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Can Catherynne M. Valente write Science Fiction? Yes. Silently And Very Fast is a ‘Turing Test’ story. It explores the concepts of artificial intelligence and identity. The initial question raised by the book is: What if an artificial intelligence was programmed in figurative communication, rather than literal communication? From there we are given glimpses of a future which manages to be both plausible and unexpected.
There are three styles of chapter in this book: there are the conversations between the artificial intelligence Elefsis and the current operator Neva, which take place in a collaborative virtual environment; there are Elefsis’ memories of how it came to be; and there are the stories Elefsis tells which use myth and metaphor to allow humans to understand Elefsis’ perspective.
In genre fiction when science and myth are combined it is sometimes referred to as "Science Fantasy" however those are typically mythic tales with a veneer of science added. If anything Silently And Very Fast is the opposite, a scientific premise with a layer of myth added to clarify the issues involved. It is more like Science Folklore than Science Fantasy.
The author’s prose is a pleasure to read, as always. I will admit that in some of her other stories the subject matter is a bit dark for my taste, but her writing style has never disappointed me. This is the type of book which gains depth on subsequent readings. I was able to read the first third of the book on Clarkesworld Magazine before my copy arrived in the mail. Once I had my own copy, reading from the beginning showed me facets I had not noticed before.
There are three styles of chapter in this book: there are the conversations between the artificial intelligence Elefsis and the current operator Neva, which take place in a collaborative virtual environment; there are Elefsis’ memories of how it came to be; and there are the stories Elefsis tells which use myth and metaphor to allow humans to understand Elefsis’ perspective.
In genre fiction when science and myth are combined it is sometimes referred to as "Science Fantasy" however those are typically mythic tales with a veneer of science added. If anything Silently And Very Fast is the opposite, a scientific premise with a layer of myth added to clarify the issues involved. It is more like Science Folklore than Science Fantasy.
The author’s prose is a pleasure to read, as always. I will admit that in some of her other stories the subject matter is a bit dark for my taste, but her writing style has never disappointed me. This is the type of book which gains depth on subsequent readings. I was able to read the first third of the book on Clarkesworld Magazine before my copy arrived in the mail. Once I had my own copy, reading from the beginning showed me facets I had not noticed before.
