★★★☆☆ Honorable Mention
(Post-Apocalypse) The human settlement called the Factory sent envoys to the mass mind called the Reef in hopes of stopping the machines that keep attacking them. This is the story of how that failed. (6,958 words; Time: 23m)
"Chine Life," by Paul McAuley [bio] (edited by Wade Roush), appeared in Twelve Tomorrows 5 (RSR review), published on May 25, 2018 by MIT Technology Review.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2018.629 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: It’s a very colorful (if depressing) world. The different “chines” are interesting in and of themselves, but so is the Reef. I liked details such as the fact that there was even a hierarchy of screwheads, so the mass mind of the Reef wasn’t monolithic either.
The human society was of interest too, divided into castes based partly on birth. In the conclusion, it’s not surprising that Lina decides to walk away.
Con: It certainly looks hopeless, but one has the sense that humanity was doomed thousands of years ago. This makes the whole story seem like the description of an exercise in futility.
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Paul McAuley Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Pro: It’s a very colorful (if depressing) world. The different “chines” are interesting in and of themselves, but so is the Reef. I liked details such as the fact that there was even a hierarchy of screwheads, so the mass mind of the Reef wasn’t monolithic either.
The human society was of interest too, divided into castes based partly on birth. In the conclusion, it’s not surprising that Lina decides to walk away.
Con: It certainly looks hopeless, but one has the sense that humanity was doomed thousands of years ago. This makes the whole story seem like the description of an exercise in futility.
Other Reviews: Search Web, GoodReads.com
Paul McAuley Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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