Comments on: “Exhalation”, by Ted Chiang (2009) K http://theblackletters.net/exhalation-by-ted-chiang-2009-k/ a literary blog Mon, 21 May 2012 08:29:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Emera http://theblackletters.net/exhalation-by-ted-chiang-2009-k/comment-page-1/#comment-232 Emera Tue, 18 Aug 2009 03:11:34 +0000 http://theblackletters.net/?p=990#comment-232 True - Asimov is conceptual & philosophical, whereas Chiang (who is a computer scientist) is very mechanistic, at least in this one story. I know he's renowned in general for his hard SF, and pretty much all of his stories are really highly lauded (his *first* published won the Nebula, and a later won the Hugo, Nebula, AND Locus), so we should definitely hit up more of his work, too! True – Asimov is conceptual & philosophical, whereas Chiang (who is a computer scientist) is very mechanistic, at least in this one story. I know he’s renowned in general for his hard SF, and pretty much all of his stories are really highly lauded (his *first* published won the Nebula, and a later won the Hugo, Nebula, AND Locus), so we should definitely hit up more of his work, too!

]]> By: kakaner http://theblackletters.net/exhalation-by-ted-chiang-2009-k/comment-page-1/#comment-231 kakaner Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:33:31 +0000 http://theblackletters.net/?p=990#comment-231 Let's make that sweep together! Yay! I agree about Asimov-- except Exhalation was even "harder", if you know what I mean. Asimov is still extremely soft sci-fi if you really think about it... all his details are in the concepts as opposed to the technology, but it's still great and simply a different type of intelligence. Let’s make that sweep together! Yay!

I agree about Asimov– except Exhalation was even “harder”, if you know what I mean. Asimov is still extremely soft sci-fi if you really think about it… all his details are in the concepts as opposed to the technology, but it’s still great and simply a different type of intelligence.

]]> By: Emera http://theblackletters.net/exhalation-by-ted-chiang-2009-k/comment-page-1/#comment-230 Emera Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:20:27 +0000 http://theblackletters.net/?p=990#comment-230 The thing that I loved about <b>Exhalation</b> was that its basic concept was so simple (a universe based around an entirely different energy source, but still bounded by entropy), yet Chiang executed it so convincingly, and with so much complexity and beauty. (the image of the golden leaves flitting back and forth...!) It also looks as though I felt more actively engaged in the story than you, however. That's also a really good point about it being a throwback to the days of accessible but hard sf - a comment that I was going to make in my review was that it reminded me of a lot of my favorite Asimov short stories. I definitely want to try to make a clean sweep of the Hugo, Nebula, & WFA short story nominees. Should be pretty easy since publications have been putting nominees online in order to increase their reach. The thing that I loved about Exhalation was that its basic concept was so simple (a universe based around an entirely different energy source, but still bounded by entropy), yet Chiang executed it so convincingly, and with so much complexity and beauty. (the image of the golden leaves flitting back and forth…!) It also looks as though I felt more actively engaged in the story than you, however.

That’s also a really good point about it being a throwback to the days of accessible but hard sf – a comment that I was going to make in my review was that it reminded me of a lot of my favorite Asimov short stories.

I definitely want to try to make a clean sweep of the Hugo, Nebula, & WFA short story nominees. Should be pretty easy since publications have been putting nominees online in order to increase their reach.

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