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Last night, I read Hilbert Schenck’s 1984 story, “Silicon Muse” from The Oxford Book of Science Fiction Stories. The story won the 1985 Hugo for Best Novelette, and deservingly so. It’s about an English literature professor who’s employing the campus main frame to write fiction based on the goings and comings data collected through the “Total Access” network. This story might have been an influence for Richard Powers when he wrote, Galatea 2.2. However, instead of the Power’s A.I. telling humanity, “screw you guys, I’m going home,” Schenck’s computer system works with the professor to gain literary prestige and material wealth. It’s an entertaining story that has a very postmodern construction that definitely adds to the experience of reading the story. Another recommended story!

Update: You can borrow The Oxford Book of Science Fiction Stories for free from the Internet Archive here. Just create an account, login, click “borrow” at the top of the page, and read on your device.

I decided to read a story before turning in last night, so I flipped through The Oxford Book of Science Fiction Stories, ed. by Tom Shippey. I settled on Bruce Sterling’s 1982 story, “Swarm” (first published in the April 1982 issue of Fantasy and Science Fiction). It’s an interesting story about opportunistic human Shapers, genetically augmented supermen/women, attempting to take advantage of a once space faring insect-like species that inhabits an asteroid near Betelgeuse. Unfortunately for the two Shapers within the hive, the group “organism” responds by producing an embodied intelligence that is periodically useful in eradicating troublesome species that threaten the “swarm.” It’s a fun story, and recommended!