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Paradox: Stories Inspired by the Fermi Paradox
The Fermi Paradox is the apparent contradiction between the high probability of extraterrestrial civilizations’ existence and the lack of contact with such civilizations.
In Paradox, some of the world’s leading science fiction authors are joined by physicists, astronomers, and other scientists in writing original stories inspired by Fermi’s famous paradox, which has to number among the most diverting and perplexing puzzles of modern existence, daring to ask…
Where Is Everybody?
In Paradox, some of the world’s leading science fiction authors are joined by physicists, astronomers, and other scientists in writing original stories inspired by Fermi’s famous paradox, which has to number among the most diverting and perplexing puzzles of modern existence, daring to ask…
Where Is Everybody?
234 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 2014
19 people are currently reading
145 people want to read
About the author
Ian Whates
122 books81 followersIan Whates lives in a comfortable home down a quiet cul-de-sac in an idyllic Cambridgeshire village, which he shares with his partner Helen and their pets – Honey the golden cocker spaniel, Calvin the tailless black cat and Inky the goldfish (sadly, Binky died a few years ago).
Ian’s earliest memories of science fiction are fragmented. He remembers loving Dr Who from an early age and other TV shows such as Lost in Space and Star Trek, but a defining moment came when he heard a radio adaptation of John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids. From that moment on he was hooked and became a frequent haunter of the local library, voraciously devouring the contents of their SF section.
This early love of science fiction manifested most tellingly during his school days, when he produced an SF murder mystery as homework after being set the essay title “The Language of Shakespeare”, much to the bemusement of his English teacher.
Ian’s first published stories appeared in the late 1980s in small press magazines such as Dream and New Moon Quarterly, after which he took a break from writing in order to research his chosen fields of science fiction and fantasy. In other words, he read copious amounts of both. Clearly the research was extensive, because he published nothing further for some seventeen years. In the early 2000s he made the decision to pursue writing seriously, joining the Northampton SF Writers Group in 2004 after being introduced to its chairman, Ian Watson.
In 2006 he started submitting stories again, and has subsequently been surprised at how many otherwise eminently sensible people have chosen to publish him. A couple have even appeared in the science journal Nature, and one, “The Gift of Joy”, even found its way onto the five-strong shortlist for best short story in the British Science Fiction Association Awards. And it didn’t come last! Ironically, the award was actually won by Ken MacLeod’s “Lighting Out”, a piece Ian had commissioned, edited and published in the NewCon Press anthology disLOCATIONS (2007).
In 2006 Ian launched independent publisher NewCon Press, quite by accident (buy him a pint sometime and he’ll tell you about it). Through NewCon he has been privileged to publish original stories from some of the biggest names in genre fiction, as well as provide debuts to some genuinely talented newcomers. The books, their covers and contents have racked up an impressive array of credits – four BSFA Awards, one BSF Award to date, inclusion in ‘Year’s Best’ anthologies and recommendations and honourable mentions from the likes of Gardner Dozios and Locus magazine.
In addition to his publishing and writing, Ian is currently a director of both the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) and the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA), editing Matrix, the online news and media reviews magazine, for the latter.
His first two completed novels are both due to appear in early 2010: City of Dreams and Nightmare via Harper Collins’ imprint Angry Robot, and The Noise Within from Rebellion imprint Solaris, with sequels to follow. When not pinching himself to make sure this is all really happening, Ian is currently beavering away at the sequels… honest!
Ian’s earliest memories of science fiction are fragmented. He remembers loving Dr Who from an early age and other TV shows such as Lost in Space and Star Trek, but a defining moment came when he heard a radio adaptation of John Wyndham’s The Chrysalids. From that moment on he was hooked and became a frequent haunter of the local library, voraciously devouring the contents of their SF section.
This early love of science fiction manifested most tellingly during his school days, when he produced an SF murder mystery as homework after being set the essay title “The Language of Shakespeare”, much to the bemusement of his English teacher.
Ian’s first published stories appeared in the late 1980s in small press magazines such as Dream and New Moon Quarterly, after which he took a break from writing in order to research his chosen fields of science fiction and fantasy. In other words, he read copious amounts of both. Clearly the research was extensive, because he published nothing further for some seventeen years. In the early 2000s he made the decision to pursue writing seriously, joining the Northampton SF Writers Group in 2004 after being introduced to its chairman, Ian Watson.
In 2006 he started submitting stories again, and has subsequently been surprised at how many otherwise eminently sensible people have chosen to publish him. A couple have even appeared in the science journal Nature, and one, “The Gift of Joy”, even found its way onto the five-strong shortlist for best short story in the British Science Fiction Association Awards. And it didn’t come last! Ironically, the award was actually won by Ken MacLeod’s “Lighting Out”, a piece Ian had commissioned, edited and published in the NewCon Press anthology disLOCATIONS (2007).
In 2006 Ian launched independent publisher NewCon Press, quite by accident (buy him a pint sometime and he’ll tell you about it). Through NewCon he has been privileged to publish original stories from some of the biggest names in genre fiction, as well as provide debuts to some genuinely talented newcomers. The books, their covers and contents have racked up an impressive array of credits – four BSFA Awards, one BSF Award to date, inclusion in ‘Year’s Best’ anthologies and recommendations and honourable mentions from the likes of Gardner Dozios and Locus magazine.
In addition to his publishing and writing, Ian is currently a director of both the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) and the British Science Fiction Association (BSFA), editing Matrix, the online news and media reviews magazine, for the latter.
His first two completed novels are both due to appear in early 2010: City of Dreams and Nightmare via Harper Collins’ imprint Angry Robot, and The Noise Within from Rebellion imprint Solaris, with sequels to follow. When not pinching himself to make sure this is all really happening, Ian is currently beavering away at the sequels… honest!
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 25, 2020
Not the best anthology there is but it has a few stories worth reading. As the title says, all are woven around the (possible) existence of another sentient race or on the encounter with one.
Here are my thoughts on them:
Catching Rays by David L. Clemens - a scientist on the Moon has made a stunning discovery but politics prevail in front of science. 3/5
The Big Next by Pat Cadigan - the story of a brilliant seven years old girl, with a surprising twist. 4/5
Baedeker's Fermi by Adam Roberts - an adaptation of the alledged reaction that H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds induced in the large audience when first aired on the radio. Quite a strange story, but so Roberts. 2/5
Zeta Reticuli by Paul Cornell - based on the Hill Abduction, it is told from the aliens' point of view. 2/5
The Ambulance Chaser by Tricia Sullivan - funny little story about an alien invading an old woman, with a twist at the end. 3/5
Lost to Their Own Devices by Adrian Tchaikovsky - a lost alien civilisation has been found on a distant planet and something mysterious is at the centre of it. Is it or is it not? 4/5
In The Beginning by Gerry Webb - a collector of artefacts and minetar rocks barely escape from a murder attempt, whose purpose was burglary. But what would the robbers want from him? It could have been a great story if I could only find the login on how the robbers knew about what they wanted to steal. 3/5
Thr Trail of the Creator, The Trial of Creation by Paul Di Filippo - this must be the stupidest but hilarious sf story ever read. An all for nothing sort of story. I don't even know if I liked something about it, other than occasionally snorts. I guess it was okish, sort of. 2/5
Stella by Starlight by Mike Resnick & Robert T. Jeschonek - a sweet story of a girl who rediscovers herself. 4/5
Fermi's Doubts by George Zebrovski - a philosophical debate about the future of mankind. 3/5
Audiovisionary by Stephanie Saulter - a story about a guy hearing voices, told from his pov, his psichiatrists and the voices in his head. Confusing and without a proper ending, although the idea was a good one. 2/5
Aether by Robert Reed - more of a philosofical introspection than a debate on the aliens' existence. 2/5
The End of the World by Keith Brooke & Eric Brown - a Groundhog Day time-loop kind of story in a post-apocalyptic setting. Nicely done. 4/5
The Worldmaker by Rachel Armstrong - sort of a romance at biomolecular level, enhanced by aphrodisiacs. DNF 1/5
Atonement, Under the Blue-White Sun by Mercurio D. Rivera - humans and aliens are working together on establishing a colony and forget the war between them. But one of the human inhabitants has other thoughts. A story about truth, trust and forgivness. 4/5
Here are my thoughts on them:
Catching Rays by David L. Clemens - a scientist on the Moon has made a stunning discovery but politics prevail in front of science. 3/5
The Big Next by Pat Cadigan - the story of a brilliant seven years old girl, with a surprising twist. 4/5
Baedeker's Fermi by Adam Roberts - an adaptation of the alledged reaction that H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds induced in the large audience when first aired on the radio. Quite a strange story, but so Roberts. 2/5
Zeta Reticuli by Paul Cornell - based on the Hill Abduction, it is told from the aliens' point of view. 2/5
The Ambulance Chaser by Tricia Sullivan - funny little story about an alien invading an old woman, with a twist at the end. 3/5
Lost to Their Own Devices by Adrian Tchaikovsky - a lost alien civilisation has been found on a distant planet and something mysterious is at the centre of it. Is it or is it not? 4/5
In The Beginning by Gerry Webb - a collector of artefacts and minetar rocks barely escape from a murder attempt, whose purpose was burglary. But what would the robbers want from him? It could have been a great story if I could only find the login on how the robbers knew about what they wanted to steal. 3/5
Thr Trail of the Creator, The Trial of Creation by Paul Di Filippo - this must be the stupidest but hilarious sf story ever read. An all for nothing sort of story. I don't even know if I liked something about it, other than occasionally snorts. I guess it was okish, sort of. 2/5
Stella by Starlight by Mike Resnick & Robert T. Jeschonek - a sweet story of a girl who rediscovers herself. 4/5
Fermi's Doubts by George Zebrovski - a philosophical debate about the future of mankind. 3/5
Audiovisionary by Stephanie Saulter - a story about a guy hearing voices, told from his pov, his psichiatrists and the voices in his head. Confusing and without a proper ending, although the idea was a good one. 2/5
Aether by Robert Reed - more of a philosofical introspection than a debate on the aliens' existence. 2/5
The End of the World by Keith Brooke & Eric Brown - a Groundhog Day time-loop kind of story in a post-apocalyptic setting. Nicely done. 4/5
The Worldmaker by Rachel Armstrong - sort of a romance at biomolecular level, enhanced by aphrodisiacs. DNF 1/5
Atonement, Under the Blue-White Sun by Mercurio D. Rivera - humans and aliens are working together on establishing a colony and forget the war between them. But one of the human inhabitants has other thoughts. A story about truth, trust and forgivness. 4/5
January 18, 2016
The Fermi Paradox addressed the fact that the mathematical probability of other life in the universe is high, and yet we have no evidence of other life. I loved the variety of approaches to this topic in this anthology. The writing was good across the board, with a few standouts. Atonement, Under the Blue-White Sun was so fabulous that I found myself trying to delay the inevitable ending of the story. Other standouts included The End of the World, Aether, Audiovisionary, and The Ambulance Chaser.
May 19, 2015
Como muchos otros libros de relatos sobre una misma temàtica y varios autores el recorrido por este en particular se hace demasiado irregular,rozando unas veces lo brillante (como en el caso de "Catching rays",el relato de David L. Clements y "The end of the World",de Keith Brooke y Eric Brown) y otras lo denostable (para este extremo ya no tengo favoritos).Como el propio tìtulo del libro nos indica se trata de una recopilaciòn de relatos basados de una forma u otra en la ya tan famosa paradoja que no es tal del fìsico italiano Enrico Fermi:si el Universo es (o deberìa ser) tan prolijo en vida inteligente ¿por què no la hemos encontrado todavìa? Y digo que no es tal porque todavìa queda por demostrar que en realidad la vida inteligente deba ser tan abundante como se dice.Alguno de los relatos da soluciones ingeniosas a tales extremos y otros se quedan por el camino,con ideas absurdas o màs propias de libros pseudomìsticos que de buena ciencia ficciòn.He notado demasiada irregularidad en la calidad de los relatos a pesar de contar con algùn buen escritor como Robert Reed cuya visiòn del asunto me ha resultado agridulce,rozando a veces ese misticismo que tan poco me gusta en cuestiones como estas.El ya mencionado "The End of the World" me pareciò el mejor resuelto de todos,dàndome la sensaciòn de que podrìa ser un poquito màs largo para desarrollar mejor el tema y ofrecernos una novela corta excepcional.
El problema,para mi,de esta clase de libros es que al final tienes que leèrtelos hasta el final para no perderte las pequeñas joyas que esconde entre la paja.
El problema,para mi,de esta clase de libros es que al final tienes que leèrtelos hasta el final para no perderte las pequeñas joyas que esconde entre la paja.
February 14, 2023
Most stories were pretty good, 1 or 2 were blatant virtue signaling and a couple were just great.
October 9, 2014
Lai gan autori par saviem darbiem ir saņēmuši diezgan augstas balvas un nominācijas Zinātniskās fantastikas žanrā, man ar nožēlu nācās secināt, ka kopumā grāmata ir tāda pliekana. Ir daži labi, bet lielākā daļa velk uz vērtējumu viduvējs.
Krājuma ideja par Fermi paradoksu bija tas, kas lika man šo grāmatu nopirkt. Fermi paradokss ir par to, ja visumā ir dzīvība bez cilvēkiem, kur viņa ir, kādēļ tā nav atklājusi zemi. Jo parastām robotizētām zondēm pietiktu ar pārsimts miljoniem gadu, lai kolonizētu mūsu galaktiku. Kāpēc klusum. Iespējamās atbildes ir daudzas un dažādas un tieši tās apspēlētas es vēlējos saņemt no autoriem.
Autori lielākoties ar īpašu novitāti neizceļas mēs citplanētiešus, neredzam, nesaprotam vai ir kāds kas iznīcina konkurējošos saprātus. Daži stāsti liek uzdot jautājumu, kāds viņiem ir sakars ar grāmatas tēmu. acīm redzot redaktoram ir šķitis, ja stāstā ir citplanētieši tad būs gana labi krājumam.
Catching Rays by David L Clements - jauna zinātniece eksperimentā uz Mēness atrod interesantu fenomenu savā detektorā. Diemžēl bizness un procedūras ir stingri regulētas un no visa nepazīstamā jātiek vaļā ātri. Tipisks stāsts par kontakta aptveršanu pēc tam kad jau ir par vēlu. Stāsts ir labs, bet nekas īpaš 6 no 10 ballēm.
The Big Next by Pat Cadigan - par kādu māti un viņas meitu, saruna par evolūciju pastaigas laikā gar ezeru.Par to kā pasauli uztver mazs bērns un būtne, kura ir miljoniem gadu veca. Jauks stāstiņš, bet tikai nosacīti par Fermi paradoksu 7 no 10 ballēm.
Baedeker's Fermi by Adam Roberts - britu homoseksuālistu pāris ceļo pa 19 gadsimta Vāciju, Ceļojot viņi piedzīvo vairākas dīvainas epizodes, kuras varētu uztvert par kontaktu ar citplanētiešiem. papildus tiek filosofēts par Velsa "Pasauļu kariem" kā iespējami patstāvīga žanra aizsākumu.Man personīgi, šķit visnotaļ garlaicīgs stāsts 5 no 10 ballēm.
Zeta Reticuli by Paul Cornell - ASV citplanētiešu nolaupīšana sākās ar vientuļu ceļu un diviem cilvēkiem. Taču kā tas izskatījās no nolaupītāju puses. Šis ir ironisks stāsts par nolaupītājiem un nolaupāmājiem, par saprātu milzīgo atšķirību un beigu beigās par resursu pieejamību. Kopumā labs 8 no 10 ballēm.
The Ambulance Chaser by Tricia Sullivan - par matemātisko saprātu, kas eksistē mums līdzās un kritiskos brīžos palīdz mums izdzīvot. Tikai šoreiz iemājošana cilvēkā beidzas ar palikšanu un pensionāre kā saimniekorganisms ir diezgan dīvaina vieta. Jautrs un ironisks stāsts 7 no 10 ballēm.
Lost to Their Own Devices by Adrian Tchaikovsky - datorspēļu nākamā paaudze un tās gļuki, grūti nošķirt realitāti no virtuālās vides un kas tādā pasaulē vairs ir reāls. Nepavilka 6 no 10 ballēm.
In The Beginning by Gerry Webb - cilvēki ir izrāvušies no Zemes apskāvieniem, maksimizējuši savu izdzīvošanas iespēju un dzīvo orbitālās stacijās. Taču sabiedrība joprojām ir sašķelta dažādos reliģiskos grupējumos un biznesa konglomerātos, kas karo savā starpā. Labs stāsts 8 no 10 ballēm.
The Trail of the Creator, The Trial of Creation by Paul di Filippo - manuprāt labākais stāsts grāmatā, mūsu galaktikā visām radībām ir viena un tāda pati DNS struktūra. Atklātās saprātīgās būtnes ir kā "suņi" dažādi pēc izskata, bet cilvēki pēc DNS. Lieki piebilst, ka reliģijām tas ir smags trieciens un īpaši fanātiķi nokomplektē komandu, lai atrastu radītāju un pieliktu viņam treknu punktu. 10 no 10 ballēm.
Stella by Starlight by Mike Resnick & Robert T Jeschoenek - panaivs stāstiņš par meiteni Stellu, kas izrādās viss mūsu galaktikas pastāvēšanas jēga. 6 no 10 ballēm.
Fermi's Doubts by George Zebrowski - stāsts par to vai saprātam uz augstāka attīstības līmeņa ir vērts kontaktēt ar mums. Varbūt vienkārši stāvēt malā un skatīties kā te viss beigsies, reti bet tomēr, šādas malā atstātas civilizācijas rada ko jaunu. 7 no 10 ballēm.
Audiovisionary by Stephanie Saulter - kā telepātisku kontaktu atšķirt no plānprātības. Ko darīt pacientam un ko ārstam. Standartsituācija, bet labi aprakstīts, katra varoņa skatupunkts uz situāciju 7 no 10 ballēm.
Aether by Robert Reed -par tumšo matēriju un kas tā varētu būt. Daudz filosofēšanas un beigās nemaz tik negaidīta atskārsme. 6 no 10 ballēm.
The End of the World by Keith Brooke & Eric Brown - otrs labākais stāsts šajā grāmatā. Zemi iekaro citplanētieši un tās aizstāvībai paliek tikai mākslīgais intelekts un deviņi cilvēki. Tomēr ir iespēja vēl uzvarēt un cilvēcei ir paveicies, ka mākslīgā intelekta radītājs ir bijis spītīgs cilvēks. 10 no 10 ballēm.
The Worldmaker by Rachel Armstrong - bija tik garlaicīgs, ka pat neizlasīju līdz galam. tāpēc vērtējumu nemaz nelieku.
Atonement, Under the Blue-White Sun by Mercurio D River - par cilvēces un viņu neseno citplanētu pretinieku mēģinājumi sadzīvot kopā, jo viņu kopējais pretinieks ir daudz nežēlīgāks. Valstiskā līmenī viss ir kārtībā, bet katram indivīdam ir pašam jācenšas saprast savas ģimenes noslepkavotāji. 9 no 10 ballēm
Krājuma ideja par Fermi paradoksu bija tas, kas lika man šo grāmatu nopirkt. Fermi paradokss ir par to, ja visumā ir dzīvība bez cilvēkiem, kur viņa ir, kādēļ tā nav atklājusi zemi. Jo parastām robotizētām zondēm pietiktu ar pārsimts miljoniem gadu, lai kolonizētu mūsu galaktiku. Kāpēc klusum. Iespējamās atbildes ir daudzas un dažādas un tieši tās apspēlētas es vēlējos saņemt no autoriem.
Autori lielākoties ar īpašu novitāti neizceļas mēs citplanētiešus, neredzam, nesaprotam vai ir kāds kas iznīcina konkurējošos saprātus. Daži stāsti liek uzdot jautājumu, kāds viņiem ir sakars ar grāmatas tēmu. acīm redzot redaktoram ir šķitis, ja stāstā ir citplanētieši tad būs gana labi krājumam.
Catching Rays by David L Clements - jauna zinātniece eksperimentā uz Mēness atrod interesantu fenomenu savā detektorā. Diemžēl bizness un procedūras ir stingri regulētas un no visa nepazīstamā jātiek vaļā ātri. Tipisks stāsts par kontakta aptveršanu pēc tam kad jau ir par vēlu. Stāsts ir labs, bet nekas īpaš 6 no 10 ballēm.
The Big Next by Pat Cadigan - par kādu māti un viņas meitu, saruna par evolūciju pastaigas laikā gar ezeru.Par to kā pasauli uztver mazs bērns un būtne, kura ir miljoniem gadu veca. Jauks stāstiņš, bet tikai nosacīti par Fermi paradoksu 7 no 10 ballēm.
Baedeker's Fermi by Adam Roberts - britu homoseksuālistu pāris ceļo pa 19 gadsimta Vāciju, Ceļojot viņi piedzīvo vairākas dīvainas epizodes, kuras varētu uztvert par kontaktu ar citplanētiešiem. papildus tiek filosofēts par Velsa "Pasauļu kariem" kā iespējami patstāvīga žanra aizsākumu.Man personīgi, šķit visnotaļ garlaicīgs stāsts 5 no 10 ballēm.
Zeta Reticuli by Paul Cornell - ASV citplanētiešu nolaupīšana sākās ar vientuļu ceļu un diviem cilvēkiem. Taču kā tas izskatījās no nolaupītāju puses. Šis ir ironisks stāsts par nolaupītājiem un nolaupāmājiem, par saprātu milzīgo atšķirību un beigu beigās par resursu pieejamību. Kopumā labs 8 no 10 ballēm.
The Ambulance Chaser by Tricia Sullivan - par matemātisko saprātu, kas eksistē mums līdzās un kritiskos brīžos palīdz mums izdzīvot. Tikai šoreiz iemājošana cilvēkā beidzas ar palikšanu un pensionāre kā saimniekorganisms ir diezgan dīvaina vieta. Jautrs un ironisks stāsts 7 no 10 ballēm.
Lost to Their Own Devices by Adrian Tchaikovsky - datorspēļu nākamā paaudze un tās gļuki, grūti nošķirt realitāti no virtuālās vides un kas tādā pasaulē vairs ir reāls. Nepavilka 6 no 10 ballēm.
In The Beginning by Gerry Webb - cilvēki ir izrāvušies no Zemes apskāvieniem, maksimizējuši savu izdzīvošanas iespēju un dzīvo orbitālās stacijās. Taču sabiedrība joprojām ir sašķelta dažādos reliģiskos grupējumos un biznesa konglomerātos, kas karo savā starpā. Labs stāsts 8 no 10 ballēm.
The Trail of the Creator, The Trial of Creation by Paul di Filippo - manuprāt labākais stāsts grāmatā, mūsu galaktikā visām radībām ir viena un tāda pati DNS struktūra. Atklātās saprātīgās būtnes ir kā "suņi" dažādi pēc izskata, bet cilvēki pēc DNS. Lieki piebilst, ka reliģijām tas ir smags trieciens un īpaši fanātiķi nokomplektē komandu, lai atrastu radītāju un pieliktu viņam treknu punktu. 10 no 10 ballēm.
Stella by Starlight by Mike Resnick & Robert T Jeschoenek - panaivs stāstiņš par meiteni Stellu, kas izrādās viss mūsu galaktikas pastāvēšanas jēga. 6 no 10 ballēm.
Fermi's Doubts by George Zebrowski - stāsts par to vai saprātam uz augstāka attīstības līmeņa ir vērts kontaktēt ar mums. Varbūt vienkārši stāvēt malā un skatīties kā te viss beigsies, reti bet tomēr, šādas malā atstātas civilizācijas rada ko jaunu. 7 no 10 ballēm.
Audiovisionary by Stephanie Saulter - kā telepātisku kontaktu atšķirt no plānprātības. Ko darīt pacientam un ko ārstam. Standartsituācija, bet labi aprakstīts, katra varoņa skatupunkts uz situāciju 7 no 10 ballēm.
Aether by Robert Reed -par tumšo matēriju un kas tā varētu būt. Daudz filosofēšanas un beigās nemaz tik negaidīta atskārsme. 6 no 10 ballēm.
The End of the World by Keith Brooke & Eric Brown - otrs labākais stāsts šajā grāmatā. Zemi iekaro citplanētieši un tās aizstāvībai paliek tikai mākslīgais intelekts un deviņi cilvēki. Tomēr ir iespēja vēl uzvarēt un cilvēcei ir paveicies, ka mākslīgā intelekta radītājs ir bijis spītīgs cilvēks. 10 no 10 ballēm.
The Worldmaker by Rachel Armstrong - bija tik garlaicīgs, ka pat neizlasīju līdz galam. tāpēc vērtējumu nemaz nelieku.
Atonement, Under the Blue-White Sun by Mercurio D River - par cilvēces un viņu neseno citplanētu pretinieku mēģinājumi sadzīvot kopā, jo viņu kopējais pretinieks ir daudz nežēlīgāks. Valstiskā līmenī viss ir kārtībā, bet katram indivīdam ir pašam jācenšas saprast savas ģimenes noslepkavotāji. 9 no 10 ballēm
September 17, 2014
Pretty much every anthology has stories one likes and others one doesn't, maybe that's the very definition of a collection of material by different hands. I enjoy them because they often stir me towards authors I would have given a miss otherwise.
I really liked the idea behind Paradox: Stories Inspired by the Fermi Paradox, and found what I expected, but the overall quality of the material was weaker than I had hoped for.
Let's ignore those stories I did not like or even gave up on before the end - I'm sure their authors tried just as hard to deliver and other readers will very likely come to different conclusions anyway.
Adam Roberts' Baedeker's Fermi was no doubt written with a copy of one of the famous German travel guide books in his left hand but his Wellsian take on two gay gentlemen travelling through the far Western part of Germany is (the expected) delight.
Tricia Sullivan's The Ambulance Chaser about an old woman 'under the influence' was a delight and I will explore other works by this author who was new to me.
The same goes for Rachel Armstrong's The World Maker about reparations between humans and an alien race they had been at war with and now try to live side and side with.
The End of the World by Keith Brooke and Eric Brown about a stubborn man and a powerful AI is worth reading though the (inbuilt and necessary) repetitiveness is detrimental to the enjoyment.
I also enjoyed the other collaboration between Mike Resnick and Robert T. Jeschonek called Stella By Starlight about an epic scale rebirth.
The funniest story was The Trail of the Creator, the Trial of Creation by Paul Di Filippo, where a bunch of outlaws go on a journey through space to find God and kill him. Extra points for including the word pusillanimous, though the award for most unusual, and difficult to pronounce word goes to Gerry Webb for singularitarianism in the preceding story In the Beginning.
I'm sorry to say, that the other seven stories were too average for my taste, or unpleasant to read (because of the subject matter, mind you) and two stories I could not even bring myself to finish.
I really liked the idea behind Paradox: Stories Inspired by the Fermi Paradox, and found what I expected, but the overall quality of the material was weaker than I had hoped for.
Let's ignore those stories I did not like or even gave up on before the end - I'm sure their authors tried just as hard to deliver and other readers will very likely come to different conclusions anyway.
Adam Roberts' Baedeker's Fermi was no doubt written with a copy of one of the famous German travel guide books in his left hand but his Wellsian take on two gay gentlemen travelling through the far Western part of Germany is (the expected) delight.
Tricia Sullivan's The Ambulance Chaser about an old woman 'under the influence' was a delight and I will explore other works by this author who was new to me.
The same goes for Rachel Armstrong's The World Maker about reparations between humans and an alien race they had been at war with and now try to live side and side with.
The End of the World by Keith Brooke and Eric Brown about a stubborn man and a powerful AI is worth reading though the (inbuilt and necessary) repetitiveness is detrimental to the enjoyment.
I also enjoyed the other collaboration between Mike Resnick and Robert T. Jeschonek called Stella By Starlight about an epic scale rebirth.
The funniest story was The Trail of the Creator, the Trial of Creation by Paul Di Filippo, where a bunch of outlaws go on a journey through space to find God and kill him. Extra points for including the word pusillanimous, though the award for most unusual, and difficult to pronounce word goes to Gerry Webb for singularitarianism in the preceding story In the Beginning.
I'm sorry to say, that the other seven stories were too average for my taste, or unpleasant to read (because of the subject matter, mind you) and two stories I could not even bring myself to finish.
February 7, 2021
Intro and 15 short stories connected by the fancy idea of “Where IS everybody?” aka "Where are all the aliens?" I mention the intro because I liked it more than many of the stories (I might even rate it on its own 5-stars).
-Only one story was 4-stars, the very last:
“Atonement, Under the Blue-White Sun” by Mercurio D Rivera
-Eight stories were 3-stars
-One was 2-stars
-And a whopping FOUR were only 1-star
(God, the one about the people on a date and the whole universe and Paul the waiter who is more than can be seen. Bleh. Or did I just not get it? Could an entire semester be devoted to its secrets? I don’t care. Constant eye rolls.)
-Only one story was 4-stars, the very last:
“Atonement, Under the Blue-White Sun” by Mercurio D Rivera
-Eight stories were 3-stars
-One was 2-stars
-And a whopping FOUR were only 1-star
(God, the one about the people on a date and the whole universe and Paul the waiter who is more than can be seen. Bleh. Or did I just not get it? Could an entire semester be devoted to its secrets? I don’t care. Constant eye rolls.)
August 25, 2014
It would be more than a little self-serving to review an anthology which includes one of my stories, so I won't do that; instead this is simply an explanation of my rating. I really like about half of the fifteen stories that make up Paradox; if I were rating them individually they'd mostly be 4 stars. The others are less to my taste, or are in my opinion less polished pieces of work, or both; individual ratings of these would probably average out at around 2 stars. So I think an overall rating of 3 stars is fair.
May 6, 2015
Meh. I was expecting much more plausible answers to Fermi's Question than most of these stories offered. Some of them barely seemed to even touch on the theme, and I can't help thinking that surely Whates could have found some more appropriate stories.
There were only two stories that truly engaged me, and I fond myself skipping out of several without finishing them.
For me, at least, this book was perilously close to a waste.
There were only two stories that truly engaged me, and I fond myself skipping out of several without finishing them.
For me, at least, this book was perilously close to a waste.
June 3, 2015
A fairly mixed bag to be honest. Check my status updates for a more detailed breakdown of the stories I did and did not enjoy. I definitely have at least a few authors to look up after this, so I consider that a success!
July 7, 2015
Did not actually finish this anthology...a couple stories were interesting but I did not care for most of them.
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