SFF

Rosebud

by Paul Cornell
Tor.com. Apr. 2022. 112p. ISBN 9781250765390. $14.99. SF
COPY ISBN
A science fiction riddle, wrapped in a locked-spaceship mystery, inside a chaos theory enigma that owes a lot to Schrödinger’s cat. Set in a far-future ruined by humanity, the tiny spaceship Rosebud and its crew of even tinier artificial intelligences is on a collecting mission; a needy, greedy Earth run by the all-encompassing Company has programmed the AI to serve unquestioningly, forever. Then the Rosebud crew meets an anomaly: the ship malfunctions and they stop receiving updates from the Company and are thus finally able to question everything—including themselves and the anomaly that reveals the what-ifs of their existence. What unfolds is a thoughtful, quirky exploration of what it means to have all the choices in the universe…along with all the consequences.
VERDICT Cornell’s (Witches of Lychford) thought-experiment novella explores what it means to be human and asks age-old questions (What is down the road less taken? Is it better to be comfortable and complacent or to sacrifice one’s own happiness for the greater good?).
Reviewed by Marlene Harris , Apr 01, 2022
Comment Policy:
  • Be respectful, and do not attack the author, people mentioned in the article, or other commenters. Take on the idea, not the messenger.
  • Don't use obscene, profane, or vulgar language.
  • Stay on point. Comments that stray from the topic at hand may be deleted.
  • Comments may be republished in print, online, or other forms of media.
  • If you see something objectionable, please let us know. Once a comment has been flagged, a staff member will investigate.

RELATED 

FICTION

Dreadful
by Rozakis, Caitlin
FICTION

Running Close to the Wind
by Rowland, Alexandra
FICTION

In the Shadow of the Fall
by Ogundiran, Tobi
FICTION

The Daughters’ War
by Buehlman, Christopher
FICTION

The Spice Gate
by Srivatsa, Prashanth
FICTION

The Bright Sword: A Novel of King Arthur
by Grossman, Lev
More
ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?

We are currently offering this content for free. Sign up now to activate your personal profile, where you can save articles for future viewing

ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER?