Thursday, January 12, 2017

Milla, by Lorenzo Crescentini and Emanuela Valentini

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(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

"," by and (translated by Rich Larson, edited by Neil Clarke), appeared in issue 124, published on .

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

3 comments (may contain spoilers):

  1. A nicely done translation, and potentially a good story, but it ended as a hoary old trope.

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  2. I think the surprise was worth a 4

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  3. Pretty story, but the ending was disappointing.

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