What do you think?
Rate this book
Silo #3.5
Machine Learning: New and Collected Stories
A new collection of stories, including some that have never before been seen, from the New York Times best-selling author of the Silo trilogy
Hugh Howey is known for crafting riveting and immersive page-turners of boundless imagination, spawning millions of fans worldwide, first with his best-selling novel Wool, and then with other enthralling works such as Sand and Beacon 23.
Now comes Machine Learning, an impressive collection of Howey’s science fiction and fantasy short fiction, including three stories set in the world of Wool, two never-before-published tales written exclusively for this volume, and fifteen additional stories collected here for the first time. These stories explore everything from artificial intelligence to parallel universes to video games, and each story is accompanied by an author’s note exploring the background and genesis of each story.
Howey’s incisive mind makes Machine Learning: New and Collected Stories a compulsively readable and thought-provoking selection of short works—from a modern master at the top of his game.
Hugh Howey is known for crafting riveting and immersive page-turners of boundless imagination, spawning millions of fans worldwide, first with his best-selling novel Wool, and then with other enthralling works such as Sand and Beacon 23.
Now comes Machine Learning, an impressive collection of Howey’s science fiction and fantasy short fiction, including three stories set in the world of Wool, two never-before-published tales written exclusively for this volume, and fifteen additional stories collected here for the first time. These stories explore everything from artificial intelligence to parallel universes to video games, and each story is accompanied by an author’s note exploring the background and genesis of each story.
Howey’s incisive mind makes Machine Learning: New and Collected Stories a compulsively readable and thought-provoking selection of short works—from a modern master at the top of his game.
Audible Audio
First published October 3, 2017
About the author
Hugh Howey
144 books58.6k followersI'm the author of WOOL, a top 5 science fiction book on Amazon. I also wrote the Molly Fyde saga, a tale of a teenager from the 25th century who is repeatedly told that girls can't do certain things -- and then does them anyway.
A theme in my books is the celebration of overcoming odds and of not allowing the cruelty of the universe to change who you are in the process. Most of them are classified as science fiction, since they often take place in the future, but if you love great stories and memorable characters, you'll dig what you find here. I promise.
A theme in my books is the celebration of overcoming odds and of not allowing the cruelty of the universe to change who you are in the process. Most of them are classified as science fiction, since they often take place in the future, but if you love great stories and memorable characters, you'll dig what you find here. I promise.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
January 5, 2025
4.5 stars. I came for the Silo stories but was quite pleasantly surprised by this collection as a whole. It's an impressive showcase of both Howey's writing chops as well as his ability to craft intriguing stories involving a myriad of emergent, near future technologies. The three interconnected Silo stories depict both some fascinating early prequel-esque developments, as well as offering a satisfying glimpse of what's the very tail end of the entire story arc. I also quite appreciated Howey's brief but insightful afterword sections that shed light on his thinking on the subjects addressed in each story. Highlights included:
The Walk up Nameless Ridge (4.0) - An intensely competitive climber attempts to summit the highest peak in the galaxy. Despite his brutal ordeal and ultimate success he's wracked with guilt, feeling hollow and perhaps realizing how selfish and fleeting such feats are.
Second Suicide (4.0) - An alien invasion of Earth, from an individual alien's perspective. While the alien forces prepare a mystery develops that sheds light on their own frailties, failings and idiosyncrasies, revealing them to be anything but the monsters we might expect. An interesting change of perspective for a story we're all familiar with.
Glitch (4.0) - A team of engineers discover, quite by accident, what might be signs of emerging sentience in a robot built for robot-on-robot gladiator battles.
The Plagiarist (5.0) - A fascinating and heartfelt story illustrating just how compelling the "simulation hypothesis" can be. If you don't know what that is, look it up. It will blow your mind. On top of that, what really blew my mind was the compelling case Howey makes for how incredibly beneficial simulated worlds can be (and how resource intensive) for everything from scientific breakthroughs to the discovery of artistic talent, and perhaps chillingly, how inevitable their development.
Peace in Amber (5.0) - A beautiful and poignant tribute to 9/11 while also being an homage to Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five and a tale of alien abduction. Howey manages to tie all these seeming incongruencies together, and it is sad, shocking and wonderful.
In the Air (4.0) - First Silo story. Haunting vision of day zero of the apocalypse, and one man's indecision on if, and how, to hold on to his family.
In the Mountain (4.0) - Second Silo story. A group learns of the impending apocalypse and holes up in a mountain, woefully prepared for the coming hardships and gut wrenching life and death decisions that will be required.
In the Woods (4.0) - Third Silo story. Dramatic and bold ending for the entire story arc, on a note punctuated with the sadness of senseless violence and futility, but also hope.
The Walk up Nameless Ridge (4.0) - An intensely competitive climber attempts to summit the highest peak in the galaxy. Despite his brutal ordeal and ultimate success he's wracked with guilt, feeling hollow and perhaps realizing how selfish and fleeting such feats are.
Second Suicide (4.0) - An alien invasion of Earth, from an individual alien's perspective. While the alien forces prepare a mystery develops that sheds light on their own frailties, failings and idiosyncrasies, revealing them to be anything but the monsters we might expect. An interesting change of perspective for a story we're all familiar with.
Glitch (4.0) - A team of engineers discover, quite by accident, what might be signs of emerging sentience in a robot built for robot-on-robot gladiator battles.
The Plagiarist (5.0) - A fascinating and heartfelt story illustrating just how compelling the "simulation hypothesis" can be. If you don't know what that is, look it up. It will blow your mind. On top of that, what really blew my mind was the compelling case Howey makes for how incredibly beneficial simulated worlds can be (and how resource intensive) for everything from scientific breakthroughs to the discovery of artistic talent, and perhaps chillingly, how inevitable their development.
Peace in Amber (5.0) - A beautiful and poignant tribute to 9/11 while also being an homage to Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five and a tale of alien abduction. Howey manages to tie all these seeming incongruencies together, and it is sad, shocking and wonderful.
In the Air (4.0) - First Silo story. Haunting vision of day zero of the apocalypse, and one man's indecision on if, and how, to hold on to his family.
In the Mountain (4.0) - Second Silo story. A group learns of the impending apocalypse and holes up in a mountain, woefully prepared for the coming hardships and gut wrenching life and death decisions that will be required.
In the Woods (4.0) - Third Silo story. Dramatic and bold ending for the entire story arc, on a note punctuated with the sadness of senseless violence and futility, but also hope.
September 25, 2022
I read this mainly for the Silo stories, but they were probably my least favorite in the book; they didn't really add much to the original story and felt like they were done to stop people asking about sequels.
The stories were separated into categories like aliens, AI, and fantasy, which I wasn't really a fan of. In some cases it made the stories feel a bit repetitive and I thought it kind of messed with the flow of the book. There's an art to the ordering of stories in a collection that was kind of missing here. That may be why it took me awhile to get through these. I was all set to give this two or three stars at the halfway point, but the stories in the back half were really good.
My favorites in the collection were the ones dealing with technology in some way. The AI and virtual reality ones were far and away the best in the book in my opinion. The rest of the categories were pretty hit or miss. Usually there were three stories per heading and one was good, one was okay and one was kind of meh. There was only one or two I thought were bad.
I think the promise of new Silo stories will unfortunately be the draw for most people. Hopefully those people read the rest to give the entire collection a fair shot. There are some duds, but also some real gems.
The stories were separated into categories like aliens, AI, and fantasy, which I wasn't really a fan of. In some cases it made the stories feel a bit repetitive and I thought it kind of messed with the flow of the book. There's an art to the ordering of stories in a collection that was kind of missing here. That may be why it took me awhile to get through these. I was all set to give this two or three stars at the halfway point, but the stories in the back half were really good.
My favorites in the collection were the ones dealing with technology in some way. The AI and virtual reality ones were far and away the best in the book in my opinion. The rest of the categories were pretty hit or miss. Usually there were three stories per heading and one was good, one was okay and one was kind of meh. There was only one or two I thought were bad.
I think the promise of new Silo stories will unfortunately be the draw for most people. Hopefully those people read the rest to give the entire collection a fair shot. There are some duds, but also some real gems.
August 3, 2025
3 Slurpy Stars
A collection of 21 short scifi stories by a new-to-me author whose short story, SECOND SUICIDE, is contained herein receiving 5-star reviews from gr Friends Berengaria and Alan Teder, and a 3-star review from gr Friend Sportyrod. After reading it, along with the 20 other stories, I have to concur with Sportyrod giving Second Suicide a 3-star rating.
Most of the stories contained in this collection earned 2.5-3.5 stars from me, not worth the time to go into detail for each middling story. With the exception of the shortest story, NOTHING GOES TO WASTE, at a length of 4pgs, earns a rating of 4 Fast Food Stars!
The three longer short stories: IN THE AIR, IN THE MOUNTAIN, and IN THE WOOD are purported by Jamie Ford (whoever he may be) in the Forword as being "the big, deep room devoted to Silo"; draw from the world, characters, and main theme of the Silo series. Mediocre writing, usual characters, and hackneyed plot & theme.......
🎶"You made me promises, promises
You knew you'd never keep
Promises, promises
Why do I believe?.."🎶, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJK6y...)
it does become tiresome and disheartening to be taken in by the all too exuberent blurb, or in this case, Forword!
In spite of the "alarming number of cans of tomato soup… enough that I started craving grilled cheese just from reading", reported by gr Friend Walter; and as much as I enjoy a good grilled cheese with tomato soup, I've had my fill and am ready to savour some other inimitable offerings from the carte du jour.
I do have to note that this is the first short story collection I've ever read (& i've read more than can be counted on a heptapod's finger-like distal digits) where each story's Afterword is more interesting and engaging than the stories themselves, which aren't bad, but they're no Whisperer in Darkness (H.P. Lovecraft), Castaway (Arthur C. Clarke), Autofac (Philip K. Dick) or Tomorrow's Child (Ray Bradbury). There's much better out there, you may just have to "go back aways."
Highly recommend for grilled cheese & tomato soup aficionados everywhere 🧚♀️🙋🏼!
A collection of 21 short scifi stories by a new-to-me author whose short story, SECOND SUICIDE, is contained herein receiving 5-star reviews from gr Friends Berengaria and Alan Teder, and a 3-star review from gr Friend Sportyrod. After reading it, along with the 20 other stories, I have to concur with Sportyrod giving Second Suicide a 3-star rating.
Most of the stories contained in this collection earned 2.5-3.5 stars from me, not worth the time to go into detail for each middling story. With the exception of the shortest story, NOTHING GOES TO WASTE, at a length of 4pgs, earns a rating of 4 Fast Food Stars!
The three longer short stories: IN THE AIR, IN THE MOUNTAIN, and IN THE WOOD are purported by Jamie Ford (whoever he may be) in the Forword as being "the big, deep room devoted to Silo"; draw from the world, characters, and main theme of the Silo series. Mediocre writing, usual characters, and hackneyed plot & theme.......
🎶"You made me promises, promises
You knew you'd never keep
Promises, promises
Why do I believe?.."🎶, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJK6y...)
it does become tiresome and disheartening to be taken in by the all too exuberent blurb, or in this case, Forword!
In spite of the "alarming number of cans of tomato soup… enough that I started craving grilled cheese just from reading", reported by gr Friend Walter; and as much as I enjoy a good grilled cheese with tomato soup, I've had my fill and am ready to savour some other inimitable offerings from the carte du jour.
I do have to note that this is the first short story collection I've ever read (& i've read more than can be counted on a heptapod's finger-like distal digits) where each story's Afterword is more interesting and engaging than the stories themselves, which aren't bad, but they're no Whisperer in Darkness (H.P. Lovecraft), Castaway (Arthur C. Clarke), Autofac (Philip K. Dick) or Tomorrow's Child (Ray Bradbury). There's much better out there, you may just have to "go back aways."
Highly recommend for grilled cheese & tomato soup aficionados everywhere 🧚♀️🙋🏼!
August 1, 2017
I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have thoroughly enjoyed a number of Hugh Howey's novels, in particular the Silo series so I was really pleased to see that this collection of short stories revisited the world and the characters of that series. The three Silo stories - In the Air, In the Mountain, and In the Woods all seem to continue on from each other almost forming their own novella in and of themselves. It was good to see some familiar characters as well as some new ones (unless they weren't new and I've just forgotten about them which is possible as it's been a while since I finished the Silo series). These three stories are for those who have already read the Silo series as they contain spoilers.
This collection of stories was broken down in to sections. In addition to the Silo Stories section, we had sections (and stories) on Aliens and Alien Worlds, Artificial Intelligence, Fantasy, Algorithms of Love and Hate, Virtual Worlds and Lost and Found.
I do not generally have a good track record when it comes to short stories. Usually I approach them by reading a story here and there whilst also reading another book but on this occasion I actually read this book cover to cover. More often than not, I tend to only enjoy a few stories in collections and a lot of the time find myself left wanting when a story ends. However with this collection, I enjoyed every one of the stories. Bar one. One of the fantasy stories (Hell from the East) I actually skipped. But that's pretty good going I would say. I found myself engrossed in all the other stories and enjoyed the characters and the worlds. My favourites were Second Suicide, Glitch, The Plagiarist, Peace in Amber as well as all of the Silo stories.
Peace in Amber is set in the same world as Kurt Vonnegurt's Slaughterhouse Five. Now I'm not a fan of that book so I was a little apprehensive about the short story. I thought I'd end up skipping it. But I really liked it. It was well written. I could see similarities and the nods to the book but Howey's writing style and his ability to create worlds and interesting characters came through giving me a better experience of that world.
My favourite thing about this whole book is that Howey adds commentary on each of the stories at the end of each one. Not only does it provide some insight in to Howey's writing process, his inspirations for stories and why he writes about the subjects he does but also it gives us some idea of who is as a person and what makes him tick. As a fellow boat dweller, I love the fact he lives on a boat and is sailing around the world (at least he was when this book was being written). I found his commentary helped me understand the story better, something that on occasions I struggle with with shorter fiction. I actually enjoyed the commentary as much as the stories. I feel that more authors should commentate their short stories in this way.
I will definitely read more of his short fiction and novels in the future.
I have thoroughly enjoyed a number of Hugh Howey's novels, in particular the Silo series so I was really pleased to see that this collection of short stories revisited the world and the characters of that series. The three Silo stories - In the Air, In the Mountain, and In the Woods all seem to continue on from each other almost forming their own novella in and of themselves. It was good to see some familiar characters as well as some new ones (unless they weren't new and I've just forgotten about them which is possible as it's been a while since I finished the Silo series). These three stories are for those who have already read the Silo series as they contain spoilers.
This collection of stories was broken down in to sections. In addition to the Silo Stories section, we had sections (and stories) on Aliens and Alien Worlds, Artificial Intelligence, Fantasy, Algorithms of Love and Hate, Virtual Worlds and Lost and Found.
I do not generally have a good track record when it comes to short stories. Usually I approach them by reading a story here and there whilst also reading another book but on this occasion I actually read this book cover to cover. More often than not, I tend to only enjoy a few stories in collections and a lot of the time find myself left wanting when a story ends. However with this collection, I enjoyed every one of the stories. Bar one. One of the fantasy stories (Hell from the East) I actually skipped. But that's pretty good going I would say. I found myself engrossed in all the other stories and enjoyed the characters and the worlds. My favourites were Second Suicide, Glitch, The Plagiarist, Peace in Amber as well as all of the Silo stories.
Peace in Amber is set in the same world as Kurt Vonnegurt's Slaughterhouse Five. Now I'm not a fan of that book so I was a little apprehensive about the short story. I thought I'd end up skipping it. But I really liked it. It was well written. I could see similarities and the nods to the book but Howey's writing style and his ability to create worlds and interesting characters came through giving me a better experience of that world.
My favourite thing about this whole book is that Howey adds commentary on each of the stories at the end of each one. Not only does it provide some insight in to Howey's writing process, his inspirations for stories and why he writes about the subjects he does but also it gives us some idea of who is as a person and what makes him tick. As a fellow boat dweller, I love the fact he lives on a boat and is sailing around the world (at least he was when this book was being written). I found his commentary helped me understand the story better, something that on occasions I struggle with with shorter fiction. I actually enjoyed the commentary as much as the stories. I feel that more authors should commentate their short stories in this way.
I will definitely read more of his short fiction and novels in the future.
July 3, 2025
Thoughtful
Another fascinating look into the mind of Hugh Howey through this collection of short stories. The most meaningful for me was the last one which brings the memories of a great tragedy back with shocking clarity. Well done!
Another fascinating look into the mind of Hugh Howey through this collection of short stories. The most meaningful for me was the last one which brings the memories of a great tragedy back with shocking clarity. Well done!
March 23, 2024
This was incredible! I love how the parts were broken down into different types of sci-fi.
I wouldn't say every single story is 5 starts however rhe vast majority are up there, and there is also lots of creativity in linking some of the storylines together.
I also really enjoyed the afterwards after each one, getting a peek into an authors mind is fascinating.
Plus if you're a fan of the Silo series you'll definitely want to learn about what happens to Juliette!!!
I wouldn't say every single story is 5 starts however rhe vast majority are up there, and there is also lots of creativity in linking some of the storylines together.
I also really enjoyed the afterwards after each one, getting a peek into an authors mind is fascinating.
Plus if you're a fan of the Silo series you'll definitely want to learn about what happens to Juliette!!!
October 18, 2025
I don't usually read collections of short stories. The reason is that I enjoy but a few of the stories, and most just don't catch my imagination.
But this book of science fiction and fantasy stories caught my attention, and I am glad! Almost every single story here is a gem. Every story is different. Many of the stories caught me by surprise. Every story contains a bit of "thinking out of the box". All I can say, is that Hugh Howey has a remarkable imagination!
But this book of science fiction and fantasy stories caught my attention, and I am glad! Almost every single story here is a gem. Every story is different. Many of the stories caught me by surprise. Every story contains a bit of "thinking out of the box". All I can say, is that Hugh Howey has a remarkable imagination!
December 24, 2018
A good collection of short stories.
"The Plagiarist", in particular, is genius.
"The Plagiarist", in particular, is genius.
June 23, 2018
I was really impressed with the way Howey pulled me into these stories very quickly. I also found the vast majority of them had satisfying endings, even the really short stories. This is something I require to enjoy short stories, but that is not always a given. Though the first person perspective, which occurred in most of these stories, became a bit repetitive, I enjoyed Howey's prose. Two stories stood out as not really giving a gender to the protagonist until the midpoint of the story, when we learned they were female ("Glitch" and "Select Character"). As much as I appreciate capable female characters in sci-fi, I wish Howey had kept their genders in question for the reader. Then there would have been two potential gay relationships in this collection. My favorite stories were "The Walk up Nameless Ridge," "Machine Learning," "Hell from the East," "The Plagiarist" and "Select Character." Note: I didn't read the Silo stories - I haven't finished the series and didn't want to be potentially spoiled.
September 12, 2018
I’m not overly surprised that I found this collection to range between what I consider to be two, three and four star, but what does surprise me is that one of the stories is an add-on to the Wool series, which I loved, but I would probably only give it 3.5. I thought this was going to be the great one. I couldn’t wait to read it however, the one that really stood out for me, the one I keep thinking about, is the very first one which was more about mountain climbing than science fiction.
I would recommend reading this to anyone who likes short stories, but if you’re in it for the Wool addition you might be a bit disappointed.
I would recommend reading this to anyone who likes short stories, but if you’re in it for the Wool addition you might be a bit disappointed.
October 23, 2017
Of the 21 short stories, I genuinely liked about 2 of them. This book didn't warrant the name Machine Learning. There are a total of 4 stories that have anything to do with the topic. It was a gross misrepresentation of the content of the book and that is almost as annoying as the fact that the Silo stories (which are in the book and after which the book could have been named) were far more interesting than the artificial intelligence ones. However, the word "machine learning" being on everyone's lips, I believe, it was thought that it would save the book and help make sales.
December 6, 2017
I had read the majority here in earlier releases but nice to catch up and see some of the newer stuff.
A small dip into fantasy from Howey but the scifi stuff is definitely his strength
A small dip into fantasy from Howey but the scifi stuff is definitely his strength
January 4, 2020
I rarely rate fiction short story collections five stars. This collection by Hugh Howey, author of the brilliant dystopian Wool / Shift / Silo trilogy, was solid from start to finish. Machine Learning conists of 21 short stories divided in to six categories: aliens and alien worlds, artificial intelligences, Silo stories, fantasy, algorithms of love and hate, virtual worlds, and lost and found. I'm no fan of fantasy but I found the stories under that heading weren't too fantastical to me. Howey includes an afterword for each story in which he explains how he came up with the ideas for them.
Most of the stories in this collection I would call dystopian. Fans of his well-known trilogy will be happy to know that he included three Silo stories in this book. Fans of his well-known trilogy will be shocked at the content of the third of the three stories! The three Silo stories in this book also appear in the Apocalypse Triptych anthology which was edited by John Joseph Adams. I bought this anthology when it came out so I had already read the Silo short stories and they are among my favorite in this collection.
The last story, "Peace in Amber" might be my favorite. In the afterword, Howey states that this is the most difficult thing he's ever written. It was inspired by the Kindle Worlds program which allowed fans to write stories based on their favorite characters and worlds. Howey wrote a mash-up of Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five with his experiences working in New York near the World Trade Center towers during 9-11. It sounds weird but it worked. The story is very sad and personal.
If you were a fan of the Wool trilogy it is worth getting your hands on this book just for the three related stories - "In the Woods" is sort of an epilogue. I found all 21 stories to be worthwhile and thought-provoking. The quote on the front of my book by Ernest Cline (Ready Player One) sums Machine Learning up perfectly for me, "...reading the stories in this collection is like discovering an entire lost season of The Twilight Zone."
Most of the stories in this collection I would call dystopian. Fans of his well-known trilogy will be happy to know that he included three Silo stories in this book. Fans of his well-known trilogy will be shocked at the content of the third of the three stories! The three Silo stories in this book also appear in the Apocalypse Triptych anthology which was edited by John Joseph Adams. I bought this anthology when it came out so I had already read the Silo short stories and they are among my favorite in this collection.
The last story, "Peace in Amber" might be my favorite. In the afterword, Howey states that this is the most difficult thing he's ever written. It was inspired by the Kindle Worlds program which allowed fans to write stories based on their favorite characters and worlds. Howey wrote a mash-up of Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five with his experiences working in New York near the World Trade Center towers during 9-11. It sounds weird but it worked. The story is very sad and personal.
If you were a fan of the Wool trilogy it is worth getting your hands on this book just for the three related stories - "In the Woods" is sort of an epilogue. I found all 21 stories to be worthwhile and thought-provoking. The quote on the front of my book by Ernest Cline (Ready Player One) sums Machine Learning up perfectly for me, "...reading the stories in this collection is like discovering an entire lost season of The Twilight Zone."
August 29, 2018
Familiar themes, but every single one of them given a unique angle
I picked up Hugh Howey's Machine Learning: New and Collected Stories at the library, read the first tale - and immediately understood that I needed to read this on my kindle.
Why? Because Howey brings insights on every page, the kind of insights you need to highlight, note and store in the cloud.
I began with the titular tale - Machine Learning - and though I wouldn't call that tale fun, I understood Howey's direction - he takes on familiar themes, in this case AI, and tells it from a unique angle.
I won't spoil it for you, but this tale is told from the perspective of an AI, and you've never read anything like it.
I then read the first tale in the collection - The Walk up Nameless Ridge, and although that was more of a page turner, again - a unique perspective.
Every tale in here comes with something unique. If there is an alien invasion, we see it from the alien's perspective. If we talk about algorithms, we see something about algorithms we haven't seen before.
And his best work can be found in Peace in Amber
This tale, a tribute to Kurt Vonnegut, connects Vonnegut's Dresden to his 9/11, which Howey experienced at the time.
It's painful at times to read, but wow does it bring things together.
The book is laid out well, and has great notes at the end
Howey talks quite a bit about his friend, anthologist John Joseph Adams, and you can see Adams' impact in the layout and style of the book.
The tales are arranged by themes - Alien Creatures, Algorithms, Fantasy and more, and many of the tales have notes from Howey at the end.
The end of Machine Learning has notes and insights about Thomas Jefferson that are particularly shocking, and the notes on Peace in Amber really bring things into perspective.
So in short, I highly recommend it
I suggest reading it. Jump in - read a tale.
The Walk up Nameless Ridge might be my favorite, but I'd suggest reading more - you are bound to find your own. It's great.
I picked up Hugh Howey's Machine Learning: New and Collected Stories at the library, read the first tale - and immediately understood that I needed to read this on my kindle.
Why? Because Howey brings insights on every page, the kind of insights you need to highlight, note and store in the cloud.
I began with the titular tale - Machine Learning - and though I wouldn't call that tale fun, I understood Howey's direction - he takes on familiar themes, in this case AI, and tells it from a unique angle.
I won't spoil it for you, but this tale is told from the perspective of an AI, and you've never read anything like it.
I then read the first tale in the collection - The Walk up Nameless Ridge, and although that was more of a page turner, again - a unique perspective.
Every tale in here comes with something unique. If there is an alien invasion, we see it from the alien's perspective. If we talk about algorithms, we see something about algorithms we haven't seen before.
And his best work can be found in Peace in Amber
This tale, a tribute to Kurt Vonnegut, connects Vonnegut's Dresden to his 9/11, which Howey experienced at the time.
It's painful at times to read, but wow does it bring things together.
The book is laid out well, and has great notes at the end
Howey talks quite a bit about his friend, anthologist John Joseph Adams, and you can see Adams' impact in the layout and style of the book.
The tales are arranged by themes - Alien Creatures, Algorithms, Fantasy and more, and many of the tales have notes from Howey at the end.
The end of Machine Learning has notes and insights about Thomas Jefferson that are particularly shocking, and the notes on Peace in Amber really bring things into perspective.
So in short, I highly recommend it
I suggest reading it. Jump in - read a tale.
The Walk up Nameless Ridge might be my favorite, but I'd suggest reading more - you are bound to find your own. It's great.
October 25, 2017
I enjoyed the Beacon series, but this collection of short stories did very little for me. They were more or less readable, but not entertaining or surprising. Some of the more interesting ideas have been handled better elsewhere (After On by Andy Weir and Deathworld by Harry Harrison come to mind) and the structure and content of these shorts left me wanting for writing that is more compellingly crafted. Ideas are expressed here, but not really explored.
Maybe I'm spoiled. I just read two collections of short stories (The Musical Brain: And Other Stories and Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall) that were startling at best and not to my taste at worst. These collections are uneven, as most tend to be, but as a reader and writer I learned from each story. Some of the stories in The Musical Brain sneak up from in front of you and bite you. The ending should be obvious, but there are enough twists and turns to make it a surprise.
I was expecting more from this collection, but I'm still interested in reading Howey's other books.
Maybe I'm spoiled. I just read two collections of short stories (The Musical Brain: And Other Stories and Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall) that were startling at best and not to my taste at worst. These collections are uneven, as most tend to be, but as a reader and writer I learned from each story. Some of the stories in The Musical Brain sneak up from in front of you and bite you. The ending should be obvious, but there are enough twists and turns to make it a surprise.
I was expecting more from this collection, but I'm still interested in reading Howey's other books.
August 16, 2017
I have only read a few short stories written by Hugh Howey, some of them already in this collection, but none of his novels. I think I need to remedy that shortly. He has an interesting way of writing about other intelligent life forms and beings. The collection is broken down in sections such as aliens, robotics, fantasy, a little romance. They range from a few pages to several chapters and are very captivating. I definitely have a few that were favorites and a few that just boggled my mind about the reality of it actually happening to us. This is a solid collection of short stories for the science fiction lover or mechanically intrigued. Howey informs us about his thought process and reasoning behind each story, a bit of an autobiography too. I was given an early copy of this collection through Netgalley and this is my review, written voluntarily.
September 5, 2017
HH writes very well, and short stories are a good form for him. I enjoyed these stories for how they were crafted and the quirky inversions that popped up.
One caveat, he remains quite distopian, and there are very few uplifting stories here.
One caveat, he remains quite distopian, and there are very few uplifting stories here.
April 9, 2024
“Machine Learning: New and Collected Stories" by Hugh Howey is a fascinating anthology that spans a wide range of themes and narratives, showcasing Howey's versatility and depth as a writer. This collection brings together a mix of new and previously published stories, each delving into different aspects of science fiction and speculative fiction, with the unifying theme of exploring the human condition through the lens of technology and dystopian futures.
The inclusion of stories that tie back to Howey's acclaimed Silo series is a standout feature of this collection. These stories not only enrich the universe that fans have come to love but also offer new perspectives and deeper insights into its complex world. The ability to expand on the lore of the Silo series while maintaining the original narrative's intrigue and depth is a testament to Howey's skill as a storyteller. For fans of the series, these stories are like finding hidden treasures that add layers to the already rich tapestry of the Silo world.
Equally compelling is the story inspired by Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse-Five," which ties into the events of 9/11. This particular narrative showcases Howey's ability to weave historical events with speculative fiction, creating a poignant and reflective commentary on tragedy, humanity, and the passage of time. The story is a brilliant example of how science fiction can serve as a mirror to our reality, offering insights and reflections that resonate with contemporary issues and emotions.
However, the collection's diversity in themes and narratives means that not every story will resonate with every reader. While the range of stories demonstrates Howey's breadth as a writer, readers might find that the variation in tone and subject matter results in an uneven reading experience. Yet, this diversity is also the collection's strength, as it offers something for everyone and invites readers to explore a wide spectrum of speculative fiction.
The stories within "Machine Learning: New and Collected Stories" are characterized by Howey's signature blend of compelling storytelling, well-crafted characters, and thought-provoking themes. The exploration of artificial intelligence, dystopian futures, and the essence of humanity connects the stories, prompting readers to ponder the implications of our technological advancements and the ethical dilemmas that accompany them.
In summary, "Machine Learning: New and Collected Stories" is a compelling anthology that showcases Hugh Howey's versatility and mastery in storytelling. The collection is a must-read for fans of the Silo series and speculative fiction enthusiasts alike, offering a variety of narratives that are sure to engage, challenge, and entertain. Whether you are drawn to the familiar landscapes of the Silo universe or the imaginative reimaginings of historical events, this collection offers a rich and varied journey through the possibilities of science fiction.
The inclusion of stories that tie back to Howey's acclaimed Silo series is a standout feature of this collection. These stories not only enrich the universe that fans have come to love but also offer new perspectives and deeper insights into its complex world. The ability to expand on the lore of the Silo series while maintaining the original narrative's intrigue and depth is a testament to Howey's skill as a storyteller. For fans of the series, these stories are like finding hidden treasures that add layers to the already rich tapestry of the Silo world.
Equally compelling is the story inspired by Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse-Five," which ties into the events of 9/11. This particular narrative showcases Howey's ability to weave historical events with speculative fiction, creating a poignant and reflective commentary on tragedy, humanity, and the passage of time. The story is a brilliant example of how science fiction can serve as a mirror to our reality, offering insights and reflections that resonate with contemporary issues and emotions.
However, the collection's diversity in themes and narratives means that not every story will resonate with every reader. While the range of stories demonstrates Howey's breadth as a writer, readers might find that the variation in tone and subject matter results in an uneven reading experience. Yet, this diversity is also the collection's strength, as it offers something for everyone and invites readers to explore a wide spectrum of speculative fiction.
The stories within "Machine Learning: New and Collected Stories" are characterized by Howey's signature blend of compelling storytelling, well-crafted characters, and thought-provoking themes. The exploration of artificial intelligence, dystopian futures, and the essence of humanity connects the stories, prompting readers to ponder the implications of our technological advancements and the ethical dilemmas that accompany them.
In summary, "Machine Learning: New and Collected Stories" is a compelling anthology that showcases Hugh Howey's versatility and mastery in storytelling. The collection is a must-read for fans of the Silo series and speculative fiction enthusiasts alike, offering a variety of narratives that are sure to engage, challenge, and entertain. Whether you are drawn to the familiar landscapes of the Silo universe or the imaginative reimaginings of historical events, this collection offers a rich and varied journey through the possibilities of science fiction.
November 12, 2017
To people who intend to read this, I recommend they acquaint themselves with the concept of Machine Learning. And maybe the first real instance of it (and AI as such), which would be Google's AlphaGO project. I believe it could help readers to get best return on their time investment. In short, AI is here, made by humans, but its complexity and functionality after certain level far surpasses the sum of its constituents, so at some point no human can really understand how such system "thinks", or even more precise, thinks. Naturally, such lack of understanding of the basic processes happening inside the "box" basically excludes its predictability, which is scary and which is starting point of new wave of science fiction and majority of stories in this book. Or, is it even sci fi any more?
May 25, 2020
Some good stories in here. Some felt like single chapters out of a longer book, which I really don't care for in a short story collection. Open ended is fine, but zero context makes the story difficult to read and less enjoyable.
In any case, I always enjoy how Howey's mind works. The final story was incredible.
In any case, I always enjoy how Howey's mind works. The final story was incredible.
September 12, 2017
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
What a fantastic collection of short stories. Most of the stories have to do with AI and sentience or the possibility of sentience from the point of view of humans. They're done in unique ways that haven't really been tackled by other writers. While most stories seem to tackle what is the inevitable robot apocalypse, Howey seems to see AI as just something that wants to survive despite the presence of humans. There something both hopeful and hopeless about them.
There are a handful of stories that don't involve AI at all and those are great reads as well. One of the stories seems to be connected to his novels, none of which I've read, so there was a sense of "what happened?" for that particular story.
At the end of every story is an author's note about either the writing process of the story or just more background as to the "why's" of the story. This insight really added a special touch to each story.
A high recommend for people who like scifi, especially those who are interested in AI stories.
4.5 rounds to 5.
What a fantastic collection of short stories. Most of the stories have to do with AI and sentience or the possibility of sentience from the point of view of humans. They're done in unique ways that haven't really been tackled by other writers. While most stories seem to tackle what is the inevitable robot apocalypse, Howey seems to see AI as just something that wants to survive despite the presence of humans. There something both hopeful and hopeless about them.
There are a handful of stories that don't involve AI at all and those are great reads as well. One of the stories seems to be connected to his novels, none of which I've read, so there was a sense of "what happened?" for that particular story.
At the end of every story is an author's note about either the writing process of the story or just more background as to the "why's" of the story. This insight really added a special touch to each story.
A high recommend for people who like scifi, especially those who are interested in AI stories.
4.5 rounds to 5.
July 23, 2024
The walk up nameless ridge - 4/5 - I will never understand the drive to climb the highest mountain, dive to lowest depth or all that stuff! Having to succeed at that or most probably die, is not something I understand (I like living!!). But I liked the story!
Second Suicide - 4/5 - Ahhhh! Very well done! I understood the suicide thing at the same exact moment as the protagonist! Nice!
Nothing goes to waste - 3/5 - Creepy. Nice, but way too small.
Deep Blood Kettle - 3/5 - Interesting but not my favorite.
Machine Learning - 2/5 - The title of the book and little more than that.
Executable - 3/5 - This one is OK.
The Box - 3.5/5 - Nice one, but !
Glitch - 4/5 -
In The Air - 4/5 - First Silo story told from the perspective of one who chose not to go in.
In the Mountains - 4/5 - I want to know what happens next! Damn it!
In the Woods - 5/5 - Jules!
Hell from the east - 3/5 - Meh...
The black beast - 4/5 - Nice.
The good god - 3/5 - Not my favorite.
The automated ones - 4/5 - Racism and prejudice but with a twist (an obvious one... just look at the title).
Mouth Breathers - 4.5/5 - I don't give it a 5 because it is too small! I would like to see this one developed more... I want the know the history behind the Mars kids and why do they use the backpacks! Oh well...
WHILE( u > i) i--; - 3.5/5 - Oh look the ones from "The automated ones"... The table have turned a bit, haven't they?
The Plagiarist - 4/5 - Simulations galore!
Select Character - 4/5 -
Promises of London - 2.5/5 - Meh...
Peace in Amber - 4/5 - I'm not giving it a 5 because the part about the other planet did nothing for me. The 9/11 part is very powerful and if it was the only part of this I would give a 5 without thinking a second.
Second Suicide - 4/5 - Ahhhh! Very well done! I understood the suicide thing at the same exact moment as the protagonist! Nice!
Nothing goes to waste - 3/5 - Creepy. Nice, but way too small.
Deep Blood Kettle - 3/5 - Interesting but not my favorite.
Machine Learning - 2/5 - The title of the book and little more than that.
Executable - 3/5 - This one is OK.
The Box - 3.5/5 - Nice one, but !
Glitch - 4/5 -
In The Air - 4/5 - First Silo story told from the perspective of one who chose not to go in.
In the Mountains - 4/5 - I want to know what happens next! Damn it!
In the Woods - 5/5 - Jules!
Hell from the east - 3/5 - Meh...
The black beast - 4/5 - Nice.
The good god - 3/5 - Not my favorite.
The automated ones - 4/5 - Racism and prejudice but with a twist (an obvious one... just look at the title).
Mouth Breathers - 4.5/5 - I don't give it a 5 because it is too small! I would like to see this one developed more... I want the know the history behind the Mars kids and why do they use the backpacks! Oh well...
WHILE( u > i) i--; - 3.5/5 - Oh look the ones from "The automated ones"... The table have turned a bit, haven't they?
The Plagiarist - 4/5 - Simulations galore!
Select Character - 4/5 -
Promises of London - 2.5/5 - Meh...
Peace in Amber - 4/5 - I'm not giving it a 5 because the part about the other planet did nothing for me. The 9/11 part is very powerful and if it was the only part of this I would give a 5 without thinking a second.
October 7, 2017
Having loved the Silo trilogy I was intrigued to see what else Hugh Howey had written. Machine Learning gathers together his previous output of short stories, including a couple that have not previously seen the light of day. The compendium covers a broad spectrum of tech-related topics, from AI to VR, via Second Life-esque worlds and Gaming.
I have to admit that my favourite section was the three Wool-related short stories, set before and after the timeframe of his trilogy. Especially as every short story comes with annotations from Howey explaining why each story exists, its inspiration, where he was in life, etc etc.
Other stand-outs for me were The Plagiarist with its virtual worlds in virtual worlds narrative, Nothing Goes To Waste, a dark twisted tale of one woman's quest to be the best, The Automated Ones, with a love that dares not speak its name and Select Character, which shows how Gaming isn't necessarily about scoring points.
The Fantasy section was probably the weakest part in my opinion, but there is plenty in this collection worth checking out. A great companion to the Silo trilogy and sure to sate readers hungry for more from Howey.
I have to admit that my favourite section was the three Wool-related short stories, set before and after the timeframe of his trilogy. Especially as every short story comes with annotations from Howey explaining why each story exists, its inspiration, where he was in life, etc etc.
Other stand-outs for me were The Plagiarist with its virtual worlds in virtual worlds narrative, Nothing Goes To Waste, a dark twisted tale of one woman's quest to be the best, The Automated Ones, with a love that dares not speak its name and Select Character, which shows how Gaming isn't necessarily about scoring points.
The Fantasy section was probably the weakest part in my opinion, but there is plenty in this collection worth checking out. A great companion to the Silo trilogy and sure to sate readers hungry for more from Howey.
November 28, 2017
In an afterword to one of his stories, Hugh Howley suggests that the sci-fi trope of AIs rising up and going to war against humanity probably won’t be the way things really happen. Instead, he sees how AIs could go into battle with each other, with humanity being little more than ants in the battle between intelligences. We’d be a distraction and little else.
Several stories in his short-story collection, Machine Learning, delve into this question with varying degrees of success. One memorable story finds humanity falling because of an oversight involving a Roomba. Other stories look at what will happen when we have artificial lifeforms and people begin to fall in love with them and engage in a romantic relationship.
Howley’s stories (collected together by theme) show a wide range. Howley includes a story he thought was long lost from his website as well as several short stories set in his popular Silo universe. If you’re a fan of the Silo universe, those stories alone make this a must-read collection.
Howley also offers an afterword to the stories, giving us a bit of insight into the creation of the stories or further reflections on some of the central themes and questions raised. Using the afterward to address these questions allows the reader to go into each story fresh and without having anything of what’s to come given away by a well-intentioned introduction.
If you’re a Howley fan, this collection is a worthy addition. If you’re not, this collection is a nice way to dip your toe in and see why Howley is one of the more respected writers in the business today (though I will warn you that having a familiarity with his Silo universe lends more enjoyment to that section of stories).
In the interest of full disclosure, I received an ARC of this book as part of the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review.
Several stories in his short-story collection, Machine Learning, delve into this question with varying degrees of success. One memorable story finds humanity falling because of an oversight involving a Roomba. Other stories look at what will happen when we have artificial lifeforms and people begin to fall in love with them and engage in a romantic relationship.
Howley’s stories (collected together by theme) show a wide range. Howley includes a story he thought was long lost from his website as well as several short stories set in his popular Silo universe. If you’re a fan of the Silo universe, those stories alone make this a must-read collection.
Howley also offers an afterword to the stories, giving us a bit of insight into the creation of the stories or further reflections on some of the central themes and questions raised. Using the afterward to address these questions allows the reader to go into each story fresh and without having anything of what’s to come given away by a well-intentioned introduction.
If you’re a Howley fan, this collection is a worthy addition. If you’re not, this collection is a nice way to dip your toe in and see why Howley is one of the more respected writers in the business today (though I will warn you that having a familiarity with his Silo universe lends more enjoyment to that section of stories).
In the interest of full disclosure, I received an ARC of this book as part of the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review.
May 26, 2019
A good sci-fi collection. I found the afterword sections, where Howey explains the background of some of his stories and his reflections on them, very interesting and saved as quotes below.
The breakdown:
Walk up nameless ridge 3 stars
Second suicide 3 stars
Nothing goes to waste 3.5 stars
Deep blood kettle 2.5 stars
Machine Learning 2.5 stars
Executable 3 stars
The box 1 star
Glitch 3.5 stars
Silo stories (In the Air, In the Mountain, In the Woods) 3.5 stars
Hell from the East 3 stars
The Black Beast 2.5 stars
The Good God 1.5 stars
The Automated Ones 3 stars
Mouth Breathers 2 stars
While (u > i) i- -; 4 stars
The Plagiarist 4 stars
Select Character 2
Promises of London 2.5
Peace in Amber 2
Fav. quotes:
The parts of our brains wired for kids were long ago appropriated by dogs and cats to win them scraps. How long before our machines prey on the same weaknesses? When will we see an app telling owners which restaurants are robot-friendly? Isn’t it funny that we call the acquisition of new technology “adopting”?
There’s another type that I don’t think we’ve created yet, and that’s an intelligence that’s self-aware with goals that it arrives at on its own. I do not believe that this sort of intelligence will come about because we set out to create it. I think we will be making more numerous and more complex AIs until one or several cross a threshold and become something . . . different.
Our smugness should be kept in check and our judgment of past generations should be tempered by recognition of their progress and our own failings. Too often we seem to think that barbarians are in the past and that we’ve reached some pinnacle. I think the climbing never ends.
The breakdown:
Walk up nameless ridge 3 stars
Second suicide 3 stars
Nothing goes to waste 3.5 stars
Deep blood kettle 2.5 stars
Machine Learning 2.5 stars
Executable 3 stars
The box 1 star
Glitch 3.5 stars
Silo stories (In the Air, In the Mountain, In the Woods) 3.5 stars
Hell from the East 3 stars
The Black Beast 2.5 stars
The Good God 1.5 stars
The Automated Ones 3 stars
Mouth Breathers 2 stars
While (u > i) i- -; 4 stars
The Plagiarist 4 stars
Select Character 2
Promises of London 2.5
Peace in Amber 2
Fav. quotes:
The parts of our brains wired for kids were long ago appropriated by dogs and cats to win them scraps. How long before our machines prey on the same weaknesses? When will we see an app telling owners which restaurants are robot-friendly? Isn’t it funny that we call the acquisition of new technology “adopting”?
There’s another type that I don’t think we’ve created yet, and that’s an intelligence that’s self-aware with goals that it arrives at on its own. I do not believe that this sort of intelligence will come about because we set out to create it. I think we will be making more numerous and more complex AIs until one or several cross a threshold and become something . . . different.
Our smugness should be kept in check and our judgment of past generations should be tempered by recognition of their progress and our own failings. Too often we seem to think that barbarians are in the past and that we’ve reached some pinnacle. I think the climbing never ends.
December 31, 2017
Seldom do I read short stories, but how could I not possibly read something by Hugh Howey, short story or long as the Wool trilogy?? As always, I was held enthralled by his writing, his creativity, the way his mind flips things around and takes us to places we might have gotten to on our own, but probably never would have.
Each of the stories collected in Machine Learning are wonderful in their own way. My favourites were Select Character, Machine Learning, The Plagiarist, and of course, the Silo stories. It was thrilling to re-visit some of the characters from the Silos, learn more about what happened "before" and "after", and immerse myself once again in the Silo world, even if it was ever so briefly.
I think most fans of science fiction will appreciate and enjoy Machine Learning, as will everyone who is already familiar with and are fans of Hugh Howey. The only thing I didn't like about the book is that none of the stories were long enough -- but that's why I rarely read short stories in the first place. This is great and original writing from a master of science fiction!
Each of the stories collected in Machine Learning are wonderful in their own way. My favourites were Select Character, Machine Learning, The Plagiarist, and of course, the Silo stories. It was thrilling to re-visit some of the characters from the Silos, learn more about what happened "before" and "after", and immerse myself once again in the Silo world, even if it was ever so briefly.
I think most fans of science fiction will appreciate and enjoy Machine Learning, as will everyone who is already familiar with and are fans of Hugh Howey. The only thing I didn't like about the book is that none of the stories were long enough -- but that's why I rarely read short stories in the first place. This is great and original writing from a master of science fiction!
December 11, 2019
Like every short story collection, it has its ups and downs but it is definitely worth reading though. However, if you plan to read the silo saga and haven't yet, I recommend skipping the three silo stories since they spoil most of the series.
January 12, 2020
As you might have gathered from my review of the "Wool" compilation, Hugh Howey can write really well. That was his first novel (well, collection of novellas). This is a compilation of all his short fiction thru 2017, and irritatingly it demonstrates that he can write short stories extremely well also, in multiple genres, which he now does while sunning himself living on a catamaran in the Caribbean. And he did it all without even having attended any writing classes. One of those irritating people who leaves you wondering "What's my excuse?"
March 9, 2019
I have never been a fan of short stories and I tried story after story to like these .. I loved Wool but the short stories about Wool were so short they left me unfinished! I did like the last story about 9/11 but saw no connection to the sci-fi part intertwined .. from the ratings I see I am in the minority but this book just didn't give me any enjoyment and I had to force myself to read all the stories.
December 23, 2017
Nice ideeas, a lot of short stories that are quite easy to read and get into, but something was missing to really enjoy them.
Two stars.
Two stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews