★★★☆☆
(Modern Fantasy) In which we learn that Cassandra isn’t the only fortune teller cursed to tell the truth but not be believed. (1,815 words; Time: 06m)
Showing posts with label Ruthanna Emrys. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ruthanna Emrys. Show all posts
Monday, July 29, 2019
Monday, December 3, 2018
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Those Who Watch, by Ruthanna Emrys
(Horror) Elaine works at the Crique Foudre Community College library, where the books can punish you for disrespect. (7,025 words)
Rating: 3,
Unremarkable
Thursday, October 1, 2015
The Deepest Rift, by Ruthanna Emrys
Tor.com, June 24, 2015; 7,802 words
Rating: 3, Good, ordinary, story
Rating: 3, Good, ordinary, story
On planet Duranga, a novice research team struggles to prove that the communication system of the "mantas" they study amounts to an actual language.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: Good, hard-science story. The question of language vs. mere communication is a big one, and the examples in the story (bee's dance, adding to lexicon, new concepts, etc.) are real ones. The fact that Sapphire is deaf is likely a subtle reference to the fact that for many years linguists denied that ASL was a true language. Likewise, the heavy emphasis on protocols aimed at preventing self-deception is probably a reference to the recent history of animal-language research, where a number of people reported results that didn't stand up.
Beyond the technical bit, the fact that the researchers make their own decision to stay together as a team amounts to a victory of sorts, and it's quite appropriate that we don't learn whether they got a good review or not for their work.
Con: Although the four researchers are also romantically involved, we never actually feel anything between them. The stakes in the story never seem to be very high--at worst they move to new jobs with new teams. There's something objectionable to the idea that a "hunch" is something to pursue even when the data say otherwise. It's a bit surprising that the government has no mechanism to handle teams that want to stay together.
Beyond the technical bit, the fact that the researchers make their own decision to stay together as a team amounts to a victory of sorts, and it's quite appropriate that we don't learn whether they got a good review or not for their work.
Con: Although the four researchers are also romantically involved, we never actually feel anything between them. The stakes in the story never seem to be very high--at worst they move to new jobs with new teams. There's something objectionable to the idea that a "hunch" is something to pursue even when the data say otherwise. It's a bit surprising that the government has no mechanism to handle teams that want to stay together.
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