Life Beyond Us: An Original Anthology of SF Stories and Science Essays, edited by Julie Nováková, Lucas K. Law & Susan Forest

To complement my recent reading of Meeting the Alien: An Introduction to Exosociology (see review here), I can't think of a better follow-up than this book I am commenting on, a publication sponsored by the European Astrobiology Institute.

This is a collection of short science fiction stories, most of them written by scientists themselves, each accompanied by an excellent essay on the story's theme. It also features contributions from top-tier science fiction writers such as Stephen Baxter, Mary Robinette Kowal and Peter Watts among others.

It would be a daunting task to comment on each story individually. Suffice it to say that the level of scientific speculation is high and that, overall, the reading has proven to be highly engaging.

Below is the index of stories and essays included in this anthology:

* Foreword (Life Beyond Us) • essay by Julie Novakova

* Introduction (Life Beyond Us) • essay by Stephen Baxter

* Hemlock on Mars / short story by Eric Choi; Planetary Protection • essay by Giovanni Poggiali

* The Dog Star Killer / short story by Renan Bernardo; That Cold Black Cloud • essay by Stefano Sandrelli

* Titan of Chaos / short story by G. David Nordley; Flying Instead of Diving • essay by Fabian Klenner

* Cloudskimmer / short story by Geoffrey A. Landis; Earth's Sister Planet • essay by Dennis Honing

* The Lament of Kivu Lacus / short story by B. Zelkovich; Robots in Space Are Great • essay by Ania Losiak

* Heavy Lies / short story by Rich Larson; Major Transitions • essay by Stephen Francis Mann

* The World of Silver / short story by Tomáš Petrásek; Wet Wet Wet • essay by William Bains

* Spider Plant / short story by Tessa Fisher; Signs of Life (and How to Find Them) • essay by Tessa Fisher

* This Is How We Save Them / short story by Deji Bryce Olukotun; Valuing Life • essay by Erik Persson;

* The Far Side of the Door / short story by Premee Mohamed; Space Agriculture • essay by Raymond M. Wheeler

* Ranya's Crash / short story by Lisa J. Krieg (trans. of Die Todbringerin) [as by Lisa Jenny Krieg]; You Are Not Alone! • essay by Jacques Arnould

* Spiral / short story by Arula Ratnakar; Spiraling Into the Unknown • essay by Tomáš Petrásek

* The Last Cathedral of Earth, in Flight / short story by Tobias S. Buckell; The Latest Black Hole Planet, in Formation • essay by Amedeo Romagnolo

* The Secret History of the Greatest Discovery / short story by Valentin D. Ivanov [as by as by Валентин Иванов]; Cooperation Without Communication • essay by Valentin D. Ivanov [as by Валентин Иванов]

* Human Beans / short story by Eugen Bacon; Microbial Life and Belonging • essay by Tony Milligan

* The Mirrored Symphony / short story by D. A. Xiaolin Spires; Mirror Images • essay by Dimitra Demertzi

* Lumenfabulator / short story by Liu Yang; Crystal Green Persuasion • essay by Nina Kopacz

* Cyclic Amplification, Meaning Family / short story by Bogi Takács; The Science of Xenolinguistics • essay by Sheri Wells-Jensen

* The Diaphanous / short story by Gregory Benford; Life 2.0 • essay by Geoffrey A. Landis

* The Sphinx of Adzhimushkaj / short story by Brian Rappatta; Finding Common Ground • essay by Philippe Nauny

* Defective / novelette by Peter Watts; How Did They Know It Was Agni? • essay by Joanna Piotrowska

* The Dangers We Choose / short story by Malka Older; The Habitability of Water Worlds • essay by Floris van der Tak

* Third Life / short story by Julie E. Czerneda; The Unveiled Possibilities of Biomaterials in Space • essay by Martina Dimoska

* Forever the Forest / short story by Simone Heller; Astra Narrans • essay by Connor Martini

* Still As Bright / short story by Mary Robinette Kowal; — And the Moon Be Still As Bright • essay by José A. Caballero

* Devil in the Deep / short story by Lucie Lukačovičová; Some Like It Hot • essay by Natuschka Lee, Lucie Lukačovičová

* Deep Blue Neon / short story by Jana Bianchi; Destined for Symbiosis • essay by Jan Toman

* Afterword I (Life Beyond Us) • essay by Wolf D. Geppert

* Afterword II (Life Beyond Us) • essay by Susan Forest and Lucas K. Law

* Acknowledgments (Life Beyond Us) • essay by editor

* About the Contributors (Life Beyond Us) • essay by editor

* About the Editors (Life Beyond Us) • essay by editor

Meeting the Alien: An Introduction to Exosociology by Andreas Anton, Michael Schetsche

What can we say about a book titled An Introduction to Exosociology? Initially, it might seem that there's nothing to say: it would be a blank book, as we have no knowledge of life beyond our planet, nor have we had any contact with extraterrestrial civilizations. I’m not being cynical; as you’ll see, the authors manage to provide a thorough study of the state of the art in this subject.

So, what do the authors mean by this book? On one hand, they address humanity’s attempts to tackle this issue. For example, the growing field of astrobiology and its research into life forms on other planets in our solar system or beyond.

As the title suggests, the book explores how extraterrestrial civilizations might organize themselves and communicate, as well as the potential effects of such interactions on human society. The authors’ approach is primarily academic and scientific, but they also incorporate—rightly, in my opinion—elements of science fiction to illustrate theories and dilemmas related to contact with extraterrestrials. For instance, the Dark Forest hypothesis from the eponymous book by the brilliant Cixin Liu.

The book addresses unconventional topics from both a sociological and scientific perspective, touching on areas like astrobiology, SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence through radio signals), and the lesser-known SETA ((Search for Extraterrestrial Artifacts, a form of astro-archeology, inspired by the Fermi Paradox). The authors also offer a critical perspective, discussing, for example, the debate about sending active signals into space with the intent to make our planet known. Or, in the case of SETA, the idea that it dangerously flirts with pseudosciences such as ufology.

It also considers the important question of how the discovery of extraterrestrial life might impact our political and social structures, and it provides a study of various cases: how the discovery of extraterrestrial life or an artifact from another civilization might affect us, and so on.

In summary, Meeting the Alien: An Introduction to Exosociology is a very interesting book for anyone interested in the study of extraterrestrial life and its implications.

Bring the Jubilee by Ward Moore

A very well-crafted alternate history. Although, as someone who is not North American, I assume I miss some details that readers from this country might appreciate, the dedication and love Ward Moore pours into his work are unmistakable. Moore imbues the novel with just the right tone, lending solidity to the story—or rather, to the (alternate) history he is telling us.

What’s curious is that the narrative begins with a premise quite different from where it ultimately leads, taking a very peculiar path through the events in which the protagonist participates, some against his will.

A highlight is the realism the author imbues into the alternate society, set in the mid-20th century (that is, the period in which it was written in 1953), where the Confederate South won the Civil War, creating a United States of America far less prosperous than it historically has been.

Another book for my virtual shelf of time travel stories, and another great classic on my list
of top 100 novels from David Pringle's book.

Inherit the Stars by James P. Hogan (Giants, #1)

 (I know there could be some mistakes in this review. I’m trying to improve my English, thanks)

I admit that I enjoyed this classic science fiction novel. Classic at an unusual time, I must say, since it was published in 1977; that is, at the height of the New Wave; but in any case, as I say, with an absolutely classic flavor. The intrigue of ‘Inherit the Stars’ deals (you can read more in the synopsis of the book) about the discovery on our Moon of a human astronaut who was buried 50,000 years ago!

Thus, with this captivating enigma - and others that emerge - the novel
develops. When I say a classic aftertaste, I mean that the author dedicates himself to solving this enigma as if it were a mystery novel, but instead of police clues in this case we have scientific ones, which leads him to long and passionate digressions on various scientific aspects (Isaac Asimov style explanations, to understand us, and of course reflecting the state of the art in 1977).

It has not been difficult for me to read it, on the contrary, as I say I have enjoyed it, among other things for the difference with much of the literature that I'm currently reading, but that it may serve as a warning for readers. Another issue that I must warn is that it is also absolutely classic with gender relations: that is, for example, that men have logical thinking and women have feminine intuition, and so on...

In short, an absolutely optimistic novel regarding the benefits of science and technology. Also with a good ending that improves the entire novel.

At the moment I don't know yet if I will read the sequels.

Noosphère par Audrey Pleynet

(Je sais qu'il pourrait y avoir des erreurs dans cette revue. J'essaie d'améliorer mon français, merci)

Superbe couverture du roman

​

Ceci est ma première critique en français :-)

J'ai adoré Rossignol et voilà que je lis ce précédent roman de l'auteur.

La prémisse est fascinante. Dans un avenir proche, apparaît la Noosphère du titre, qui est essentiellement un monde d'idées qui devient du jour au lendemain accessible à tous les habitants de la Terre. Autrement dit, tout le monde peut consulter instantanément toutes les informations. Cela peut sembler une bénédiction au premier abord - et c'est effectivement le cas - mais cela conduit aussi, par exemple, à des révolutions politiques ou à la perte du secret commercial.  

Le fait est que l’auteur développe ensuite le roman de manière assez conventionnelle, c’est-à-dire comme un thriller futuriste.

Dans l'ensemble, la lecture est assez divertissante et je considère qu'elle en valait la peine, mais si vous voulez une recommandation, lisez le magnifique Roussignol dont j'ai parlé précédemment, dans lequel il semble que l'auteur ait déjà trouvé son propre style littéraire.

La plantilla d'Olga Ravn

Ciència-ficció reflexiva, ambientada en un futur distant, per analitzar amb perspectiva algunes preocupacions del present, com ara la conciliació de les qualitats de l'ésser humà, com ara l'empatia o el sentit comunitari, amb el treball a les grans corporacions i els seus corresponents interessos. L'autora, en la seva vivència personal, s'hi troba en el cas de la seva maternitat, segons explica en una entrevista al diari Ara. D'aquí el títol de la novel·la, Los empleados en la traducció castellana.

L'anterior connecta amb un tema clàssic de la ciència-ficció però alhora molt vigent avui en dia, com és la creació d'intel·ligències artificials, a la novel·la en forma d'éssers humans artificials, i les tensions que això comporta entre les dues "races": Si bé a la nau tots són companys de feina, els humanoids són, clar, el col·lectiu discriminat; o més ben dit, doblement alienat: per una banda, per la seva condició d'empleats/des d’una gran corporació i, per l'altra, per ser considerats com un simulacre dels vertaders éssers humans.

Tot això condensat en l'entorn aïllat d'una nau espacial situada a molts anys llum del nostre planeta. És a dir, la novel·la es pot entendre com un experiment mental fet al millor laboratori possible (fa poc vaig gaudir de La nau de Pau Planas, amb un plantejament de base similar, si bé el llibre se centra en altres aspectes).

A la novela s'esmenta també un planeta, amb el convenient nom de Nova descoberta, i uns objectes misteriosos que han pujat a la nau - l'incognoscible, a la manera de Solaris de Stanislaw Lem - que actuen una mica com deus ex machina.

La novel·la es divideix en cent vuitanta micro capítols, en forma de la resposta de cada empleat/da a un hipotètic qüestionari de la corporació. Resumint, es tracta de ciència-ficció tranquil·la, ben escrita i amb algun moment sublim. Per a degustar i reflexionar una mica.

Moonraker by Ian Fleming

(I know there could be some mistakes in this review. I’m trying to improve my English, thanks)

Having seen all the movies, this is my first James Bond novel and I was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining it was the reading. I started with Moonraker because it is the highest rated in the series. 

To begin I must say that the book is very different from the movie. In this regard, contrary to many opinions, I liked Roger Moore's film (it might have something to do with the fact that it was science fiction ;-).

First paperback edition UK (1961)

About the book, I check that Ian Fleming knew how to set a spy novel, or more specifically a spy fiction novel or “Spy-Fi”. For example, the technical descriptions are good, specifically in the case of the missile that gives its name to the novel (more similar to a World War II V2 than a current rocket); although today they are somewhat outdated, they complement the novel well and currently give it a touch "retro" which I find delightful.

On the other hand, I was very intrigued by the treatment of women in the 007 novels. Well, no surprise here, the man commands and disposes, in accordance with the prevailing ideas of the time (the novel was published in 1955). However, it should be noted that the heroine, Miss Gala Brand, actively participates in the plot and, by the way, she resists the charms of James Bond (but because she is engaged to another man). More peculiar is the author description -in the mouth of James Bond- of the women who work as MI5 secretaries, destined to be "spinsters", since a love relationship is incompatible with the necessary discretion in their work, which is not the case with the men.

No surprise either with 007's main adversary, Hugo Drax, as evil as you would expect.

On the recent controversy (see link below) that it is planned to correct the James Bond novels, particularly for some racist aspects, I prefer to read them as they were written, with their original doses of racism, colonialism and machismo. They were simply other times, in which there were acceptable things that now -fortunately- they are not. In other words, what was tolerated 70 years ago is not accepted today, and some that is currently being accepted in our time it will not be so in 70 years from now (if the planet holds out, of course). On the other hand, about the disclaimer by the editors: This book was written at a time when terms and attitudes which might be considered offensive by modern readers were commonplace, I find it correct and the explanation could even be expanded further highlighting these undesirable aspects of the novel, but I not agree with correcting the original work. After all, I think that it should be the reader himself (or herself) who should criticize and judge whether these aspects of the novel are appropriate or not.

You can see the news mentioned here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/feb/27/james-bond-novels-to-be-reissued-with-racial-references-removed