Thursday, September 12, 2019

Booksavr, by Ken Liu

[F&SF]
★★☆☆☆

(Legal SF) In which we learn about a software package that can change the sex, race, orientation, etc. of the characters to make stories more inclusive. (2,115 words; Time: 07m)


"Booksavr," by (edited by C.C. Finlay), appeared in issue 09-10|19, published on by .

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

Review: 2019.521 (A Word for Authors)

Pro: For the most part, minorities in stories are represented by tokens anyway, so a program such as this one isn’t that far-fetched, especially if authors helped it by marking up their manuscripts.

Con: This isn’t a story; it’s like reading a blogger’s observations (and even the comments) about a product I’m not that interested in.

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2 comments (may contain spoilers):

  1. I liked this a bit more than you did: it's not the most original thing in the world, but a story like this is all about tone, and that Liu gets exactly right: not just in the comments, but in the rather petulant blogger, who can't understand why this is the only topic that gets anyone to read his blog. (Sorry: blawg.)

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    1. Although I'm past the point where I automatically give 2 stars (or fewer) to plotless stories, they still have to make up that lack some other way. This one just didn't do it for me.

      I agree with you about the tone, though; you could almost believe you were reading about a real product.

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