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Big Six: 6 Sci-Fi Short Stories
There are six short stories in this science fiction collection.
The title story, Big Six, refers to a sixth mass extinction many scientists now think is underway.
Each story stands alone but all share ‘Big Six’ as a fictional backdrop. The introductions below set the scene but contain no spoilers.
IS THERE STILL LIFE ON MARS?
Only one man, a Martian, survived the colony’s mysterious collapse. Brought to Earth and exiled to a remote island, Theodore struggles with the effects of gravity and loneliness.
But when his obsession with the painter, Paul Cezanne, brings him to the attention of New Planetary Futures Inc., he must make an agonizing choice.
A short story about art, beauty and the meaning of life on a disappearing world.
BIG SIX
A bizarre warning about planetary ecocide. The loss of all satellite links to Earth.
For Lunar Base One commander, Richard Peacock, his problems mount when the unscheduled arrival of a resupply shuttle coincides with a catastrophic incident at Lunar Base Two.
A story that poses the simple question: what if off-world is no escape from hell on Earth?
CARS AND CHINESE CUISINE
Mickie, a former delivery van driver on vacation finds it impossible to relax behind the wheel of a self-driving hire car.
Teased by his Chinese girlfriend to go with the flow, Mickie must deal with culture shock in a smart city where the world moves too fast and he is not at the locus of control.
NO MORE NONO
Rin repairs licensed sexbots by day and moonlights at night to pay off bad debts.
Hired by a reclusive trillionaire, he stumbles upon a secretive world of powerful people who act without scruples.
Rin faces a terrible choice—do what they want and get well paid or defy them and end up dead.
A standalone story set in the world of ‘Big Six’ and featuring a new hybrid-human species.
SUMMER SOLSTEST
Before civilization crashed, Jamie had it all.
Now she survives on the surface with a group of female misfits.
But the June Solstest approaches, and the dimming Sun must have her sacrificial offering.
BARKING AT THE MOON
Dr. Judy Watson’s search for aliens takes her shuttle to a faulty radio telescope array on the far side of the Moon.
Mysterious footprints, a jammed airlock and a demented robotic assistant spell trouble with a capital T.
Trapped outside, and with less than one hour to live, Judy must get back inside the shuttle.
A story that asks: what if Asimov’s laws of robotics no longer apply?
The title story, Big Six, refers to a sixth mass extinction many scientists now think is underway.
Each story stands alone but all share ‘Big Six’ as a fictional backdrop. The introductions below set the scene but contain no spoilers.
IS THERE STILL LIFE ON MARS?
Only one man, a Martian, survived the colony’s mysterious collapse. Brought to Earth and exiled to a remote island, Theodore struggles with the effects of gravity and loneliness.
But when his obsession with the painter, Paul Cezanne, brings him to the attention of New Planetary Futures Inc., he must make an agonizing choice.
A short story about art, beauty and the meaning of life on a disappearing world.
BIG SIX
A bizarre warning about planetary ecocide. The loss of all satellite links to Earth.
For Lunar Base One commander, Richard Peacock, his problems mount when the unscheduled arrival of a resupply shuttle coincides with a catastrophic incident at Lunar Base Two.
A story that poses the simple question: what if off-world is no escape from hell on Earth?
CARS AND CHINESE CUISINE
Mickie, a former delivery van driver on vacation finds it impossible to relax behind the wheel of a self-driving hire car.
Teased by his Chinese girlfriend to go with the flow, Mickie must deal with culture shock in a smart city where the world moves too fast and he is not at the locus of control.
NO MORE NONO
Rin repairs licensed sexbots by day and moonlights at night to pay off bad debts.
Hired by a reclusive trillionaire, he stumbles upon a secretive world of powerful people who act without scruples.
Rin faces a terrible choice—do what they want and get well paid or defy them and end up dead.
A standalone story set in the world of ‘Big Six’ and featuring a new hybrid-human species.
SUMMER SOLSTEST
Before civilization crashed, Jamie had it all.
Now she survives on the surface with a group of female misfits.
But the June Solstest approaches, and the dimming Sun must have her sacrificial offering.
BARKING AT THE MOON
Dr. Judy Watson’s search for aliens takes her shuttle to a faulty radio telescope array on the far side of the Moon.
Mysterious footprints, a jammed airlock and a demented robotic assistant spell trouble with a capital T.
Trapped outside, and with less than one hour to live, Judy must get back inside the shuttle.
A story that asks: what if Asimov’s laws of robotics no longer apply?
90 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 19, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 22, 2020
“Big 6” consists of six short stories revolving around the Holocene extinction or sixth mass extinction. Overall I found that the six short stories acceptably covered the main theme, however in various different eras. No story really related to the other. The author focuses heavily on the artificial intelligence or humanity’s dependency on computerized machines, which eventually take on their own personalities. Story “Big Six” numerously mentions what the author calls denivanders or in other terms sentient artificial intelligence are the primary cause of the Holocene extinction.
Readability of the stories can be difficult for readers who are unfamiliar with scientific terms. Scientific terminology is heavily used, some of which were easily definable while others not. Additionally, some of the stories felt incomplete such as “Is There Still Life on Mars.” The story focused on a Martian on earth after a pervious Mars colony failed, it took quite a while into the story to understand exactly what was going on. The story ended with the question of a second Mars colony to move valuable art and people off planet as the big six has already begun. As with most of the stories there were allot of unanswered questions as they ended rather abruptly such as “Big 6.” While “Big 6” and “No More Nono” were similar in nature to the development of sentient beings that were once abused by humanity to fighting for their own rights. This development could be further explored in a novel or another series of short stories.
While many of the stories had a relatable theme “Summer Solstest” And “Cars and Chinese Cuisine” did seem out of place. “Summer Solstest” followed a post or later stages of a Holocene extinction, while “Cars and Chines Cuisine,” was very early stages. These stories out of place, could also have been due to the story order that they were in. If the stories were in a semblance of chronological order, it would help the flow of the stories in the progression of the big 6.
The ideas of majorities of these stories were interesting, however as short stories the ideas seem to be too complex to get the full grasp of the environment. I would like to see if the author will expand on these topics in later works.
Readability of the stories can be difficult for readers who are unfamiliar with scientific terms. Scientific terminology is heavily used, some of which were easily definable while others not. Additionally, some of the stories felt incomplete such as “Is There Still Life on Mars.” The story focused on a Martian on earth after a pervious Mars colony failed, it took quite a while into the story to understand exactly what was going on. The story ended with the question of a second Mars colony to move valuable art and people off planet as the big six has already begun. As with most of the stories there were allot of unanswered questions as they ended rather abruptly such as “Big 6.” While “Big 6” and “No More Nono” were similar in nature to the development of sentient beings that were once abused by humanity to fighting for their own rights. This development could be further explored in a novel or another series of short stories.
While many of the stories had a relatable theme “Summer Solstest” And “Cars and Chinese Cuisine” did seem out of place. “Summer Solstest” followed a post or later stages of a Holocene extinction, while “Cars and Chines Cuisine,” was very early stages. These stories out of place, could also have been due to the story order that they were in. If the stories were in a semblance of chronological order, it would help the flow of the stories in the progression of the big 6.
The ideas of majorities of these stories were interesting, however as short stories the ideas seem to be too complex to get the full grasp of the environment. I would like to see if the author will expand on these topics in later works.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2020
I have to say these stories did not blow me away. They were okay as a quick read at night before bed.They were not bad, but not that good either. It fell somewhere in the middle for me.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews