Science Fiction: The Short Stuff discussion

Overview
95% liked this book
"I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream" is a post-apocalyptic short story by American writer Harlan Ellison. It was first published in the March 1967 issue of IF: Worlds of Science Fiction.
Originally published: March 1967
Author: Harlan Ellison
Characters: Nimdok, Gorrister, Ellen, Benny, Ted, AM
Genres: Science fiction, Speculative fiction, Biography, Autobiography
Subjects: Memoir
Read and Discussion Time for Group: October 2025

I just finished the story, and for me it's just OK, not one I'd ever be tempted to read again. The darkness, the nihilism, the misogyny and the violence was just too over the top for me.

I did find it interesting to compare the dystopia in this story with the dystopia in a story we read about a year ago, The Machine Stops by E.M. Forster. Both stories present technology as God, but two very different types of God.

I give this story a generous three stars. It's an early AI-runs-amok-and-harms-all-mankind story. As such it might have been novel in 1962. Today, it doesn't quite rise to the level of pedestrian, and not even good writing saves it.

Another problem is that Ellison lacks the characterizations skills to set his story up properly. He doesn't introduce us to the characters and give us a chance to care about them before he starts having bad things happen to them. Rookie mistake.

The cannibalism is over the top too. So, what did I like about it? Hmm. Okay, downgrading it to two stars. Others who are curious about what an early AI menace story looks like can rate it higher.