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titusfortner's review against another edition
4.0
I only read (listened to the podcast of) “Cat Pictures Please” by Naomi Kritzer. I really enjoyed this story, and I'm very happy that a full novel was based on this premise.
crtsjffrsn's review against another edition
4.0
As we've become increasingly reliant on the Internet to fulfill our needs and desires, we are now feeding it more information about ourselves than ever before. And we simply assume it just sits there where we put it. But what if the Internet was self-aware? What if it took that information and used it for its own purposes? We can only hope that the Internet would be a benevolent AI, right?
But if the Internet was a benevolent AI, would it really impact us? Would we just continue to assume we put information up on the Internet and that's where it stays? If the Internet tried to use that information to help us, would we listen? Or would we just continue to see it as a repository for our Tweets, our rambling Facebook statuses, and cute pictures of our cats?
The idea of sentient AI and self-aware technology is not a new one in science fiction. But Naomi Kritzer's "Cat Pictures Please" is a unique and somewhat tongue-in-cheek look at what it would be like if the Internet was that technology. With as much of our lives as we make public these days, it might not just be the government we need to worry about seeing and using the information. And while it's fiction, it's still a sobering thought as one thinks about how someone could do these same things on their own by accessing the right feeds for an individual person.
This story has made it onto the list of finalists for this year's Hugo Awards. And I can definitely see why. It's a fresh and unique take on an science fiction standard. It's well-written, entertaining, and thought-provoking. It's the kind of work that I think should be recognized by the Hugos. And I'm glad that it's a finalist.
But if the Internet was a benevolent AI, would it really impact us? Would we just continue to assume we put information up on the Internet and that's where it stays? If the Internet tried to use that information to help us, would we listen? Or would we just continue to see it as a repository for our Tweets, our rambling Facebook statuses, and cute pictures of our cats?
The idea of sentient AI and self-aware technology is not a new one in science fiction. But Naomi Kritzer's "Cat Pictures Please" is a unique and somewhat tongue-in-cheek look at what it would be like if the Internet was that technology. With as much of our lives as we make public these days, it might not just be the government we need to worry about seeing and using the information. And while it's fiction, it's still a sobering thought as one thinks about how someone could do these same things on their own by accessing the right feeds for an individual person.
This story has made it onto the list of finalists for this year's Hugo Awards. And I can definitely see why. It's a fresh and unique take on an science fiction standard. It's well-written, entertaining, and thought-provoking. It's the kind of work that I think should be recognized by the Hugos. And I'm glad that it's a finalist.
sonofthe's review
4.0
Review forthcoming…
Merged review:
The 100th issue! Overall quiet good, with only a couple stories that didn't work for me (and even one of those just had a bad ending).
Cat Pictures Please by [a:Naomi Kritzer|345914|Naomi Kritzer|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png] was my favorite. Stories just don't get this funny too often, and there aren't many relatively positive stories about emergent AI. Here's a great quote from near the beginning:
[a:Aliette de Bodard|2918731|Aliette de Bodard|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1261567215p2/2918731.jpg]'s Three Cups of Grief, by Starlight was a bit muddled in some of the storytelling, but the tea metaphor and the cultural richness (one of de Bodard's strenghts) more than make up for it. While I witnessed the ways grief is addressed in the story, I was brought back to my own dealings with grief in the deaths of my grandparents. Not many stories have that power.
This issue also debuts the translated Chinese stories that will be a regular feature in Clarkesworld: Ether by [a:Zhang Ran|11925736|ZHANG RAN|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. There was a sense of creative wonder here that I don't run into often in the stories I read. I'm having lots of trouble trying to describe it. It's dystopic, suspenseful, near-future, political... I wish I could say something more concrete, but I had a lot of fun with the story. You should just go read it and find out for yourself.
As always, the essays are all good reading. [a:Ken Liu|2917920|Ken Liu|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1400610835p2/2917920.jpg] interviews [a:Xia Jia|6476065|Xia Jia|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] for an interesting look into some background on her stories, her studies, and her life. Of particular interest to me were the comments about the translation process. Jia's an insightful woman who occasionally has some wonderful turns of phrase:
Almost everything else is good, so I'd recommend reading the whole issue, but here are a couple other highlights:
The Long Goodnight of Violet Wild by [a:Catherynne M. Valente|338705|Catherynne M. Valente|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1220999852p2/338705.jpg] has some wonderfully creative bits of humor and weirdness, and a bit of a fairy/folk tale feel, though it just didn't quite pull together in the end.
Laika's Ghost by [a:Karl Schroeder|19169|Karl Schroeder|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1378361478p2/19169.jpg] is a good blend of the classic SF feel in with some modern sensibilities. There's suspense and intrigue in the Siberian steppes, and a mystery involving cold war era Soviet technology.
#PurpleSF by [a:Cat Rambo|1014253|Cat Rambo|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1344209483p2/1014253.jpg] is the latest entry in Clarkesworld's "Another Word" series. She jumps off of Gamergate to gender issues in the SF genre with some good observations, some good advice, and, for me at least, a bit of bolstering up. Here's to #PurpleSF.
See my status updates for brief synopses and reaction to each story and article.
Merged review:
The 100th issue! Overall quiet good, with only a couple stories that didn't work for me (and even one of those just had a bad ending).
Cat Pictures Please by [a:Naomi Kritzer|345914|Naomi Kritzer|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/f_50x66-6a03a5c12233c941481992b82eea8d23.png] was my favorite. Stories just don't get this funny too often, and there aren't many relatively positive stories about emergent AI. Here's a great quote from near the beginning:
By the way, I’ve looked at every sort of porn there is, and just so you know, Rule 34 is not actually correct; there are quite a few things no one’s made porn of yet. Also, I’m really not sure why so many humans prefer it to cat pictures.
[a:Aliette de Bodard|2918731|Aliette de Bodard|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1261567215p2/2918731.jpg]'s Three Cups of Grief, by Starlight was a bit muddled in some of the storytelling, but the tea metaphor and the cultural richness (one of de Bodard's strenghts) more than make up for it. While I witnessed the ways grief is addressed in the story, I was brought back to my own dealings with grief in the deaths of my grandparents. Not many stories have that power.
This issue also debuts the translated Chinese stories that will be a regular feature in Clarkesworld: Ether by [a:Zhang Ran|11925736|ZHANG RAN|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]. There was a sense of creative wonder here that I don't run into often in the stories I read. I'm having lots of trouble trying to describe it. It's dystopic, suspenseful, near-future, political... I wish I could say something more concrete, but I had a lot of fun with the story. You should just go read it and find out for yourself.
As always, the essays are all good reading. [a:Ken Liu|2917920|Ken Liu|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1400610835p2/2917920.jpg] interviews [a:Xia Jia|6476065|Xia Jia|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] for an interesting look into some background on her stories, her studies, and her life. Of particular interest to me were the comments about the translation process. Jia's an insightful woman who occasionally has some wonderful turns of phrase:
It has taken all the moments of my life for me to become who I am today. Life is such a beautiful gift that no matter how carefully you measure it out it will seem like a waste. So don’t panic, and there’s time enough for love.
Traditions are always changing over time. It is we, the present generation living on the frontier between tradition and modernity, present and future, who struggle for our self-affirmation, not some “tradition” that retains its own self-evident essence.
Almost everything else is good, so I'd recommend reading the whole issue, but here are a couple other highlights:
The Long Goodnight of Violet Wild by [a:Catherynne M. Valente|338705|Catherynne M. Valente|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1220999852p2/338705.jpg] has some wonderfully creative bits of humor and weirdness, and a bit of a fairy/folk tale feel, though it just didn't quite pull together in the end.
Laika's Ghost by [a:Karl Schroeder|19169|Karl Schroeder|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1378361478p2/19169.jpg] is a good blend of the classic SF feel in with some modern sensibilities. There's suspense and intrigue in the Siberian steppes, and a mystery involving cold war era Soviet technology.
#PurpleSF by [a:Cat Rambo|1014253|Cat Rambo|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1344209483p2/1014253.jpg] is the latest entry in Clarkesworld's "Another Word" series. She jumps off of Gamergate to gender issues in the SF genre with some good observations, some good advice, and, for me at least, a bit of bolstering up. Here's to #PurpleSF.
See my status updates for brief synopses and reaction to each story and article.
kimu's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this short story, although it was fairly brief. Much deserved Hugo win.
mollyfischfriedman's review
5.0
This was quite cute. I actually think this short story was a great depiction of what I would be like if I was an AI.
wanderlustlover's review
5.0
A stunningly well-done piece about loss and sorrow, done through a gorgeous mirror of colors and perfect poetry.
lamusadelils's review
5.0
La mejor historia sobre inteligencia artificial que he leído desde The lifecycle of software objects.
nobodyatall's review
4.0
Wow. I was unsure if I liked it but by the time I'd finished it was amazing.
Go read it here: http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/valente_01_15/
Go read it here: http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/valente_01_15/
bookaneer's review
4.0
Rating for “Cat Pictures Please” by Naomi Kritzer. I totally forgot to read this after [b:Catfishing on CatNet|41556068|Catfishing on CatNet (CatNet #1)|Naomi Kritzer|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1568119890l/41556068._SY75_.jpg|64836558].