★★★★★ Cool Technology, Great Characters
(Near-Future SF) Rohn originally implanted sensory chips in his body and mapped them to music just to make them easier to test. He didn’t count on becoming an Internet sensation, but he plays it for all it’s worth. (7,459 words; Time: 24m)
"The Streaming Man," by Suzanne Palmer [bio] (edited by Trevor Quachri), appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact issue 03-04|18, published on February 15, 2018 by Penny Publications.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: Even in today's world, people online love to analyze data about other people and things (look at all the folks trying to track Elon Musk’s Tesla roadster’s orbit), so the story of a guy with a huge following trying to interpret the music generated by his sensors is a plausible extension of what we already know. The consequences of having to deal with a fan following a rock star would appreciate, but without the financial resources a rock star would command are frightening, and also very plausible.
Much of the fun of the story is meeting Rohn’s friends. The joke at the end about the cow bell was perfect, as is the solution of splitting the work up and making everyone part of the "band."
Con: The idea that his girlfriend wouldn’t let him stop is not so plausible. It might do some people good, but it’s hard to believe it would help anyone all that much compared to other, similar things they might find online. Certainly not enough to risk his safety for.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 03-04|18)
Suzanne Palmer Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
Much of the fun of the story is meeting Rohn’s friends. The joke at the end about the cow bell was perfect, as is the solution of splitting the work up and making everyone part of the "band."
Con: The idea that his girlfriend wouldn’t let him stop is not so plausible. It might do some people good, but it’s hard to believe it would help anyone all that much compared to other, similar things they might find online. Certainly not enough to risk his safety for.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 03-04|18)
Suzanne Palmer Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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