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Jul 07, 2019 Al!en rated information technology information technology was amazing

"Well if you already know how the story goes, why do you need me to read it to you? "

The sentence can as well be interpreted every bit a philosophical argument, as nosotros all know that expiry is the terminate of humanity, why do we continue to live?
The more than sophisticated the language, the more complicated the people using it. Everything we understand is in the domain of our language abilities & peradventure it is the reason that nosotros hardly find a super genius deaf human.
We can consider fourth dimension as the ground of human knowledge. Westward

"Well if you already know how the story goes, why do you demand me to read it to you? "

The sentence can too be interpreted as a philosophical statement, as nosotros all know that death is the end of humanity, why do we proceed to live?
The more sophisticated the language, the more complicated the people using information technology. Everything we understand is in the domain of our linguistic communication abilities & mayhap it is the reason that we inappreciably find a super genius deaf homo.
We can consider fourth dimension as the footing of homo knowledge. What happens if we remove fourth dimension from the circle of listen? What is the relationship between the concept of linear time & our cognition about the language? The concept of world, I want to say the Truth is unique but its estimation can exist equally much as all humans who have ever lived. It reminds me a famous anecdote of Rumi:

SOME Hindus had brought an elephant for exhibition and placed it in a dark house. Crowds of people were going into that dark place to encounter the beat. Finding that ocular inspection was incommunicable, each company felt it with his palm in the darkness.
The palm of one fell on the trunk.
'This creature is similar a h2o-spout,' he said.
The paw of another lighted on the elephant's ear. To him the vanquish was plain like a fan.
Some other rubbed against its leg.
'I found the elephant'southward shape is similar a pillar,' he said.
Another laid his hand on its back.
'Certainly this elephant was like a throne,' he said.
The sensual middle is only like the palm of the mitt. The palm has not the ways of covering the whole of the best. We are like boats dashing together; our eyes are darkened, yet nosotros are in clear water.

"The concrete universe was a language with a perfectly cryptic grammar"

Information technology'southward directed a moving picture based on the story "Arrival". Both moving picture & the story explain the theory of determinism perfectly.

Music proffer for this story:
https://g.youtube.com/watch?v=rVN1B-t...

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February 27, 2022 Jordan rated it it was amazing

Arrival is my all-fourth dimension favourite movie. So naturally, I had to read this brusque story.

To say it is thought-provoking is a colossal understatement. In its short number of pages, it tin modify the way y'all perceive the universe, meaning, time, language (to name just a few).

I preferred how the film answered why the heptapods had come to Earth, how paramount and far-reaching that reason was, and how beautifully it immune the twist to be portrayed.

English language: I decided to give iv stars to this novella, written in 1998, in spite of the fact that I do not concur with its vision of time. Like Einstein, Chiang seems to believe that by and future times are indistinguishable. One of the characters says that "the central laws of physics [are] fourth dimension-symmetric" only this is false: it has forgotten nigh the second law of Thermodynamics. And forgetting about this police makes your theory "to collapse in deepest humiliation," to use Eddington's words ENGLISH: I decided to requite four stars to this novella, written in 1998, in spite of the fact that I do non agree with its vision of time. Similar Einstein, Chiang seems to believe that past and future times are indistinguishable. One of the characters says that "the fundamental laws of physics [are] time-symmetric" only this is false: it has forgotten about the 2d constabulary of Thermodynamics. And forgetting nigh this police force makes your theory "to collapse in deepest humiliation," to utilise Eddington's words.

But the description of the encounter with an alien intelligence is very adept. The mode in which that conflicting intelligence differs from ours is wonderfully described. The procedure of learning their written language is marvellously described. So, all in all, I believe this novella deserves four stars.

ESPAÑOL: He decidido darle cuatro estrellas a esta novela corta de 1998, a pesar de que no estoy de acuerdo con su forma de entender el tiempo. Como Einstein, Chiang parece creer que los tiempos pasado y futuro son indistinguibles. Uno de los personajes dice que "las leyes fundamentales de la física son simétricas respecto al tiempo", lo que no es verdad: se ha olvidado del segundo principio de la termodinámica, y olvidarse de esta ley hace que su teoría "caiga en la más profunda humillación", con palabras de Eddington.

Sin embargo, la descripción del encuentro con una inteligencia extraterrestre es muy buena. La forma en que esa inteligencia alienígena se diferencia de la nuestra está descrita maravillosamente. El proceso de aprendizaje de la lengua escrita está detallado de forma excelente. En consecuencia, creo que esta novela corta merece las cuatro estrellas.

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Why this piece of work?

I'one thousand hither squarely considering of my curiosity after having been amazed a few times by the moving-picture show -- as quite some people here seem to be (e.1000. in the comments here). I absolutely adored Villeneuve's vision, and it may be in my Acme-ten fave movies always. In hindsight (LOL! Run into what happened in that location!?), Mr Denis did an awesome job transforming a short story into a quiet, introspective, cognitive epic.

The ( Accidental : lined upward) Time Machine, Dark ... I seem to

Why this work?

I'm hither squarely because of my marvel after having been amazed a few times by the film -- as quite some people hither seem to exist (e.thou. in the comments here). I absolutely adored Villeneuve's vision, and it may be in my Top-10 fave movies e'er. In hindsight (LOL! Run into what happened in that location!?), Mr Denis did an crawly chore transforming a short story into a quiet, introspective, cerebral epic.

The ( Adventitious : lined up) Time Machine, Dark ... I seem to be in a fleck of a temporal phase.

Or out of phase...? Bad joke. Anyway; because of that, my reading notes will not be limited to, but certainly emphasize, the manner in which this story deals with the flow of time.

Originally published in the album, Stories of Your Life and Others, I had planend to larn that. Simply due to recent developments in my reading strategy, I chose to go for but the ane story.

Moderate spoiler alert: while I did my best to hide anything you don't desire to know beforehand almost this bodily short story, this review might spoil (the time-related function of) the premise of several (not-related) films and series.

Also, (view spoiler)[I still use too many parentheses and links. I'm still trying to cut downwards. (hide spoiler)].

Reading journal:

September 18, 2022 (21.09.18), outset pages: The Story Of Your Life (SOYL) so far is bit dry, peradventure. Interesting differences with the film (view spoiler)[such as the girl's eventual historic period (25) and mode of death (climbing accident); the meeting places -- conflicting telephone booths; and location of the ships -- orbit (hibernate spoiler)].

21.09.22, p30: And so far, there'southward lots of physics, mathematics and grammar. Groovy, per se, but a bit esoteric -- although I have some of the basics downwards for, and am very much interested in, both subjects.
Maybe Mr Ted just makes me feel impaired. Is that the pretentiousness that I read about? Because when A.C. Clarke heaps all manner of unknowns unto me, it never feels that way. Clarke explains it in a fun mode, not in Chiang'southward du-huh! mode. Even so, it could also be argued that Mr Ted writes better-flowing prose than Clarke, who uses much more time & infinite (pun!) for scientific exposition.
Anyway. While the plot and details are interesting to experience from the prose -- and original -- POV, the execution of the writing disappoints me a bit^. Also atmospherically, information technology leaves something to be desired. I retrieve I read it elsewhere in a review; the ideas are great, and as a whole it'south a good story, but aside from the technical side (concept, story), information technology's not also-crafted^ equally I had hoped it to be.

(^: I will have

significant things to add to this, subsequently. Please read on!)

21.09.23, p32: As I may have mentioned elsewhere, I am currently re-watching the German series, Dark. Role of the the premise of SOYL makes me empathize parts of Dark better. Namely, How can we do things exactly as we did them 'before' -- as determined by a fourth dimension travel loop, or precognition -- thus maintaining the loop that is presented in, e.g., Dark -- or allowing for the assumptions of SOYL? This story offeres an caption -- it is described by the protagonist equally a sense of urgency and determination, perhaps only semi-consciously, to complete the cycle: "An instinct that I felt right in post-obit". The scene in which this is desccribed -- the ownership of a salad bowl (p30) that will later hurt her every bit-yet unconceived kid -- makes clear the assumption that the protagonist cannot help but fulfil the requirements of the pre-destined loop, fifty-fifty had she wanted to alter the future. But she has an urge to uphold the future as she knows it to happen. This (view spoiler)[mental (hibernate spoiler)] attribute of the history-is-unchangeable premise was very interesting to me, both in this story also as for, eastward.m., understanding Night a bit better.

21.09.24, 03h57: For some undeterminable reason, I tin can't sleep. Happens every few months or half-twelvemonth or so; I'll take the feeling of having been wide awake literally the whole night. Ryan Matejka's BR Meditative Ambiences do soothe my mind; and since I have a free day and don't have a lot planned tomorrow, it'south only mildly annoying. However, I've been reading a few pages -- and added to my notes.

A quote (p33) which fleshes out further, the to-me novel concept of (view spoiler)[a psychological, intrinsic aspect for upholding the timeline: "The heptapods are neither free nor spring as nosotros sympathize those concepts; they don't act according to their will, nor are they helpless automatons. What distinguishes the heptapods' mode of awareness is not just that their actions coincide with history'due south events; information technology is also that their motives coincide with history's purposes. They act to create the hereafter, to enact chronology." (hide spoiler)]

That's very interesting. I hadn't expected the story to add anything new to its extended Worf-ish [sic] concept of "if language changes our encephalon/consciousness, (view spoiler)[how could a totally alien linguistic communication re-shape it? (hide spoiler)] that I found absolutely fascinating in the picture show. Just as said, it taught me something new about some fourth dimension travel plots!

Of which, I ever say, there are 2 main varieties: the ones where meddling with the timeline results in changes ("v1") that might need to be rectified (e.one thousand., Back To The Time to come, Star Trek) and where free volition seems to allow characters to permanently influence the flow of events; and those where altering anything in the by volition actually, "naturally", result in shaping the future (incl. the "present" that we started out from) into that which we knew it to be ("v2").

Something like 12 Monkeys (the 90s moving-picture show; oasis't seen series) might be seen equally a specific, more rigid, sub-variant of the 2d diversity ("v2a"): nix tin can or will be effectively inverse by fourth dimension travellers; it has ever happened exactly this manner. Information technology seems the time travel event had zero bear on on the future. Costless volition is effectively absent.

I run across that sub-category as somewhat carve up, because in another perceived sub-variant of variety 2, information technology seems that changes can and volition -- permanently? -- be made by the time travel effect ("v2b"), and/or it seems that the characters really accept an influence in-situ; The Terminator (offset film) is a good case. But this might only experience unlike to me -- less rigid -- when, in fact, it plays out the same as v2a: ultimately, zippo changes. Big chunks of Dark seemed to work that fashion...?

I love how the latest Nolan moving picture (Tenet) succeeds to detect a new angle to all this (even though it seems to autumn squarely in Main Variety ane). (I continue saying, 'seems'; because in truth, information technology could be hands argued of each time travelling story that information technology falls in another variety. We can't truly tell what would've happened if something had "changed differently"... unless a number of various manipulations of the timeline either have either the aforementioned or a different end result. Equally in, say, the Time Car film of 2002 -- which makes it a "v2a"? I recall? As Janeway said -- information technology'due south the stuff of headaches.)

SOYL plays with all that, too, like Tenet does; just in a much more subtle, and scientifically grounded, way. And it'southward (view spoiler)[not actually a time travel story. Arguably, though, information technology may detect a middle road betwixt "my varieties" -- past knowing the future, one invariably loses the will, and thus the risk and/or capability, to change it. Which ways it boasts a v2a philosophy. (hide spoiler)]

BTW, I had to

await upward a few terms (which happens more than often, merely I rarely remember to mention nor record my findings; TIAGAPAA*): teleology, not sequitur, locus, transmutation (I was fairly sure I knew this last one; simply wanted to be sure it was the correct estimation).

(*: Another fine case of "This Is Equally Good A Place As Any", a.k.a. my GoodReads reviews.)

Concluding verdict & conclusions:

21.09.23: Finished, while doing my halfhearted sports around noon (only barely waylaid past my sleepless nighttime; kudos for me).
The story for me is too curt to be "utterly awesome"; as are most shorts. Its content receives a solid "great" (4*), its execution^ barely a "nice" (rounded upwardly toa meagre 3*), its characters get a low-2*. Another reviewer mentioned that the relationships are a plus. I agree; thanks for pointing it out! Indeed, they might be used to great consequence; used, consecutively, every bit fitting and aluring illustrations of the core ideas. But the people who have them remain... a chip flat. Information technology's too much of a short, after all.

(^: Improver, 21.09.24: what I meant hither, is the solely the sentence-level writing. Judgement structure, dialogue, descriptions. They're "okay" but could've been better/more interesting/more poetic/atmospheric. However, in the final paragraphs of my journal here, I'll add my thoughts on the narrative/structure; and that is extremely well done. Together with the central premise, information technology really elevates this story to greatness for me.)

I don't do actual mathematics when "averaging" my just-as-arbirtary sub-scores; notwithstanding the total would be a low-to-mid-3* rating, just for the awesome -- and, as far as I know, novel? -- ideas it presents. And in a very clear and understandable way. I mean, a lot of the grammar and physics technobabbles went over my caput; merely the psycho-temporal repercussions for me were at the core of SOYL, and they were eloquently and effectively voiced. In the end I must come the conclusion that I knew beforehand (heheh), and echo it: solid four*.

After a few hours it occurs to me: had I non seen the film first, I'd have rated this 5*. But for all intents and purposes, the film is (fifty-fifty!) amend -- because it's longer.
No; I don't listen maxim films are meliorate than books. Sometimes they just are. I remember The Lord of the Rings, and parts of The Hobbit, are improvements; there are other examples. Information technology may not always be easy improving on a bully idea; just in the easily of experts, information technology can certainly be done.
However, Chiang coined the plot and the premise, and that'southward what the well-deserved 4th * is for. Mayhap SOYL could've been a 5* masterpiece standing on its own, if it had been a novella or a novel?

Look. What it did

4*-ishly (reconsidered:) five*-ishly well, was use its structure -- the story's narrative jumps -- to outstanding effect! What could've been a rather artificially jumping-to-and-fro between diverse points in The Protagonist'due south life, felt actually actually fresh, natural, and not at all confusing nor vexing. (In like structures I often want to become back or movement forwards to a different vantage point; here, I accepted the jumps and went with them, subconsciously enjoying their elegance.) There were easy-to-encounter logical bridges between the segments, and they felt so un-forced, that only now -- well-nigh dinner-fourth dimension -- information technology occurs to me that this could've been a lot more than clunky in such a brusque work (my reader counted effectually 40p in full). Being then proficient that it isn't even noticable is the mark of a true master. I haven't read anything else past Chiang notwithstanding, and I can't justify increasing the score to 5* (yet?)... but my respect for this story has kept growing over the course of writing my notes, despite its superficial flaws.

And building on that -- I think its flaws might exist superfical, yes; but I feel they are not coincidences. I call back at that place are some things lacking (as mentioned to a higher place) in the story / writing fashion, that I do really similar to read near / run into; and that'south why I still withhold that 5th *. But this is certainly a swell story to spend some moments with.
You already know you want to.

                                                              (Internal review #93.)                                                          

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February 21, 2022 Sheila rated it actually liked it

I have dipped into Ted Chiang'south science fiction stories before and today I read the title story ( more than a novella actually) from his collection Stories of Your Life and Others. I loved it. Information technology is the story from which the movement Inflow is made https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/, directed by Denis Villeneuve who has just done the new Dune film. Both movies impressed me and made me think most reading the originating works. The novella was a Hugo Honour Nominee for Best Novella (http://world wide web.thehugoawa I have dipped into Ted Chiang's science fiction stories earlier and today I read the title story ( more a novella really) from his collection Stories of Your Life and Others. I loved it. Information technology is the story from which the move Arrival is made https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/, directed by Denis Villeneuve who has only washed the new Dune movie. Both movies impressed me and fabricated me think well-nigh reading the originating works. The novella was a Hugo Honour Nominee for Best Novella (http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-his...) and a Nebula Accolade for Best Novella Winner (https://nebulas.sfwa.org/honour-twelvemonth/1...) in 1999, and the collections won Locus Award for Best Collection in 2003 (https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_2003) .

Story of Your Life is nearly a linguist working to understand alien visitors, the Heptapods. Her coworker is a physicist and they eventually volition have a child. The unravelling of the style the visitors remember, their maths, their language is quite abstruse in the movie from what I think from seeing it when information technology came out, but in the story it is described in great particular, in neat linguistic detail.

In the story Chiang creates a fantastic world view where, although remaining earthbound, the differences are explored by style of how language and writing is used to communicate. Whereas nosotros see the world in sequential terms of cause and effect and our spoken and written languages are structured appropriately with variants on Subject Verb Object structure to reverberate our sequential method of percieving the world and events. In contrast, the Heptapods parse their perceptions of things differently, working with a simultaneous manner of consciounessness, and their, to usa highly complex, semasiographic writing organization reflects this. They know the outcome before starting their judgement and linguistic communication itself is a form of action where "saying equaled doing"

Interspersed with this linear recollection of the unravelling of their langauge, is the personal 'Story of Your Life' , namely the life of their child to which we are given insights. That story is told from, and finishes with, when he proposes that they make a baby, "the most important moment of our lives". Here time is distorted, with some of the child's life existence told in the past, some in the future. That is a very clever way to illustrate what working with the Heptapods gives the linguist "ocassionally I have glimpses when Heptapod B truly reigns, and I experience past and futurity all at once; my consciousness becomes a half-century-long ember burning outside of time" At that moment of his proposal, she knows the destination, and she and we know that in that location will exist ups and downs along the route, but she notwithstanding says yes. Leaving us heart warmed and centre broken, wondering what we would do if we knew for certain the futurity?

In places information technology is not an easy story to read with all the linguists, but if the movie didn't make sense to you, effort and persevere with the story, I remember it really makes its case well.

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January 07, 2022 Taylor Griggs rated it information technology was amazing

This is a short story non a volume but I totally fell off my reading claiming last yr and I need to put something on here to reward my impaired encephalon. Anyway this story was really slap-up and made my dumb encephalon grow a bit

Jul 13, 2021 Sherry rated it really liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view information technology, click here. So much to ponder in this slim novella. Two narrations are intertwined: Dr Banks narrates her experience learning the language used by the Heptapods and vignettes of her daughter'due south life.
In one vignette her daughter complains when the mom changes up the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. "That'due south not how the story goes." [the niggling girl complains] "Well if you lot already know how the story goes, why do you need me to read it to you?" replies mom. Why indeed?
Complimentary will vs determinism, and how t So much to ponder in this slim novella. Two narrations are intertwined: Dr Banks narrates her experience learning the language used past the Heptapods and vignettes of her daughter's life.
In one vignette her girl complains when the mom changes up the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. "That'due south non how the story goes." [the little girl complains] "Well if you already know how the story goes, why do you need me to read it to you?" replies mom. Why indeed?
Gratis will vs determinism, and how to you lot keep living if you lot know the unthinkable is going to occur? Chiang masterfully asks so much in these 54 pages. ...more than

this novella was incredible. it was assigned to me every bit a reading for a course, but i really enjoyed it. the movie Arrival was based on the novella and i began to see the similarities towards the stop of the story but having seen the movie first didn't spoil much. if you lot have an hour to spare i would x/ten recommend checking information technology out

Feb 12, 2022 Stephi rated information technology liked it

Actually interesting (simply the daughter is really annoying, which made that plotline less sympathetic).

Jun 04, 2021 Alexandra rated it it was amazing

The all-time of the genre! I honey surrealist science fiction short stories, specially when they are so perfectly created like this one. I loved that linguistics/anthropology featured prominently, not just as a background context simply as a tool to understand the message the writer is trying to convey. As the main character linguist says in the story, sometimes language can exist performative or execute an activity itself just through words. This story does that by perfectly weaving together past, present, The all-time of the genre! I dear surrealist scientific discipline fiction brusk stories, especially when they are and so perfectly created like this i. I loved that linguistics/anthropology featured prominently, not merely as a groundwork context but as a tool to sympathise the message the author is trying to convey. As the main character linguist says in the story, sometimes language tin can be performative or execute an activeness itself only through words. This story does that by perfectly weaving together past, nowadays, and future. I recollect the movie does a successful job interpreting this as well. ...more

May 05, 2020 Amy rated it really liked it

might bump this up to 5-star. A fascinating (despite data 'dumps' about linguistics and in some cases physics) story about a linguist called in past the government to larn to speak with aliens of unknown motivation and how this changes her forever. Every passage is paired with a retention of her daughter, bringing humanity, tragedy and depth to the tale. Lovely ruminations on costless-will vs. fate.
Now i'll have to become run across the movie. might bump this up to 5-star. A fascinating (despite information 'dumps' about linguistics and in some cases physics) story almost a linguist called in by the government to learn to speak with aliens of unknown motivation and how this changes her forever. Every passage is paired with a memory of her daughter, bringing humanity, tragedy and depth to the tale. Lovely ruminations on free-volition vs. fate.
At present i'll take to go see the movie. ...more than

December 24, 2020 Kirby rated it information technology was ok

DNF

I liked the premise of Tower of Babylon and Story of Your Life, but none of the stories are satisfying or particularly literary. The writing style is drawn out and imprecise; Chiang'southward semicolons and participial phrases brand the reading experience clunky and tedious. I'chiliad not sure if this is how most sci-fi is like, but his tone comes off as pretentious and "high-brow", which is abrasive to read. There'due south a big audition that lauds his piece of work, but count me out for the encore.

DNF

I liked the premise of Tower of Babylon and Story of Your Life, only none of the stories are satisfying or especially literary. The writing fashion is drawn out and imprecise; Chiang's semicolons and participial phrases make the reading experience clunky and dull. I'grand not sure if this is how nearly sci-fi is like, but his tone comes off equally pretentious and "high-brow", which is annoying to read. There'south a big audition that lauds his work, but count me out for the encore.

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January 03, 2022 Bradley rated it really liked it

I've seen this author somewhere on Goodreads every bit a recommendation from another user. I'd never forget that GR photo, haha.I remember they but wrote a actually cool review encouraging me to read Ted Chaing's work. Now I've got the adventure. A bit longer piece than what I've read and so far on my short story journey. I am singling out stories that plain are featured in collections or anthologies. Here's an interesting blurb "he has never written a novel just is one of the well-nigh busy scientific discipline fiction I've seen this author somewhere on Goodreads equally a recommendation from some other user. I'd never forget that GR photo, haha.I think they merely wrote a really cool review encouraging me to read Ted Chaing's work. Now I've got the take chances. A bit longer piece than what I've read so far on my brusk story journeying. I am singling out stories that obviously are featured in collections or anthologies. Here'southward an interesting blurb "he has never written a novel but is one of the most decorated scientific discipline fiction writers currently working" well right on, I'thousand reading a story almost someone who is still kicking! It's impressive.

I suppose there might exist spoilers from here. Heads upward!

What else is impressive is that I tin can see why these stories are given awards and nominations, et cetera. To take a agglomeration of jargon thrown at me is unremarkably a plough off, only Ted does a PHONOMENAL chore of keeping y'all engaged and able to follow forth if y'all put in any kind of effort. I read this at 2 in the morning time and was able to follow, or maybe I only thought I was following XD My inner vocalization still sounds silently in English. I've pondered the central theme explored, However to acquaintance that dissimilar thought patterns could induce a meditative state is something that I've not entertained.

Furthermore the implications of such a thing are quite big. I'd compare this to Arthur Clarke's Childhood's Finish where our coming together with aliens leaves usa quite inverse. 1 of the biggest takeaways from that novel for me is the aliens did not give a flight flip most the types of governments we used. Here, it'southward that the aliens use two modes of communication, i inner and one outer (my ain denomination). Ted very well might accept made up all the scientific discipline-fiction, or information technology might be legitimate science post-obit an unproven, fictional path, either manner the logic adds up.

The blurbs with the mother-daughter relationship as well captured a verse(?) that might also juxtapose the languages our main adversary endeavored to scissure. I'grand sure there's plenty packed in here and I didn't unpack it all. Like a Christmas present you're most to toss and the gifter says "there's more."

Well played Ted. I look forward to reading more of your piece of work.

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Sep 07, 2021 Ayon Ibrahim rated it it was amazing

The globe of science-fiction is filled with stories of humans encountering aliens and fighting, and/or trading with them - but very few accept the time to explore the fascinating difficulty of communicating with a species that evolved in such a completely environment. This story presents a very absurd foray into precisely that, and information technology was quite enjoyable to read. Its ruminations about free will and determinism are also very idea-provoking.

I watched the movie based on this story (The Arrival, gre

The globe of science-fiction is filled with stories of humans encountering aliens and fighting, and/or trading with them - just very few take the time to explore the fascinating difficulty of communicating with a species that evolved in such a completely environment. This story presents a very cool foray into precisely that, and information technology was quite enjoyable to read. Its ruminations about free will and determinism are also very thought-provoking.

I watched the movie based on this story (The Inflow, nifty film) before reading this story; some might argue that it's better to feel them in the reverse gild. Simply I am going to accept a cheeky leaf out of this volume and say that it doesn't matter either way ;)

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Jan 20, 2022 Wen rated it it was amazing

5 stars

A thought provoking piece on free will vs determinism and how language tin change the mode nosotros perceive the earth and time. Sci-fi for linguists and philosophers and a good dash of Oral communication Act Theory thrown in. I loved information technology! I read this before seeing the movie, and so we will encounter what the movie does with these concepts.

January 24, 2022 Amanda rated it really liked it

honestly rlly cool concept with how time and reality and honey is perceived, it got a footling as well technical at times which could make it hard to follow only once i finished reading it everything came together. chiang is such a skilled writer i am blown away

Pretty satisfying for cognitive sci Fi, but besides leaves a nice palatableness of questions and estimation. Highly recommended!!!

Jan 15, 2022 Fave rated it really liked it

Interesting to meet how Hollywood adapted this story into a motion-picture show. Intriguing concepts and very science-ey. Tin can see why the adjusted screenplay won an Oscar. Was able to add a bigger scale/scope and make simpler the science within the story. Happy I watched the motion picture first.

Ted Chiang got me reading sci-fi after iv-5 years. hope to pick up more of his works in time to come.

Overnice curt story I read for my Scientific discipline Fiction grade. Kinda hard to follow simply I watched the film and so I don't think it was as bad for me.

Jul 02, 2021 Coral rated information technology it was astonishing

"Story of Your Life" independent the most thought-provoking and artistic portrayal of extraterrestrial intelligent life that I've ever read. In my opinion, the greatest challenge with writing aliens is imagining a life form different from what we know—in other words, sufficiently "alien" from ourselves. Aye, Ted Chiang's octopods have inventive beefcake, technology, and culture, but (no spoilers) in addition, the style they experience the universe is so fundamentally different from united states that I spent a "Story of Your Life" contained the most thought-provoking and creative portrayal of extraterrestrial intelligent life that I've ever read. In my opinion, the greatest claiming with writing aliens is imagining a life grade different from what we know—in other words, sufficiently "conflicting" from ourselves. Yes, Ted Chiang'southward octopods have inventive anatomy, technology, and culture, merely (no spoilers) in addition, the style they experience the universe is so fundamentally different from united states of america that I spent a skillful one-half hour staring at a wall second-guessing my 5 senses.

Highly recommend! If you're not into the physics or linguistics stuff, the homo story volition draw yous in too.

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December 19, 2021 Simon rated it information technology was amazing

Story of Your Life by Mr Ted Chiang is i of the best scientific discipline fiction short stories I have ever read. The concept is original and challenging, and the execution is flawless. As can be seen from the accompanying flick, the movie Inflow was based on the story. I liked the movie, but the bodily story is even ameliorate.

The story is told through the eyes of Louise Banks who is a linguist working at a university. She is contacted by military who need her assist in communicating with an alien race that

Story of Your Life past Mr Ted Chiang is 1 of the best scientific discipline fiction brusk stories I have ever read. The concept is original and challenging, and the execution is flawless. Equally can exist seen from the accompanying pic, the motion picture Arrival was based on the story. I liked the moving picture, but the bodily story is fifty-fifty meliorate.

The story is told through the optics of Louise Banks who is a linguist working at a academy. She is contacted by military who demand her help in communicating with an conflicting race that have mysteriously appeared in 112 locations around Earth. They don't seem to be ambitious or want annihilation from humans, merely they have set up 'looking glasses' where they can interact with humans (from a distance). They do so in what seems to be random locations effectually Earth.

Of class, with an alien 'invasion', the government and armed services assume command of the interactions. They assume the worst intentions. They also don't desire to lose out to other nations who may be able to become something more out of the alien contact. Everything is meridian underground, but they need someone to work out how to communicate with the aliens. They don't speak anything representing human languages. Indeed their 'language' seems to be utterly incomprehensible at first. So they contact Louise, equally a well-respected expert in languages, to help them empathise what the aliens are trying to say, and what their purpose for coming here is.

Louise is assigned to work with Gary Donnely, a math expert. They slowly develop strategies that provide a means for mutual understanding. The 'grammer' of the alien language is extremely strange, and their spoken and written languages are very different. As they slowly brainstorm to understand how the aliens think, they discover that they have different conceptions of time and space. They don't think of time as linear, the way humans do. Their linguistic communication and epistemology reflect this. The beginnings of and endings of their thoughts occur simultaneously, as though they know what is going to be said even as they brainstorm an utterance. And by extension, they know the end of things from the very showtime of their beingness.

This dull awakening to the alien's way of thinking has a profound outcome on Louise. Equally she probes deeper into their written form of linguistic communication, she understands the gestalt mode they accept of expression, and she herself starts to recall the way that aliens do, in their linguistic communication.

Running adjacent with this narrative is the story of Louise's life and the daughter she has with Gary. (Gary and Louise slowly grade a romantic relationship due to the closeness of their working relationship). Louise'southward life is explained in little snippets of retentivity she has, especially with her connection to her girl. These snippets are interspersed around the main narrative. Of course, in that location are the normal arguments and problems Louise has with raising a daughter, just like any parent-child human relationship, just it is grounded in a deep dear they take for each other. Her daughter, she realizes, is an independent and willful girl, and Louise ultimately has no control over her life or how she lives it. The course of her girl'southward life is particularly tragic as she dies in her 20s in a climbing blow. Merely it is not revealed to usa as we read that these events are happening afterward the alien connection.

The clever way the story of Louise and her daughter connect with the story of alien contact is that, without knowing information technology at the time, Louise has become able to feel time as happening all at in one case, and so the past and the future are all like the 'now', experienceable as feeling of gestalt. This enables her to know her own life from start to end, and the cognition that her daughter volition die before her. She knows this even before she decides to have a infant. Only she accepts that the pain of knowing of her girl's premature decease will be compensated for by the value and significant of her life, and the love that children and parents share. It is such a deplorable idea, only when y'all think nearly it, information technology really reflects the way nosotros alive life ourselves. We know that life will end, only nosotros don't know when. But we do it anyway, considering the journeying and the people we meet is actually the fun office (or the meaningful part). Simply in all of us, especially as we grow older, there is a recognition that one day it volition end, for us and all the people we dear. Who dies start seems irrelevant in the larger scheme of things.

Here is an example of how he expresses these ideas from the story:

"Occasionally I have glimpses when Heptapod B (the alien written language) truly reigns, and I experience by and future all at once; my consciousness becomes a one-half-century long ember burning outside fourth dimension. I perceive that entire epoch as a simultaneity. Information technology's a period covering the rest of my life, and the entirety of yours."

This is a powerful and emotional story, kind-of driven by a sci-fi plot, but ultimately it is about how we live our lives, with the sad foreknowledge that one day we won't be here.

Ted Chiang demonstrates excellent control of verb tenses to make the story unfold as a kind of mystery. He besides maintains masterful control of a complicated narrative. And he does so in but 64 pages. In my opinion, it truly is as amazing and original as sci-fi writing tin can get.

Highly recommended!

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Read "paper" version from short story collection - basis for sci-fi flick ARRIVAL Read "paper" version from short story collection - ground for sci-fi movie Inflow ...more than

Read this to go the check mark on Reddit Fantasy'due south 2022 Bingo Foursquare Showtime Contact, this qualifies for Hard Fashion as war does not pause out. Collected in Stories of Your Life and Others, this novella was nominated for the 1999 Hugo and Locus awards, and won the 2000 Nebula and Theodore Sturgeon Awards for Best Novella. It was adapted into the wonderful Science Fiction movie, "Arrival". There are some parts where the novella is meliorate than the movie, and vise versa, simply both are great and worth r Read this to go the check mark on Reddit Fantasy'south 2022 Bingo Square First Contact, this qualifies for Hard Fashion as war does not intermission out. Nerveless in Stories of Your Life and Others, this novella was nominated for the 1999 Hugo and Locus awards, and won the 2000 Nebula and Theodore Sturgeon Awards for Best Novella. It was adapted into the wonderful Science Fiction movie, "Arrival". There are some parts where the novella is improve than the picture, and vise versa, but both are great and worth reading/watching.

The story is actually a proficient combination of cerebral, emotional and philosophical. The cerebral parts centre around the difficulty of learning a new linguistic communication, the one used by aliens, without which communication would be impossible. Every bit a lifelong student of languages (admitting fairly unsuccessfully for some of them), the reader immediately grasps this. At that place is an added wrinkle as the alien'due south language also encompasses another dimension not nowadays in any man linguistic communication. This attribute of the story unfolds in a natural progression, convincing in its realism.

One time that big reveal is done, nosotros can now ponder the ethical, moral, emotional and philosophical ramifications of determinism on the protagonist, Dr. Louise Banks. The biggest thing I did not expect was that past learning the language of the heptapods, she inverse herself as well. This makes the initial narration to her daughter on the twenty-four hour period of the daughter's birth even more heart breaking. Past end of the story I was crying considering I understood, and was moved. So good, highly recommended.

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Dec 26, 2021 Ana rated information technology it was amazing

Wow. I saw the movie ages ago when it was released, but I never knew it was a book adaptation!! Yesterday I was searching for short stories to read (in club to meet my 2022 reading challenge lol) and then the championship of this book intrigued me. And and so I saw it was the story of the flick Arrival... And then I was really eager to read information technology.

I was not disappointed. I loved this story. And I loved it even more than considering it fabricated me remember the film, which I also loved. It's actually interesting that Louise is n

Wow. I saw the motion picture ages ago when it was released, only I never knew it was a book adaptation!! Yesterday I was searching for short stories to read (in social club to run into my 2022 reading challenge lol) so the title of this book intrigued me. And and then I saw it was the story of the movie Inflow... And so I was really eager to read it.

I was not disappointed. I loved this story. And I loved it even more because information technology fabricated me remember the motion-picture show, which I likewise loved. Information technology'south actually interesting that Louise is narrating her past to her daughter, while besides talking of the future... The concept of "simultaneous mode of awareness" of the heptapods is actually interesting and intrigues me. I'm someone who actually loves languages, and even if I'thousand not a linguistic, I sympathise that speaking dissimilar languages permit united states to think and to see the worl differently. That's why I dearest linguistic communication learning. But this book raises the fact that all human language are built the aforementioned way: we see life through sequences ("sequential mode of awareness"). So, what if a language could allow usa to see the earth in such a different perspective it could allow the states to meet the past, present and future as a whole ?

"Sure, heptapods already knew what would be said in any conversation; but in order for their knowledge to be true, the conversation would have to take place"

Super interesting reflexion. Super interesting book. And all that in less than a hundred pages ! ...more

Sep 21, 2021 liz! rated it it was amazing

"Can I be, um, honored?"
I'll look up fromom the paper I'm grading. "What do you mean?"
"At school Sharon said she got to be honored."
"Really? Did she tell you what for?"
"It was when her big sister got married. She said just i person could be, um,
honored, and she was it."
"Ah, I run into. You hateful Sharon was maid of honor?"
"Yep, that'southward it. Can I be made of honor?"

^ the first of many passages that awed me.
i usually don't 'get' much out of curt fiction only this was a gr8 autopsy of linguistic communication, exis

"Tin can I be, um, honored?"
I'll look up fromom the paper I'chiliad grading. "What exercise you hateful?"
"At schoolhouse Sharon said she got to be honored."
"Really? Did she tell you lot what for?"
"It was when her large sister got married. She said only one person could be, um,
honored, and she was it."
"Ah, I meet. You lot mean Sharon was maid of honour?"
"Yes, that'south information technology. Tin can I exist made of laurels?"

^ the first of many passages that awed me.
i unremarkably don't 'get' much out of curt fiction merely this was a gr8 dissection of linguistic communication, existence, consciousness and free will through the apply of character relationships, language theory and physics. i'm glad i've tried education myself a language earlier so i have a personal agreement on how the course of language tin can differ and how different linguistic differences can affect how you view the world (sapir-whorf hypothesis ftw idc what anyone says lmao), which definitely helped buffer some of the physics parts which took me a chip to grasp merely i think it even w/o that this was nonetheless super well-written.

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January 21, 2022 Tuna Willow rated information technology it was amazing

A fantastic alloy of linguistics, physics, and philosophy.

Humans are obsessed with free will. It is what they claim distinguishes them from mutual beasts. The fight for free will created human rights, and information technology incites conflict between the religious and atheists. "If God exists then nosotros don't have free volition," they say. Why do nosotros want so much to control the sequence of events? To control the causality of things? We derive personal value from making our own decisions.

"Story of Your Life" creates an

A fantastic blend of linguistics, physics, and philosophy.

Humans are obsessed with free will. It is what they claim distinguishes them from common beasts. The fight for free volition created human rights, and it incites conflict betwixt the religious and atheists. "If God exists and then we don't have free will," they say. Why exercise nosotros want then much to control the sequence of events? To command the causality of things? We derive personal value from making our own decisions.

"Story of Your Life" creates an intelligent species that doesn't care nigh costless will. They perceive actions simultaneously; everything that transpires in an execution of a plan that already existed. Heptapods see the beginning and the end -- all else falls into identify naturally, beautifully. The path is not "set" or "defined," just it happens to be the best. Free will or coercion - heptapods do not intendance. They live to observe how events fall into identify given the beginning (birth) and end (expiry). The nodes are set. The path volition reveal itself.

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Dec 25, 2021 Kireth rated information technology really liked it

4/5
A mind-melting mix of semantic jargon that explores the notions of free will, causality versus teleology and parenthood. While the twist is made articulate far earlier in the novella when compared to the film Arrival, this gave Chiang space to swoop deeper into both the scientific and emotional ramifications of the two-dimensional Heptapod B language. For this reason I practice think Villeneuve's picture leaves a far more powerful bear on on its audience, despite being more than scientifically shallow than that 4/v
A mind-melting mix of semantic jargon that explores the notions of free will, causality versus teleology and parenthood. While the twist is made clear far earlier in the novella when compared to the picture Arrival, this gave Chiang space to dive deeper into both the scientific and emotional ramifications of the ii-dimensional Heptapod B language. For this reason I do think Villeneuve's movie leaves a far more powerful impact on its audition, despite being more scientifically shallow than that of the short story.

With Stories of Your Life being less focused on having a momentum-driven plot with exciting visual conflict nevertheless readers are given more spaced out, non-linear glimpses of how linguist Dr. Louise Banks raises her child. It actually does experience like stepping inside captured moments which summarise a mother-daughter relationship, and properly explains the inevitability of knowing the future.

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Ted Chiang is an American speculative fiction writer. His Chinese name is Chiang Feng-nan. He graduated from Brown Academy with a Computer Science degree. He currently works as a technical author in the software industry and resides in Bellevue, near Seattle, Washington. He is a graduate of the noted Clarion Writers Workshop (1989).

Although not a prolific writer, having published only eleven sh

Ted Chiang is an American speculative fiction writer. His Chinese name is Chiang Feng-nan. He graduated from Brown University with a Information science degree. He currently works as a technical writer in the software industry and resides in Bellevue, most Seattle, Washington. He is a graduate of the noted Clarion Writers Workshop (1989).

Although not a prolific author, having published but eleven short stories as of 2009, Chiang has to date won a string of prestigious speculative fiction awards for his works: a Nebula Laurels for "Tower of Babylon" (1990), the John West. Campbell Honour for Best New Writer in 1992, a Nebula Honor and the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award for "Story of Your Life" (1998), a Sidewise Honor for "Seventy-Two Letters" (2000), a Nebula Laurels, Locus Honor and Hugo Accolade for his novelette "Hell Is the Absenteeism of God" (2002), a Nebula and Hugo Award for his novelette "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate" (2007), and a British Science Fiction Association Award, a Locus Laurels, and the Hugo Award for All-time Short Story for "Exhalation" (2009).

Chiang turned down a Hugo nomination for his short story "Liking What You See: A Documentary" in 2003, on the grounds that the story was rushed due to editorial pressure and did non plow out as he had really wanted.

Chiang's showtime 8 stories are collected in "Stories of Your Life, and Others" (1st US hardcover ed: ISBN 0-7653-0418-X; 1st United states of america paperback ed.: ISBN 0-7653-0419-8). His novelette "The Merchant and the Alchemist'south Gate" was besides published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.

As of 2013, his curt fiction has won iv Nebula Awards, three Hugo Awards, the John W Campbell Honour, three Locus Awards, the Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award, and the Sidewise Award. He has never written a novel but is one of the most decorated science fiction writers currently working.

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