dementia, Murder, Terminal illness, and Car accident
cassimiranda's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
~The past has left its traces on the world, and we only have to know how to read them.~
This collection of short stories explores intelligence, agency, and self-determination. Each story explores these questions in a unique hard science fiction settings. The worlds are interesting and well-developed and the themes are intriguing. My favorite story, The Great Silence, explores human’s inability to recognize intelligent, if dissimilar, communication from close to home. While thought-provoking and imaginative, the prose style is distancing. This made it difficult to connect with the characters, and reduced my overall enjoyment.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death of parent, Genocide, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Animal death, Abandonment, and Addiction
a_reader_of_book's review
challenging
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Ted Chiang's collection of short stories in "Exhalation" was a really enjoyable read for me. I haven't always been the biggest fan of short stories collections, but I'm trying to broaden my tastes. Thankfully, I liked this science-fiction collection, and the story notes at the end of the collection were so cool to read and get an insight into Chiang's head! As I've done before, I'll provide brief reviews and ratings for each story, and then average them for my overall rating.
"The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate" was an interesting take on "The Arabian Nights" stories with a cool, sci-fi twist. I appreciated the character and story development, and I thought it was the perfect length for what it was. 3.75/5 stars.
"Exhalation" was such a cool examination of scientific discovery, especially related to the self. How do scientists learn about the innerworkings of their own bodies? This story had some pretty incredible visuals that sort of blew my mind (if you read it, you'll see what I did there). 4/5 stars.
"What's Expected of Us" was a very brief discussion of free will. It was interesting, but I didn't get as absorbed by this story as others. 2.75/5 stars.
"The Lifecycle of Software Objects" was one of the longest stories in this collection, and I absolutely loved it! It touched my heart, made me really think about important concepts surrounding AI, and was written so beautifully. If you only check out one story from this whole collection, please read this one! 5/5 stars.
"Dacey's Patent Automatic Nanny" examined the complexities that arise when technology and childhood collide. I think it's an important topic to consider, especially given the increasing number of screens being put in front of kids. 3.25/5 stars.
"The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling" also focused on the impact new technology has on culture. People feared radio would ruin future generations. The same can be said of TV and now smartphones. But what opportunities do we miss out on by avoiding advancements in tech? And what unseen or unexpected consequences do we face when adopting these advancements as key parts of our lives? 4/5 stars
"The Great Silence" was another brief story told from an unexpected perspective. While humans are constantly looking out into space for signs of life, there are incredible things here on our own planet that can be overlooked. 3.75/5 stars.
"Omphalos" brought ideas about creationism and intelligent design into a discussion of science. What are discoveries worth if there isn't some grand meaning for us being here? What inspires scientists to continue to unearth the truth? What aspects of religious faith are mirrored in science? 4/5 stars.
"Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom" was my second favorite story in Chiang's collection. In this world, a device called a prism can be used to communicate with your 'paraself' who exists in a parallel universe that only branches off from your current world when you use a prism. Of course, some people abuse this opportunity. Some people become obsessed with it. But what do your actions mean when there's another you in another world potentially doing the exact opposite? And what are the consequences of creating another "branch" world for yourself, the ones you love, and even random strangers? This is another story to check out, for sure! 4.75/5 stars.
After averaging, the collection as a whole gets 3.916 (rounded to 4) out of 5 stars. If you are interested in some sci-fi stories to get you thinking, I'd say you can't go wrong with picking this up!
"The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate" was an interesting take on "The Arabian Nights" stories with a cool, sci-fi twist. I appreciated the character and story development, and I thought it was the perfect length for what it was. 3.75/5 stars.
"Exhalation" was such a cool examination of scientific discovery, especially related to the self. How do scientists learn about the innerworkings of their own bodies? This story had some pretty incredible visuals that sort of blew my mind (if you read it, you'll see what I did there). 4/5 stars.
"What's Expected of Us" was a very brief discussion of free will. It was interesting, but I didn't get as absorbed by this story as others. 2.75/5 stars.
"The Lifecycle of Software Objects" was one of the longest stories in this collection, and I absolutely loved it! It touched my heart, made me really think about important concepts surrounding AI, and was written so beautifully. If you only check out one story from this whole collection, please read this one! 5/5 stars.
"Dacey's Patent Automatic Nanny" examined the complexities that arise when technology and childhood collide. I think it's an important topic to consider, especially given the increasing number of screens being put in front of kids. 3.25/5 stars.
"The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling" also focused on the impact new technology has on culture. People feared radio would ruin future generations. The same can be said of TV and now smartphones. But what opportunities do we miss out on by avoiding advancements in tech? And what unseen or unexpected consequences do we face when adopting these advancements as key parts of our lives? 4/5 stars
"The Great Silence" was another brief story told from an unexpected perspective. While humans are constantly looking out into space for signs of life, there are incredible things here on our own planet that can be overlooked. 3.75/5 stars.
"Omphalos" brought ideas about creationism and intelligent design into a discussion of science. What are discoveries worth if there isn't some grand meaning for us being here? What inspires scientists to continue to unearth the truth? What aspects of religious faith are mirrored in science? 4/5 stars.
"Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom" was my second favorite story in Chiang's collection. In this world, a device called a prism can be used to communicate with your 'paraself' who exists in a parallel universe that only branches off from your current world when you use a prism. Of course, some people abuse this opportunity. Some people become obsessed with it. But what do your actions mean when there's another you in another world potentially doing the exact opposite? And what are the consequences of creating another "branch" world for yourself, the ones you love, and even random strangers? This is another story to check out, for sure! 4.75/5 stars.
After averaging, the collection as a whole gets 3.916 (rounded to 4) out of 5 stars. If you are interested in some sci-fi stories to get you thinking, I'd say you can't go wrong with picking this up!
Content Warnings
Minor: Car accident, Death, Addiction, Suicide, Mental illness, and Gun violence
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