(SF) As Marek surveys Shiva, the most Earth-like planet yet discovered, he chats with an AI named “Milla,” the sole survivor of a long vanished civilization. (2,818 words; Time: 09m)
Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average
"Milla," by Lorenzo Crescentini [bio] and Emanuela Valentini [bio] (translated by Rich Larson, edited by Neil Clarke), appeared in Clarkesworld issue 124, published on January 1, 2017.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: There are all sorts of hints that Milla is really remembering humanity. Her ability to use his hardware and to speak his language, for example. I had believed Marek had accidentally landed far in the Earth’s future, so the revelation came as a complete surprise to me.
Con: It’s silly to think that a program with a hundred years of nothing to do would become intelligent during that time. Even more so that it would become a homicidal nature lover despite having evolved with no exposure to nature.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 124)
Lorenzo Crescentini Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB
Emanuela Valentini Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB
Con: It’s silly to think that a program with a hundred years of nothing to do would become intelligent during that time. Even more so that it would become a homicidal nature lover despite having evolved with no exposure to nature.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 124)
Lorenzo Crescentini Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB
Emanuela Valentini Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB
A nicely done translation, and potentially a good story, but it ended as a hoary old trope.
ReplyDeleteI think the surprise was worth a 4
ReplyDeletePretty story, but the ending was disappointing.
ReplyDelete