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kasiasffrealm's review
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Thank you to Interstellar Flight Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own. The two stars are only because it really isn't my cup of tea. This is a cool collection of short stories set in a near future where humans’ main interactions are either with or through technology. The commentary on society is much more direct in these stories and it doesn’t world build very clearly for the reader. The tone of the stories often fell into a more nihilistic, absurdist type of commentary on the human relationship with technology. Each story is unique and was, overall, fun to read, but the heavy-handedness of the commentary made me bored at times — not because I don’t enjoy the commentary, I just found that it was emphasized significantly more than the character development, world-building, or writing style. The author does include content warnings, where relevant, at the start of the stories. I would recommend this to people who enjoy the dark humor, irreverence, and absurdity of stories set in cyberpunk worlds.
lisamchuk's review
3.0
Going into this, I didn't know much beyond the fact it contained sci-fi/speculative short stories, the title was compelling, and the cover was interesting, but I can confidently say I was entertained and enjoyed my time reading it. Elements include technology, AI, identity, war, magic, time travel, and colonialism, though I think the ideas are stronger than the actual prose at times. As always with short story collections, I appreciated some more than others (my favourite being "Rebuttal to Reviewers' Comments on Edits for 'Demonstration of a Novel Dracinification Protocol in a Human Subject'" for its humour), but combined together I found enough of interest to occupy me for an evening.
Thank you to Netgalley and Interstellar Flight Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Interstellar Flight Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
chocopigu's review
5.0
Very greatful to have been able to read an ARC of this book.
I was a little skeptical going into this one as I sometimes struggle with short story collections but boy was this one interesting.
I didn't enjoy some stories as much as others, which I expected, but the themes that the stories in this collection explores are very interesting and I thought they were navigated quite well.
This science fiction short story collection touches on colonial dynamics, xenophobia, segregation, the effects of technology, consumerism, and online living on society, integration of AI into society and the social implications therein, and rebellion in the face of fascism.
AIs Who Make AIs Make the Best AIs, and There Are No Hot Topics on Whukai were stand outs, and Communist Computer Rap God which is a delightful and very fun slice of life about an AI come YouTuber, is dripping with charm.
My favourite stories however are definitely the final few in the collection, which follows members of an anti-fascist resistance in an occupied France and touches back on some of the themes in previous stories.
I look forward to buying my own copy of this book so I can revisit it.
I was a little skeptical going into this one as I sometimes struggle with short story collections but boy was this one interesting.
I didn't enjoy some stories as much as others, which I expected, but the themes that the stories in this collection explores are very interesting and I thought they were navigated quite well.
This science fiction short story collection touches on colonial dynamics, xenophobia, segregation, the effects of technology, consumerism, and online living on society, integration of AI into society and the social implications therein, and rebellion in the face of fascism.
AIs Who Make AIs Make the Best AIs, and There Are No Hot Topics on Whukai were stand outs, and Communist Computer Rap God which is a delightful and very fun slice of life about an AI come YouTuber, is dripping with charm.
My favourite stories however are definitely the final few in the collection, which follows members of an anti-fascist resistance in an occupied France and touches back on some of the themes in previous stories.
I look forward to buying my own copy of this book so I can revisit it.
unboxedjack's review
challenging
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Learning to Hate Yourself as a Self-Defense Mechanism is an easily digestible and enjoyable collection of SFF and speculative fiction. Andrea Kriz does well tackling topics like AI, identity, art, xenophobia, and fascism without coming across as preachy or overbearing. The stories themselves vary in theme and structure, which gave a nice array of genres to engage in. Kriz's sci-fi seems to be her strongest amongst this collection, with her stories "Learning to Hate Yourself as a Self-Defense Mechanism", "There Are No Hot Topics on Whukai", and "Demonstration of a novel Draconification Protocol in a Human Subject" as some of my favorites. Her more fantastical works were enjoyable, but not as strong. The final few stories were more focused on time travel and its relation to the French Resistance of WW2. Though these were not as strong, I did enjoy "The Last Caricature of Jean Moulin" and its meditation on history, art, and legacy.
Overall this was a nice getaway of a short story collection to engage in for a Sunday afternoon. Kriz has some strong skills in world-building, especially within the confines of shorter fiction, yet gets caught in the weeds of trying to explain complex sci-fi or fantastical elements, taking the reader away from the story. A strong 3.5/5 stars from me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Interstellar Flight Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Overall this was a nice getaway of a short story collection to engage in for a Sunday afternoon. Kriz has some strong skills in world-building, especially within the confines of shorter fiction, yet gets caught in the weeds of trying to explain complex sci-fi or fantastical elements, taking the reader away from the story. A strong 3.5/5 stars from me.
Thank you to Netgalley and Interstellar Flight Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief, Xenophobia, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Death, Cancer, Suicide, and War
seherina's review
dark
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Thank you NetGalley and Interstellar Flight Press for the chance to read and review this book!
I absolutely love this collection. This was a refreshingly human take on AI and the transition from this into magic and time travel was amazing.
Pieces like "There Are No Hot Topics on Whukai" and "Communist Computer Rap God" are the kind of stories that stand out and should be published en masse for people to read; they are the kind of stories that make an author worth remembering. The later stories that more blatantly talk about genocide and the death of people also come at a fairly appropriate time, with the genocide in Palestine.
I absolutely love this collection. This was a refreshingly human take on AI and the transition from this into magic and time travel was amazing.
Pieces like "There Are No Hot Topics on Whukai" and "Communist Computer Rap God" are the kind of stories that stand out and should be published en masse for people to read; they are the kind of stories that make an author worth remembering. The later stories that more blatantly talk about genocide and the death of people also come at a fairly appropriate time, with the genocide in Palestine.
nishat14's review
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Interesting concepts. I enjoyed I WANT TO DREAM OF A BRIEF FUTURE. Some of the jargon was difficult to grasp and I was unsure if all stories were happening in the same world. I do like the topics that were brought to the surface when I was able to grasp the plot.
fishy27's review
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I grabbed Learning to Hate Yourself as a Self-Defense Mechanism: And Other Stories from NetGalley partly on a whim, partly because I was looking for a collection of SFF short stories. I absolutely do not regret grabbing and reading this collection, and I found that it was a really natural entry into both short stories and science fiction.
I always appreciate picking up a book and knowing that the author enjoyed writing it–Kriz exercises her various writing styles in subjects that she’s clearly passionate about. This collection covers topics like AI and its advancement, time travel from a science fiction and fantasy perspective, and dystopia. I found the stories to be cohesive, and I appreciated that each story brought something different to the table by investigating a topic from a unique angle. It helps that Kriz fluidly but decisively shifts from humor to horror and writes in different persons. I particularly liked the second-person stories, namely, “And That’s Why I Gave Up on Magic” because it reminded me a lot of This is How You Lose The Time War.
There are some really strong stories here, but I must say that I much preferred the first half of stories over the latter. I appreciate the connectedness Kriz includes across the last three stories, but I found them rather dull in comparison to the rest.
It’s difficult to read this kind of collection and not ponder what it means to be and how exactly “being” becomes an intentional choice giving its context. I felt that Kriz did a really nice job of leaning into this theme without it being trite or annoyingly overt.
Overall, an enjoyable collection of stories that would make for great content for a low-stakes book club. I don’t find that they necessarily stick with me, which is why I can’t give it 5 stars, but I do think it was well done.
Thank you to NetGalley and Interstellar Flight Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title.
I always appreciate picking up a book and knowing that the author enjoyed writing it–Kriz exercises her various writing styles in subjects that she’s clearly passionate about. This collection covers topics like AI and its advancement, time travel from a science fiction and fantasy perspective, and dystopia. I found the stories to be cohesive, and I appreciated that each story brought something different to the table by investigating a topic from a unique angle. It helps that Kriz fluidly but decisively shifts from humor to horror and writes in different persons. I particularly liked the second-person stories, namely, “And That’s Why I Gave Up on Magic” because it reminded me a lot of This is How You Lose The Time War.
There are some really strong stories here, but I must say that I much preferred the first half of stories over the latter. I appreciate the connectedness Kriz includes across the last three stories, but I found them rather dull in comparison to the rest.
It’s difficult to read this kind of collection and not ponder what it means to be and how exactly “being” becomes an intentional choice giving its context. I felt that Kriz did a really nice job of leaning into this theme without it being trite or annoyingly overt.
Overall, an enjoyable collection of stories that would make for great content for a low-stakes book club. I don’t find that they necessarily stick with me, which is why I can’t give it 5 stars, but I do think it was well done.
Thank you to NetGalley and Interstellar Flight Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title.
awatkins's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
In this collection Kriz examines the (limited and difficult) choices people are able to make within oppressive systems and what humanity means in a digital milieu that is becoming increasingly complex.
They’re not all as bleak as the title would suggest, although some are; the first story, actually called “Learning to Hate Yourself as a Self-Defence Mechanism” left me having to put the book down and stare into space for a bit. All the stories are thought-provoking and engaging, and Kriz demonstrates an eclectic and adaptable authorial voice. I highly recommend this collection!
They’re not all as bleak as the title would suggest, although some are; the first story, actually called “Learning to Hate Yourself as a Self-Defence Mechanism” left me having to put the book down and stare into space for a bit. All the stories are thought-provoking and engaging, and Kriz demonstrates an eclectic and adaptable authorial voice. I highly recommend this collection!
totaldweeb's review
4.0
Learning to Hate Yourself as a Defence Mechanism is a collection of speculative-fiction short stories that test our attitudes on AI, tech and how far we may go in the interested of innovation. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.
Andrea Kriz stories manage to be both light-hearted and belly laugh funny in parts, while addressing some of the more sinister applications of technology and human relationships elsewhere. There are stories here that seems to have come from similar ideas or worlds and I want more! The different timelines we spent saving Jean Moulin?? Yes please! I would take the astronauts stories in Delete Myself in a heartbeat.
I can't say I loved and entirely understood every story, but they all certainly got me thinking and discussing things with my partner we may not have otherwise. Classed as a win for me!
Andrea Kriz stories manage to be both light-hearted and belly laugh funny in parts, while addressing some of the more sinister applications of technology and human relationships elsewhere. There are stories here that seems to have come from similar ideas or worlds and I want more! The different timelines we spent saving Jean Moulin?? Yes please! I would take the astronauts stories in Delete Myself in a heartbeat.
I can't say I loved and entirely understood every story, but they all certainly got me thinking and discussing things with my partner we may not have otherwise. Classed as a win for me!
emychii's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5