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A Thousand Deaths
This volume of science fiction thrillers contains a novel and seven short stories centered on the semi-autobiographical character Sandor Courane. The collection’s feature novel, In the Wolves of Memory, paints a world where Earth’s governing body, the Representatives, has relinquished control to an increasingly intelligent and self-aware computer known as TECT. Deemed a social misfit and banished from Earth to Planet D for his inability to fall in line, Sandor finds the new planet’s idyllic environment and fulfilling lifestyle to his liking—at first. Upon discovering that all of the inhabitants of Planet D succumb to an insidious, debilitating disease, Sandor embarks on a race against time to discover the meaning behind Planet D, the motives of TECT, and the mysterious malady. Utilizing a unique approach with the use of flashbacks, this powerful story, with poignant and sardonic tones, is a heartrending display of one man’s pain and absolution.
343 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
December 16, 2015
Sandor Courane woke up in a desert, beside the corpse of a woman he didn't recognize. It would take him a while to recall his own name. But he recognized the note pinned on her blouse as his own handwriting. “Her name is Alohilani,” it said. “You and she were very much in love. You must take her back to the house. Keep walking east until you get to the river. Follow the river downstream to the house. East is the direction of the rising sun. They will help you when you get there.”
If we are to believe that memories are the building blocks of identity—wisdom and personality are after all accumulations of experience and selective knowledge, the erosion of memories then strips us of our sense of self. Sometimes it could go so far to steal one's dignity when it makes one forget their own body. A slow execution or a kind of death, some would say. The mind dies before the body does—you're going through death twice.
My apology, I'm musing aloud. This book has put my thoughts and emotions into a blender, I'm afraid I'll never be able to compose a good enough review for it. When I talked about the decay of memories, I didn't mean to paint the natural process of aging in a negative brushstroke. I think we can agree that, given enough time to make peace with the limit of our life, we might be able to accept our closure with fewer grievances, if not total free of them. But what would happen if death were suddenly forced upon us? What if we were to live everyday being acutely aware of an approaching premature oblivion? What if we never got the freedom to live and make peace with dying?
Set against the backdrop of a futuristic isolated planet, Effinger's A Thousand Deaths offers us some insightful speculations on death, dying and one's effort to preserve their humanity through remembrance. By far it's the saddest and most brilliant dystopian science-fiction I've chanced upon, not to mention a refreshing allegory on Artificial intelligence and their predisposed humanity.
The narrative is slow built and carefully crafted with an eerie quietness—so subtle the shifts in atmosphere that the emotions it distills almost feel like living things in comparison. Furthermore, the nonlinear structure of the narration does not interfere with the clarity of the plot, but effectively brings the story closer to life as it reflects the narrator's treacherous state of mind. The pacing might be a challenge to some reader, it was for me at some points, but there's hardly any extraneous or pretentious details. The world-building isn't explicit, and although I did question how such totalitarian dystopia was erected and upheld, the ambiguity appeals to me like an invitation for rumination rather than a sign of lackluster writing. I was ambivalent about the characters in the beginning, however, when the cruelties of their fate finally came to the light, it was neigh impossible for me to remain detached, even towards the least likeable of them all.
Having known the context this novel emerged, I'm inclined to consider this collection of bizarre stories as the author's attempt to celebrate life although it must have wrought much bitterness in his spirit. As Andrew Fox wrote in the Afterword of the book, this is Effinger's personal posthumous triumph over the forces of decay, forgetfulness, and oblivion. In spite of the invasive bleakness and inhumane nature of this terrifying future,
If we are to believe that memories are the building blocks of identity—wisdom and personality are after all accumulations of experience and selective knowledge, the erosion of memories then strips us of our sense of self. Sometimes it could go so far to steal one's dignity when it makes one forget their own body. A slow execution or a kind of death, some would say. The mind dies before the body does—you're going through death twice.
My apology, I'm musing aloud. This book has put my thoughts and emotions into a blender, I'm afraid I'll never be able to compose a good enough review for it. When I talked about the decay of memories, I didn't mean to paint the natural process of aging in a negative brushstroke. I think we can agree that, given enough time to make peace with the limit of our life, we might be able to accept our closure with fewer grievances, if not total free of them. But what would happen if death were suddenly forced upon us? What if we were to live everyday being acutely aware of an approaching premature oblivion? What if we never got the freedom to live and make peace with dying?
Set against the backdrop of a futuristic isolated planet, Effinger's A Thousand Deaths offers us some insightful speculations on death, dying and one's effort to preserve their humanity through remembrance. By far it's the saddest and most brilliant dystopian science-fiction I've chanced upon, not to mention a refreshing allegory on Artificial intelligence and their predisposed humanity.
The narrative is slow built and carefully crafted with an eerie quietness—so subtle the shifts in atmosphere that the emotions it distills almost feel like living things in comparison. Furthermore, the nonlinear structure of the narration does not interfere with the clarity of the plot, but effectively brings the story closer to life as it reflects the narrator's treacherous state of mind. The pacing might be a challenge to some reader, it was for me at some points, but there's hardly any extraneous or pretentious details. The world-building isn't explicit, and although I did question how such totalitarian dystopia was erected and upheld, the ambiguity appeals to me like an invitation for rumination rather than a sign of lackluster writing. I was ambivalent about the characters in the beginning, however, when the cruelties of their fate finally came to the light, it was neigh impossible for me to remain detached, even towards the least likeable of them all.
Having known the context this novel emerged, I'm inclined to consider this collection of bizarre stories as the author's attempt to celebrate life although it must have wrought much bitterness in his spirit. As Andrew Fox wrote in the Afterword of the book, this is Effinger's personal posthumous triumph over the forces of decay, forgetfulness, and oblivion. In spite of the invasive bleakness and inhumane nature of this terrifying future,
“You're becoming very human here at the end.”
September 9, 2023
I enjoyed The Wolves of Memory and the short story Fatal Disk Error but things got little weird for me in the following short stories. Recommended for fans of Science Fiction and general weirdness in stories. Trigger warning for death.
February 20, 2024
Very odd book. I like Effinger's Arabic Cyberpunk stuff but this was an odd combination of a novel and several "related" short stories all nominally with the same main character. The novel isn't my favorite of his work, but the stories were very interesting.
June 28, 2022
This is an omnibus of Effinger's first novel, The Wolves Of Memory, and a few short stories. The novel is great, the stories are okay.
June 25, 2021
Editor's Notes and Acknowledgments (A Thousand Deaths) • (2007) • essay by Marty Halpern
Introduction (A Thousand Deaths) • (2007) • essay by Mike Resnick
The Wolves of Memory • [Sandor Courane] • (1981) • novel
Fatal Disk Error • [Sandor Courane] • (1990) • shortstory
In the Wings • [Sandor Courane] • (1982) • shortstory
From the Desk Of • [Sandor Courane] • (1986) • shortstory
The Wicked Old Witch • [Sandor Courane] • (1993) • shortstory
Mango Red Goes to War • [Sandor Courane] • (1992) • shortfiction
The Thing from the Slush • [Sandor Courane] • (1982) • shortstory
Posterity • [Sandor Courane] • (1988) • novelette
Afterword (A Thousand Deaths) • (2007) • essay by Andrew Fox
Introduction (A Thousand Deaths) • (2007) • essay by Mike Resnick
The Wolves of Memory • [Sandor Courane] • (1981) • novel
Fatal Disk Error • [Sandor Courane] • (1990) • shortstory
In the Wings • [Sandor Courane] • (1982) • shortstory
From the Desk Of • [Sandor Courane] • (1986) • shortstory
The Wicked Old Witch • [Sandor Courane] • (1993) • shortstory
Mango Red Goes to War • [Sandor Courane] • (1992) • shortfiction
The Thing from the Slush • [Sandor Courane] • (1982) • shortstory
Posterity • [Sandor Courane] • (1988) • novelette
Afterword (A Thousand Deaths) • (2007) • essay by Andrew Fox
This volume of science fiction thrillers contains a novel and seven short stories centered on the semi-autobiographical character Sandor Courane. The collection’s feature novel, In the Wolves of Memory, paints a world where Earth’s governing body, the Representatives, has relinquished control to an increasingly intelligent and self-aware computer known as TECT. Deemed a social misfit and banished from Earth to Planet D for his inability to fall in line, Sandor finds the new planet’s idyllic environment and fulfilling lifestyle to his liking—at first. Upon discovering that all of the inhabitants of Planet D succumb to an insidious, debilitating disease, Sandor embarks on a race against time to discover the meaning behind Planet D, the motives of TECT, and the mysterious malady. Utilizing a unique approach with the use of flashbacks, this powerful story, with poignant and sardonic tones, is a heartrending display of one man’s pain and absolution. **
October 25, 2015
Okay, I will admit to not finishing this book...Effinger had me from the first few paragraphs. I get the point - he is making the reader feel the frustration of having lost the ability to remember, but in doing so he gets lost himself. The flashbacks deliver the backstory and carry the narrative, but the tedium of carrying a dead body and not knowing why deteriorates and wears on the reader. I was anxious to find out the disease that is killing the prisoner patients of this remote planet, and I trudged on through the desert for a while, but not far enough to find an answer. So, I gave in to the elements and wandered off alone to have some...
And second admission - I am not at a place in my life right now where I can bear a dead body. Perhaps in the future, I could dredge this dead book back up and finish the trudge through the desert.
And second admission - I am not at a place in my life right now where I can bear a dead body. Perhaps in the future, I could dredge this dead book back up and finish the trudge through the desert.
October 5, 2014
I liked Wolves of Memory, even though it seemed to drag on a little in the middle.
I'm glad I read the short stories that came after it. In my e-book, Fatal Disk Error looks like a separate story, but it reads like a continuation of Wolves of Memory. It definitely added to my enjoyment of the ending. My favorite was In The Wings, which can be read as fun nonsense or as an allegory. I also liked From The Desk Of and Posterity.
I'm glad I read the short stories that came after it. In my e-book, Fatal Disk Error looks like a separate story, but it reads like a continuation of Wolves of Memory. It definitely added to my enjoyment of the ending. My favorite was In The Wings, which can be read as fun nonsense or as an allegory. I also liked From The Desk Of and Posterity.
January 3, 2021
I loved this book. It combined so many elements that I enjoy: sideways story telling (like Memento), malevolent authoritarianism (like 1984), evil AI (like I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream), unwelcoming planet (like so many stories), and an unexpected ending (though I guess I really should have expected it).
February 27, 2016
Very strange and surreal but very powerful
The core story that begins near t h e end and unfolds through snapshots of memories which blur together and weave through each other is tragic and beautiful. I really enjoyed these stories.
The core story that begins near t h e end and unfolds through snapshots of memories which blur together and weave through each other is tragic and beautiful. I really enjoyed these stories.
March 23, 2016
It was to confusing for me. It repeat itself in many places and it become very tedious. It is too deep for me to understand and the way it was presented to weird
November 20, 2016
Excellent book.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews