![]() |
Science Fiction
Dictionary Latest By
"...if you want to know what your future looks like, don't waste your time on Analog; read Time magazine. We are already saturated in the future. "
|
![]() |
![]()
In this book of novellas, Roger Zelazny shows us some of the life experience of a man who doesn't exist. That is, according to the computer systems of this near future world, he did not exist. One of the original programmers, he was able to assign himself an identity whenever he wished. Each of the stories is a case he accepted as a contractor from a private investigative agency.
In this story, he is asked to protect a project group that seeks to create additional usable land by creating islands in the ocean. The idea is to use nuclear explosives in areas where hot lava is close to the surface.
One can reasonably speculate that this story was inspired by the creation of the island Surtsey off the coast of Iceland. In November of 1963 seamen fishing saw signs of an underwater eruption that occurred at a 130 meter depth. The resulting island eveosually totaled about 3 kilometers of new land area, with the highest point about 170 meters above sea level. It was named Surtsey for Surtur, the fire giant of Norse mythology who would set fire to the earth at the Last Judgment. This event made a great impression on me (a child at the time) and was covered at length in National Geographic.
This is a great collection of stories; the others in the book include Home is the Hangman and 'Kjwalll'kje'k'koothailll'kje'k. Comment/Join this discussion ( 0 ) | RSS/XML | Blog This | Additional
resources: RUMOKO-related
news articles:
Want to Contribute an
Item?
It's easy:
|
![]() |
Science Fiction
Timeline
WiFi and AI Team Up To See Through Walls
'The pitiless M rays pierced Earth and steel and densest concrete as if they were so much transparent glass...'
Climate Engineering In California Could Make Europe's Heat Waves Worse
'Pina2bo would have to operate full blast for many years to put as much SO2 into the stratosphere as its namesake had done in a few minutes.'
Optimus Robot Will Be A Good Nanny, Says Musk
'Nanny is different,' Tom Fields murmured... 'she's not like a machine. She's like a person.'
ESA To Build Moon Bases Brick By Printed LEGO Brick
'We made a crude , small cell and were delighted - and, I admit, somewhat surprised - to find it worked.'
Does The Shortage Of Human Inputs Limit AI Development?
'...we've promised him a generous pension from the royalties.'
Textiles That Harvest Energy And Store It
'The clothes and jewelery drew their tiny power requirements from her movements.'
LORIS Passive-Gripper Climbing Robot
'At the end of each appendage's eight fingers there are tinier appendages...'
Drug To Regenerate Teeth In Humans
'We want to do something to help those who are suffering from tooth loss or absence,' said lead researcher Katsu Takahashi.
|
![]() |
![]() |
Home | Glossary
| Science Fiction Timeline | Category | New | Contact
Us | FAQ | Advertise | ![]() Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction™ Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved. |
![]() |