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The Lifecycle of Software Objects Hardcover – July 31, 2010

4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 91 ratings


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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Is science fiction a literature of ideas, or of characters? Works that focus on the former often neglect the latter, and vice versa. It's very difficult to examine complex abstractions and simultaneously articulate the mechanisms of fiction: most writers who attempt this balancing act end up throttling back on the ideas, or fail sideways into technical writing. So Chiang's novella--the second piece he's ever published that's long enough to stand on its own, following the 2007 Hugo- and Nebula-winning The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate--is a welcome surprise: a triumphant combination of the rigorous extrapolation of artificial intelligence and artificial life, two of the high concepts of contemporary SF, with an exploration of its consequences for the ordinary people whose lives it derails. Ana Alvarado is a former zookeeper turned software tester. When Blue Gamma offers her a job as animal trainer for their digients--digital entities, spawned by genetic algorithms to provide pets for players in the future virtual reality of Data Earth--she discovers an unexpected affinity for her charges. So does Derek Brooks, an animator who designs digient body parts. The market for digients develops and expands, cools and declines after the pattern of the software industry. Meanwhile Ana, Derek, and their friends become increasingly attached to their cute and talkative charges, who are neither pets nor children but something wholly new. But as Blue Gamma goes bust and Data Earth itself fades into obsolescence, Ana and the remaining digient keepers face a series of increasingly unpleasant dilemmas, their worries sharpened by their charges' growing awareness of the world beyond their pocket universe, and the steady unwinding of their own lives and relationships into middle-aged regrets for lost opportunities. Keeping to the constraints of a novella while working on a scale of years is a harsh challenge. Chiang's prose is sparse and austere throughout, relying on hints and nudges to provide context. At times, the narrative teeters on the edge of arid didacticism; there are enough ideas to fill a lesser author's trilogy, but much of the background is present only by implication, forcing the reader to work to fill in the blanks. (Indeed, this story may be impenetrable to readers who aren't at least passingly familiar with computers, the Internet, and virtual worlds such as Second Life.) Fortunately, sheer conceptual density keeps the story solidly real. The life cycle of the software objects in question is viewed through the prism of the human protagonists' own life cycle, and this skeleton is the armature on which hangs that very rare thing: a science fictional novel of ideas that delivers a real human impact. Reviewed by Charles Stross. Charles Stross's novel The Fuller Memorandum is due out from Ace in July.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Bookmarks Magazine

Ted Chiang has made his bones in SF as a master of the short story, so a much longer work than is customary comes as a surprise. "The typical science-fiction depiction of AI is this loyal, obedient butler; you simply flip a switch, turn it on and it's ready to do your bidding. I feel like there's a huge story being glossed over," Chiang tells Boing Boing about the genesis of The Lifecycle of Software Objects. To be sure, the ethical issues that he raises and the depth of the technology (even for a novella) overshadow character development and some hasty plotting. Chiang's distinctive voice is evident here--a tech-industry insider, he's always been fluent in geek-speak and has a knack for translating heavy ideas into workable plots--and his first foray into the long form is a success. It would be his readers' good fortune if the author decided to take up novel-writing full time.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Subterranean; Deluxe Hardcover edition (July 31, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 150 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1596063173
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1596063174
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.75 x 8.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 91 ratings

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4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
91 global ratings

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Emmanuel KERHOZ
4.0 out of 5 stars GENIAL
Reviewed in France on June 6, 2011
D. R. Cantrell
5.0 out of 5 stars Superb. Just superb.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 9, 2011
3 people found this helpful
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Jonathan H N Chin
3.0 out of 5 stars not on par with some of his other work
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 1, 2013