Saturday, October 3, 2015

Cetacean Dreams, by Robert R. Chase

Analog Science Fiction and Fact, May 2015;  ~6,400 words
Rating: 3, Good, ordinary, story

Europa station uses trained dolphins to help explore a mystery in that moon's vast world ocean.

Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)

Pro: Good narrative and dialogue. Story moves right along. Interesting idea that dolphins might have different personalities in the two hemispheres of their brains, given that they take turns sleeping. Nice solution to the mystery.

Con: Hard to believe dolphins were the best they could come up with. Sonar plus a faster submersible robot seem like a better bet. Also very hard to believe that no one worried that dolphins would suffer blackouts too. And that no one ever figured out dolphins could have dual personalities.

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