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A review by mikewhiteman
Clarkesworld Magazine, Issue 126 by Octavia Cade, Xia Jia, Feng Zhang, Neil Clarke, Robert Reed, Alexander Jablokov, Ken Liu, J.B. Park, Cat Rambo, Naomi Kritzer, Chris Urie, Ian R. MacLeod
4.0
Two Ways Of Living - Robert Reed **
A man tries to extend his lifespan by hibernating for years at a time. He meets a woman and her dog during several gaps, seeing the dog's voice-AI develop and her attitude change. Never really connected and the ending was a bit glib.
Real Ghosts - JB Park ***
An elderly man debates with his siblings and himself about being scanned so his "holo" can be recalled by family members after he dies. Well-realised bickering relationships among brothers and sisters, some thought given to the ethics. Liked the idea of being scanned while thinking angrily and the holo insulting everyone when summoned.
Waiting Out The End Of The World In Patty's Place Cafe - Naomi Kritzer ***
Gentle story of people working out what is really important to them while preparing for the apocalypse. Bit "teen rebel" but inoffensive enough and easy-going, conversational style.
Crown Of Thorns - Octavia Cade ****
Enjoyed the writing here - the imagery of the shrinking reef and the starfish, the snipped dialogue of the survivors. A nice take on how people deal with surviving disaster in different ways.
Goodnight, Melancholy - Xia Jia ****
Juxtaposes fictionalised conversations between Alan Turing and a computer program with a near-future Chinese woman using programmed pets/dolls as a therapeutic device. Light on plot but the comparison between a person with depression and a program passing the Turing test is pointed.
The Discovered Country - Ian R MacLeod **
Drags out its length with backstory to a man reuniting with his celebrity ex in a virtual afterlife but sparks towards the end.
At The Cross-Time Jaunter's Ball - Alexander Jablokov ****
Liked this more and more as it went on. An interesting take on multiple universes with worlds being created and critiqued as art, and people created in one world being able to step outside and create their own.
A man tries to extend his lifespan by hibernating for years at a time. He meets a woman and her dog during several gaps, seeing the dog's voice-AI develop and her attitude change. Never really connected and the ending was a bit glib.
Real Ghosts - JB Park ***
An elderly man debates with his siblings and himself about being scanned so his "holo" can be recalled by family members after he dies. Well-realised bickering relationships among brothers and sisters, some thought given to the ethics. Liked the idea of being scanned while thinking angrily and the holo insulting everyone when summoned.
Waiting Out The End Of The World In Patty's Place Cafe - Naomi Kritzer ***
Gentle story of people working out what is really important to them while preparing for the apocalypse. Bit "teen rebel" but inoffensive enough and easy-going, conversational style.
Crown Of Thorns - Octavia Cade ****
Enjoyed the writing here - the imagery of the shrinking reef and the starfish, the snipped dialogue of the survivors. A nice take on how people deal with surviving disaster in different ways.
Goodnight, Melancholy - Xia Jia ****
Juxtaposes fictionalised conversations between Alan Turing and a computer program with a near-future Chinese woman using programmed pets/dolls as a therapeutic device. Light on plot but the comparison between a person with depression and a program passing the Turing test is pointed.
The Discovered Country - Ian R MacLeod **
Drags out its length with backstory to a man reuniting with his celebrity ex in a virtual afterlife but sparks towards the end.
At The Cross-Time Jaunter's Ball - Alexander Jablokov ****
Liked this more and more as it went on. An interesting take on multiple universes with worlds being created and critiqued as art, and people created in one world being able to step outside and create their own.