Tuesday, August 14, 2018

The Barnum Effect, by Celia Neri

[Apex]
★☆☆☆☆ Needs Improvement

(Near-Future SF) Meriam’s project uses a supercomputer to produce eerily accurate horoscopes. (4,929 words; Time: 16m)


"The Barnum Effect," by (edited by Sheree RenΓ©e Thomas), appeared in issue 111, published on .

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

Pro: It's nice to finally see a story where someone realizes that an AI is just a program that can be backed up.

Con: Intrusive narration and unnatural dialogue ruin this story.

The different characters' attempts to explain why BAR cannot have become intelligent amount to "You Can't Fire Me--I Quit." The fact that the characters in the story can see that the plot is absurd doesn't make it better.

Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 111)
Celia Neri Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline

Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.

No comments (may contain spoilers):

Post a Comment (comment policy)