★★☆☆☆
(SF) In a future where most of the galaxy is run by "the Machine" for the benefit of those lucky enough to own shares, a young shareholder goes to school to learn how he can make a difference. (7,600 words; Time: 25m)
Recommended By: 📙₁RHorton+2→Best (Q&A)
"Empty Planets," by Rahul Kanakia [bio] (edited by Andy Cox), appeared in Interzone issue 262, published on January 12, 2016 by TTA Press.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2016.297 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: The Machine is an interesting super AI. It isn't really intelligent, or at least it doesn't seem so. Instead it seems to be carrying out a bad program that's literally trying to reduce human suffering--by reducing the number of people.
Con: Nothing happens in this story. David never gets the insight. He and Margery end up not very different from his own parents.
The dialogue is often very unnatural. When David tells Sherie that her people were useless and not worth keeping alive, all she says in response is "But . . . they're counting on me."
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Rahul Kanakia Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Pro: The Machine is an interesting super AI. It isn't really intelligent, or at least it doesn't seem so. Instead it seems to be carrying out a bad program that's literally trying to reduce human suffering--by reducing the number of people.
Con: Nothing happens in this story. David never gets the insight. He and Margery end up not very different from his own parents.
The dialogue is often very unnatural. When David tells Sherie that her people were useless and not worth keeping alive, all she says in response is "But . . . they're counting on me."
Other Reviews: Search Web
Rahul Kanakia Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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