Title: A Mirror to Life
Author: Jaine Fenn
Genre: Scifi
Publisher: Daybreak Magazine
Available: Free from author's website (pdf) 18 pages
Rating: 5*
Rater: Pippa
Blurb:
I could tell you a few stories about Jaine Fenn (don’t mention the “Sex and the Singularity” panel), but I’ll refrain and concentrate on the story at hand: “A Mirror to Life”.
There are quite a few tentative links between “A Mirror to Life” and a certain story in the SHINE anthology (I’m intentionally being a bit coy: if you read the antho you’ll know which story I mean) that also involves Artificial Intelligences and religion.
In both stories, the Artificial Intelligences seem to have the best with both humanity and the Earth in mind. One major difference being, that while in the SHINE story the AIs wish to prove themselves as benign, in “A Mirror to Life” the AIs supposedly know what’s best for us.
Humanity, though, might disagree…
What I liked:
Another powerful short story to get you thinking. It reminded me of the film version of I, Robot, where the AI decided what was best for humanity was to keep us imprisoned in our homes to prevent any harm to us, with a touch of The Matrix.
What I didn't like:
At first I didn't quite understand the jumps in perspective, but it becomes apparent why as the story progresses.
In conclusion:
Another story to tug at the heartstrings. Post apocalyptic SciFi with a dark edge but also a glimmer of hope for humanity triumphing over the machines.
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