jammasterjamie's review against another edition
4.0
What a great concept!!! Most of the stories are really good, wildly original, well paced and fun to read. There were two that I found to be just awful, but maybe you'll like them, so I'm not going to name names. Just read and enjoy - this collection is definitely worth your time.
shrrawat's review against another edition
4.0
After reading and absolutely loving the sequel to this anthology, This is How You Die, which I had won in a past giveaway, I just had to try Machine of Death. The result was a little disappointing, although part of me thinks it was because I had already read the better collection, but no less rewarding, which is why I gave it 4 1/2 stars, which Goodreads has graciously seen fit to cut down to four.
This anthology, like its follower, still has the same tantalizing appeal of coming up with outrageous names for its stories, methods of dying according to the machine that you just can't wait to see how it will play out. The downside comes when instead of exploring how the machine impacts the individual, authors start to ramble on about whether the power of the machine is truly giving information from some higher power, or is instead acting as that higher power, and we are only doomed to a particular death after it has assigned it to us. Though such contemplation can be interesting, when nearly half the collection continues on in the same vein, then it can be a bit tedious. Still that isn't to say that some aren't worth reading if one is truly interested in the various impacts, dramatic, tragic, and even humorous that existentialism can have.
This anthology, like its follower, still has the same tantalizing appeal of coming up with outrageous names for its stories, methods of dying according to the machine that you just can't wait to see how it will play out. The downside comes when instead of exploring how the machine impacts the individual, authors start to ramble on about whether the power of the machine is truly giving information from some higher power, or is instead acting as that higher power, and we are only doomed to a particular death after it has assigned it to us. Though such contemplation can be interesting, when nearly half the collection continues on in the same vein, then it can be a bit tedious. Still that isn't to say that some aren't worth reading if one is truly interested in the various impacts, dramatic, tragic, and even humorous that existentialism can have.
chintogtokh's review against another edition
5.0
All in all a great collection of stories, though my favorite has to be 'Miscarriage' by James L. Sutter. If you have time only to read one of the stories, try reading this one. The writing is exquisite.
gcb's review against another edition
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I loved it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
clareoz's review against another edition
4.0
Fun anthology! Glad I got back round to finishing it after discovering it all those years ago
joerobson's review against another edition
4.0
Not as grim as you would expect, funny, sad and touching. A lot of different styles.
mjfmjfmjf's review against another edition
3.0
The Powell's SF group selection for August. In general the stories were quite good but they were a bit too well on the target of the topic (a machine that gives your cause of death and delphic terms). There were too many of them and too redundant. 3.5 of 5. And clearly from the stories, the only way to win is not to play.
jmcphers's review against another edition
4.0
It's really hard to review the whole collection of stories: they vary immensely. Some are long; most are quite short. Some spy on society from near-satellite level; others don't let you see beyond two or three characters. In some, the Machine has effectively stratified society; in others, it is an equalizer. Some characters respond to their predictions by becoming paranoid; others, fearless. Some stories are funny. Some are sad.
Almost all of them make you think.
A lot of the authors in this anthology are Internet Famous, and not necesarily for writing. So ... the writing isn't always polished. But the ideas! The imaginations! Quality.
As an aside, until reading this book I had always imagined David Malki as some sort of bearded fop with an affectation for Victorian vocabulary. His comic strip, Wondermark, is fantastic. But I was unable to identify his stories in the book until I got to the end of each story (which, cleverly, is where the author is revealed), and they are two of the best stories in the book. Read one of them first if you're not sure.
Almost all of them make you think.
A lot of the authors in this anthology are Internet Famous, and not necesarily for writing. So ... the writing isn't always polished. But the ideas! The imaginations! Quality.
As an aside, until reading this book I had always imagined David Malki as some sort of bearded fop with an affectation for Victorian vocabulary. His comic strip, Wondermark, is fantastic. But I was unable to identify his stories in the book until I got to the end of each story (which, cleverly, is where the author is revealed), and they are two of the best stories in the book. Read one of them first if you're not sure.
emadr's review against another edition
یعضی داستان ها خوب هستند، بعضی نه. کلا نخواندش توصیه میشود.
cate_bird's review against another edition
2.0
It's really a 2.5. Lots of disappointing stories. A few good ones.