★★★★☆ A rather different escape drama.
(SF Thriller) On the eve of her 20th birthday, Sacrid Henn’s parents send her to an AI prison for her failure to conform. It’s a pleasant prison, but prison nonetheless, and she’s determined to get out. (8,741 words; Time: 29m)
"Sacrid's Pod," by Adam-Troy Castro [bio] (edited by John Joseph Adams), appeared in Lightspeed Magazine issue 112, published on September 1, 2019.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2019.508 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: At one level, this is about Sacrid’s attempt to escape her imprisonment. Instead of succumbing to despair, she goes all out to learn what she can about her environment. Once she learns that a few people really have escaped, she goes all out to figure out how to be one of them. When she finds the loophole regarding remote-operated bodies, as she says, “This is huge!”
At a different level, it’s about the AI’s study of humanity. They don’t see why a remote-operated body isn’t enough for most people, and they want to learn why. I liked that because it gave them a reason for doing all of this.
Con: If people like Sacrid turn up threatening their parents, won’t the parents ask the AIs for their money back and warn others that the AI’s prison has flaws?
Other Reviews: Search Web
Adam-Troy Castro Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
Pro: At one level, this is about Sacrid’s attempt to escape her imprisonment. Instead of succumbing to despair, she goes all out to learn what she can about her environment. Once she learns that a few people really have escaped, she goes all out to figure out how to be one of them. When she finds the loophole regarding remote-operated bodies, as she says, “This is huge!”
At a different level, it’s about the AI’s study of humanity. They don’t see why a remote-operated body isn’t enough for most people, and they want to learn why. I liked that because it gave them a reason for doing all of this.
Con: If people like Sacrid turn up threatening their parents, won’t the parents ask the AIs for their money back and warn others that the AI’s prison has flaws?
Other Reviews: Search Web
Adam-Troy Castro Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
No comments (may contain spoilers):
Post a Comment (comment policy)