Lena’s
Comments
(group member since Nov 17, 2014)
Lena’s
comments
from the Spells, Space & Screams: Collections & Anthologies in Fantasy, Science Fiction, & Horror group.
Showing 1,861-1,880 of 7,890
The Robot and the Baby by John McCarthy ★★★★☆
This story, purposely chunky with bureaucracy, brought up some great points. As robots become commonplace there would be a push, especially in household robots, to keep them looking inhuman. It would be natural, especially for a generation raised with robots, to think of them as people, life forms, deserving of rights.
“The consequences were pretty much what the opponents had feared: many children grew up more attached to their robot nannies than to their actual parents.”
Canavan, it would have been more interesting if they had passed it sexually - nanobot STD.
Here’s your good moment of the day, a video of a young black man discovering Nirvana for the first time: “We need songs like this!” https://youtu.be/mapzNpcprSw
I don’t work for World Weaver Press but I’m a fan. We’ve read one of their offerings here at SS&S and three in my Solarpunk Group. Their latest offering is a Kickstarter that should go live tomorrow.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...
Nanonauts! In Battke with Tiny Death-Subs! by Ian McDonald ★★☆☆☆ Taking from Fantastic Voyage (1966) this story had bones but left out some crucial parts. Why did the 1% get the nanobots? Did they act differently on them? How did they migrate, if that was, in fact, the ending?
Of Dying Heroes and Deathless Deeds by Robin Wasserman ★★★☆☆
The leader of the robot apocalypse is having second thoughts about his future. Central Command sends in a human to help their robot go back to killing humans. That might sound weird if not for the fact that humans excel at killing humans.
The first Iranian American comedy (that I’ve ever heard of)! Plus I love Shohreh Aghdashloo! https://youtu.be/KsWHTJdv-8Y
This month Melanie will lead us in reading six tales that span the genres of ghost story, mystery, horror, and suspense. Some look back on dark times, others look forward to an apocalyptic future, and still others dwell on a terrible present – but they have one thing in common: they are all dark.
Don’t expect happy endings or pleasant characters here, for there is something dark lurking in the shadows of each tale waiting to get out.
Welcome Kaa! Sandkings is a short story by the same author as Game of Thrones. It was also made into a two part episode of The Outer Limits.
Seasoning by Alan Dean Foster ★★★☆☆
Human beings being conquered, pacified, slowly - it’s a good idea. Hardly an edge of your seat story, but good.
Picnic sounds a more amusing mnemonic.
The Golden Hour by Julianna Baggott ★½☆☆☆ Emotional robots, cloning, human slavery... sigh. The ingredients were there but it had no feels.
Sleepover by Alastair Reynolds ★★★½☆
A SciFi story for today, awaken to a world powered down. Due to a war at the edge of reality, and believability, most of the human race sleeps until a better tomorrow is available. I think I liked it because of reminded me of Millenium (1989).
In place of the Olympics a documentary about the dark side of being an Olympian: https://youtu.be/LzGdIh3ciSk
These gender swaps are shockingly good. Female John Malkovich looks like Holly Hunter!
https://www.boredpanda.com/celebrity-...
I’ve reserved the two Staunch winners from the library.
Stranger Things has given rise to retro monster scifi and I approve!Sputnik: https://youtu.be/zNxXuMIyLAQ
Human Intelligence by Jeff Abbott ★★★½☆
Holy cylon Batman! No, this story did not break new ground but I enjoyed it all the same.
Canavan, that ending is common in these kinds of stories. Lawnmower Man and Kill Switch from X-Files both had that same ending.Fiona, did you really label everything Red Hot Priority!
Was “PEBKAC. Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair.” a real thing said? Lol.
I was disappointed that the definition of heuristics was educated guess. With the extent he used the word I was expecting more.
Epoch Cory Doctorow ★★★★☆
It’s hard not to anthropomorphize, our empathy could kill us as easily as it could save us. The protein requirements of cats makes them, pound for pound, ridiculously expensive pets. Yet I loved my 15lbs green-eyed grey cat, loved the sweet calm manner masking the sudden predator that could ninja out in a second. He was cute and he was mine. But occasionally, I would stare into those too clever gemstone eyes and acknowledge that he would be substantially less cute at fifty pounds.
It’s Awards August 2020! I know Merfolk May was a shocking wash this year but don’t give up! Challenge yourself to read books this month that have won a Hugo, Stoker, Nebula, Pulitzer, Edgar, Lambda Award, or Staunch!
List Links
Staunch Book Prize
Hugo Award
Bram Stoker Award
Nebula Award
Pulitzer Prize
Edgar Award
Lambda Award
