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A review by misterjay
Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories about People Who Know How They Will Die by Matthew Bennardo, Ryan North, David Malki
3.0
Flaming Marshmallow by Camille Alexa - Fun and optimistic. 3/5
Fudge by Kit Yona - Cryptic. 3/5
Torn Apart and Devoured by Lions by Jeffery Wells - This was great. Interesting take on optimism. 5/5
Despair by K.M. Lawrence - Thoughtful and sad; about blame and questions. 4/5
Suicide by David Michael Wharton - A little too clever. 3/5
Almond by John Chernega - Great story about the people who run the machine. 5/5
Starvation by M. Bennardo - Good military fiction about survival and fate. 4/5
Cancer by Camron Miller - Sadder than a lot of the other stories here. 4/5
Firing Squad by J. Jack Unrau - One of the better stories here. About the consequences of good deeds. 5/5
Vegetables by Chris Cox - Interesting. First story in the collection to look at the more sinister aspects of knowing how others will die. 5/5
Piano by Rafa Franco - Good; similar to many other stories in that it is a story about how the machines' readings and actual death may differ. 4/5
HIV Infection from Machine of Death Needle by Brian Quinlan - Hah. Kind of clever. 3/5
Exploded by Tom Francis - Good story about the men who invented the machine and how they died. 5/5
Not Waving But Drowning by Erin McKean - I liked this one. It’s got poetry in it. And hope. 5/5
Improperly Prepared Blowfish by Gord Sellar - Good, tight action story about the Yakuza and revenge. 5/5
Love Ad Nauseum by Sherri Jacobsen - Clever take on dating after the machine. 4/5
Murder and Suicide, Respectively by Ryan North - This one left me a little cold. It’s about murder, and suicide. 3/5
Cancer by David Malki - Heartbreaking, but very well written. 5/5
Aneurysm by Alexander Danner - Sleight of hand at a dinner party is almost never a good idea. 4/5
Exhaustion from Having Sex with a Minor by Ben Croshaw - Twist at the end that kind of short-serves the first half. 3/5
After Many Years, Stops Breathing, While Asleep, with Smile on Face by William Grallo - Trying to form relationships when everyone knows how they’re going to die can be hard. 3/5
Killed by Daniel by Julia Wainwright - Sad story about avoidance and acceptance when the name of your killer is the name of your son. 3/5
Friendly Fire by Douglas J. Lane - Interesting story about terrorism in the face of the machine. 4/5
Nothing by Pelotard - Some people get to live forever. The trick is figuring out who they are. 3/5
Cocaine and Painkillers by David Malki - Sales and infomercials sell lots of machines, but at what cost? 4/5
Loss of Blood by Jeff Stautz - Chilling story about a future society where in everyone’s worth is determined by the passivity of their death. 4/5
Prison Knife Fight by Shannon K. Garrity - Is someone whose life is planned from kindergarten to career actually free? 4/5
While Trying to Save Another by Daliso Chaponda - Sad story about true love in the face of certain, inevitable doom. 5/5
Miscarriage by James L. Sutter - Surprisingly, a happy story of sorts. About the decision to have children even when you can know how they’ll die. 4/5
Shot by Sniper by Bartholomew von Klick - Some other sniper, some other war. 5/5
Heat Death of the Universe by James Foreman - The machine is the universe imposing order on itself; even still we cannot know what this means. 4/5
Drowning by C.E. Himont - Psychics and dream readers don’t like the machine. It’s bad for business. 3/5
? by Randall Munroe - Hmm. Not sure what to think about that one; it’s by far the angriest story in the collection. Demanding answers in the face of wilful ignorance. 3/5
Cassandra by T.J. Radcliffe - Nothing like a saving the world story to round out the collection. 4/5
Fudge by Kit Yona - Cryptic. 3/5
Torn Apart and Devoured by Lions by Jeffery Wells - This was great. Interesting take on optimism. 5/5
Despair by K.M. Lawrence - Thoughtful and sad; about blame and questions. 4/5
Suicide by David Michael Wharton - A little too clever. 3/5
Almond by John Chernega - Great story about the people who run the machine. 5/5
Starvation by M. Bennardo - Good military fiction about survival and fate. 4/5
Cancer by Camron Miller - Sadder than a lot of the other stories here. 4/5
Firing Squad by J. Jack Unrau - One of the better stories here. About the consequences of good deeds. 5/5
Vegetables by Chris Cox - Interesting. First story in the collection to look at the more sinister aspects of knowing how others will die. 5/5
Piano by Rafa Franco - Good; similar to many other stories in that it is a story about how the machines' readings and actual death may differ. 4/5
HIV Infection from Machine of Death Needle by Brian Quinlan - Hah. Kind of clever. 3/5
Exploded by Tom Francis - Good story about the men who invented the machine and how they died. 5/5
Not Waving But Drowning by Erin McKean - I liked this one. It’s got poetry in it. And hope. 5/5
Improperly Prepared Blowfish by Gord Sellar - Good, tight action story about the Yakuza and revenge. 5/5
Love Ad Nauseum by Sherri Jacobsen - Clever take on dating after the machine. 4/5
Murder and Suicide, Respectively by Ryan North - This one left me a little cold. It’s about murder, and suicide. 3/5
Cancer by David Malki - Heartbreaking, but very well written. 5/5
Aneurysm by Alexander Danner - Sleight of hand at a dinner party is almost never a good idea. 4/5
Exhaustion from Having Sex with a Minor by Ben Croshaw - Twist at the end that kind of short-serves the first half. 3/5
After Many Years, Stops Breathing, While Asleep, with Smile on Face by William Grallo - Trying to form relationships when everyone knows how they’re going to die can be hard. 3/5
Killed by Daniel by Julia Wainwright - Sad story about avoidance and acceptance when the name of your killer is the name of your son. 3/5
Friendly Fire by Douglas J. Lane - Interesting story about terrorism in the face of the machine. 4/5
Nothing by Pelotard - Some people get to live forever. The trick is figuring out who they are. 3/5
Cocaine and Painkillers by David Malki - Sales and infomercials sell lots of machines, but at what cost? 4/5
Loss of Blood by Jeff Stautz - Chilling story about a future society where in everyone’s worth is determined by the passivity of their death. 4/5
Prison Knife Fight by Shannon K. Garrity - Is someone whose life is planned from kindergarten to career actually free? 4/5
While Trying to Save Another by Daliso Chaponda - Sad story about true love in the face of certain, inevitable doom. 5/5
Miscarriage by James L. Sutter - Surprisingly, a happy story of sorts. About the decision to have children even when you can know how they’ll die. 4/5
Shot by Sniper by Bartholomew von Klick - Some other sniper, some other war. 5/5
Heat Death of the Universe by James Foreman - The machine is the universe imposing order on itself; even still we cannot know what this means. 4/5
Drowning by C.E. Himont - Psychics and dream readers don’t like the machine. It’s bad for business. 3/5
? by Randall Munroe - Hmm. Not sure what to think about that one; it’s by far the angriest story in the collection. Demanding answers in the face of wilful ignorance. 3/5
Cassandra by T.J. Radcliffe - Nothing like a saving the world story to round out the collection. 4/5