nakedsushi's review against another edition
5.0
Another wonderful short story from Ted Chiang. I was hesitant to read it because it involves time travel and I hate reading things about time travel because there's usually so many bad plot holes but I needn't have worried! Ted Chiang does it again -- a mind-bending short story about history, the future, the present, and life, all without being too preachy. Like his other short stories, this is life-changing.
What I really love about Ted Chiang's writing is that it's simple, yet effective. He's like the Ernest Hemingway of sci-fi!
What I really love about Ted Chiang's writing is that it's simple, yet effective. He's like the Ernest Hemingway of sci-fi!
roseparis's review
emotional
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
eqlamont18's review against another edition
5.0
one of my favorite short stories/novellas of all time. insane
marcusghee's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
short & wild, just now I like em
raoul_g's review against another edition
5.0
I read this amazing short story by Ted Chiang in one sitting. It follows the structure of a parable and is set in the premodern Arab world. A, for these types of stories, rather unusual element that is added to the parable is time travel. Through means of alchemy one of the characters was able to create a portal which allows travelling 20 years into the future or into the past. The stories of a few people who used the portal to meet their selves from the future or the past are told and the way their time travel impacted their lives is revealed. The stories are very gripping and what is most astonishing is the clever way in which the time travel paradox is solved in them.
I'm not gonna spoil anymore of the content for you, just read the book, you won't regret it. I'll leave you with one beautiful quote from the book: "Nothing erases the past. There is repentance, there is atonement, and there is forgiveness. That is all, but that is enough."
Ted Chiang has proven himself to be an amazing writer once again and I'm sure now that this will not be the last of his books I am going to be reading.
I'm not gonna spoil anymore of the content for you, just read the book, you won't regret it. I'll leave you with one beautiful quote from the book: "Nothing erases the past. There is repentance, there is atonement, and there is forgiveness. That is all, but that is enough."
Ted Chiang has proven himself to be an amazing writer once again and I'm sure now that this will not be the last of his books I am going to be reading.
elusivity's review against another edition
5.0
The impact of time travel, clothed in Arabesque. Lovely, and packs quite a punch at the ending.
cloudwriter's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
chaghi's review against another edition
3.0
Nice short story about time travel and its consequences. It is original (to me) in the sense that it is more fantasy than sci-fi (unlike most fiction involving time travel). And it takes place mostly in medieval Baghdad and Cairo, which also adds (again, to me) to its novelty/originality.
You can't expect much character development or story building in about sixty pages, so there's that. But it gives you two or three things to think about, which means there is more to the story than what is written.
You can't expect much character development or story building in about sixty pages, so there's that. But it gives you two or three things to think about, which means there is more to the story than what is written.
zilha's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0