Wednesday 4 September 2013

And still another book

Winds of Change
Asimov, I.

After a serious "history" read, I needed a SciFy escape- how about something from one of the masters- Isaac Asimov...
The Winds of Change: 20 or so short stories by Isaac Asimov; some pretty good, some pretty dull. Here's a summary:
Perfect Fit: A criminal's punishment is being forced to forget how to use computers.
Belief: A man discovers that he can levitate; nobody will believe him, so a friend explains that he must find a way to help others to help him investigate the phenomenon.
A Fair Exchange: A scientist learns how to travel in time and make very slight adjustments; and ruins his life...
For the Birds: A man discovers a way for humans to move within the thin atmosphere of space stations.
Found: Two technicians discover than mankind has been discovered by metal life forms.
Good Taste: Nope, too boring; skipped this one after 2 pages...
How it Happened: Historians Aaron and Moses record history taking place over six days because they don't have enough papyrus on hand...
Ideas Die Hard: The first men to travel to the moon aren't- they're just in a simulation.
It Is Coming: Alien computer approaches Earth; humans scramble to tune their best computer to communicate with it; the computer is accepted into the computer society.
The Last Answer: A man dies, is selected by an immortal and omnipotent being offering immortality- to think of a way to end its existence...
The Last Shuttle: The last space shuttle takes the last humans off Earth for the last time...
Lest We Remember: An average man takes experimental drug to make him extraordinary; his wife ensures that he reaches his potential.
Nothing for Nothing: Visitors from space trade with prehistoric man- technology for art.
One Night of Song: Man grants a wish to another man- his ex-girlfriend is permitted to sing perfectly- for one performance only...
The Smile That Loses: Man grants a with to a woman- a photo of her husband smiling- a husband that never smiles...
To Tell at a Glance: Young woman must identify a spy amongst a group of dignitaries.
The Winds of Change: A scientist learns how to travel in time and makes changes that affect things (yawn).

I like Asimov, but not all of his stories. I'd like to read a novel of his, but how to know if it will be one of his good ones, or another Good Taste or Lest We Remember....

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