21st Century Science Fiction: Part Four

Part four in the book review series for the book 21st Century Science Fiction.

See Part One, Part Two, Part Three

The Calculus Plague by Marissa Lingen

Summary

‎Memories can be spread like a cold. What would you do if you had that power?.

My Take

Awesome. Loved the idea and the concept of the story. Great way to tie it together at the end.

A very frightening and intriguing idea.

Erosion by Ian Crease

Summary

‎Augmented human tries out his new upgrades before leaving Earth.  How far can they push him beyond human?

My Take

If one becomes augmented then how long before we become less than human? Can we ‎keep our identity when we are only an upgrade away from another augmentation to our original form?

Great questions in this one. Interesting look at how augmentation would impact us.

One of Our Bastards is Missing by Paul Cornell

Summary

Victorian era intrigue and players in a futuristic world.

My Take

I liked how Cornell writes an engaging, fast passed story, with folding space, and advanced bio-engineering.  That said, take away the alternate physics and you have a story set in Victorian England with various empires and state players vying for power.

I am not surprised that Cornell is a writer for Doctor Who.  Add the Doctor and this could be a Doctor Who short story.

Tideline by Elizabeth Bear

Summary

A long time post war, a war machine (android Mech) finds a teenager along the beach and helps him.  She teaches him, protects him, and passes on her stories of war.

My Take

A touching story, too short.  Amazing how much Bear can present in such a short story.  Very enjoyable and I want to know more, about the boy, about the robots past, what brought them to this point, and what does the future hold for them.