James: A Novel

James: A Novel by Percival Everett

This is the story of "Jim" from Huckleberry Finn. Most of the book deals with Jim on his own. However, it weaves in and out of his experiences with Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer. Jim seeks out his own identity and tries to find his family. He becomes strong. He can read and write and knows how to talk like a "good slave" in addition to communicating with his strength. At times he hides in plain sight by pretending to be a white person in black face. He tries to find his family and commit some crimes in the process, including tying up a slave holder. The slaver's threats mean nothing to him as they have already tried to take his rights away. In the end, he declares himself "James" and moves on to freedom as the Civil War is going on. This book does a great job of exploring the life of slaves while providing an alternate view from a well-known book.

Exhalation

Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang

Exhalation explores a number of philosophical topics in Science Fiction short stories. Each story also provides a short "why I wrote it" section. (This can be one of the best part.) The first story was an "Arabian nights" type setting that explores a door that lets you go see time in the future. People can explore the future, but can't really make any changes in their life. (As an example, one man goes to see his future self and discovers that he is a frugal miser with huge amounts of hidden wealth. He feels it would be better to spend money and takes all of that money. Alas, his life of wealth is short lived and leads to him hoarding money due to getting robbed and accused of not "earning" it.

A few stories look at different approaches of freewill. One person analyzes their own brain. In another story, people can "fork" their lives in alternate ways. 

One story looks at "virtual people". These AI beings are allowed to grow on their own and are held somewhat like pets and live in virtual worlds. They want additional freedoms and rights, but are they mature enough?

There is one story that looks at communication. It combines a thread of adding written language to an oral communications tribe with a technology that allows people to replay at will any previous event. Is the "real truth" better than the way that we remember things? We may remember a great experience from childhood. However, if we replayed it, we may see that other participants were reluctantly participating. Does this make it worse? Do we really want the "real truth"?

The stories include:

"The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate" 

"Exhalation" 

"What's Expected of Us" 

"The Lifecycle of Software Objects" 

"Dacey's Patent Automatic Nanny" 

"The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling"

"The Great Silence" 

"Omphalos"

"Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom" 

The Anomaly: A Novel

An Air France flight to the US encountered turbulence and hail. It was a short term traumatic experience for passengers, but the plane landed and they continued on with their lives. Then, a few months later, the plane re-appeared in the sky - the exact same plane, with the same passengers. The US government diverted it to a special base and invoked "Plan 42" to deal with situations beyond understanding.

Scientists, philosophers and clergy were involved. What happened? Was it a wormhole? An act of God? Or are we all in a simulation? With the increasing of computing power, the simulation idea did seem feasible. 

Dealing with the multiple versions of people became an interesting experience. There were two copies of all the passengers, both with identical experiences, save the last few months. One author had committed suicide in the time being and now had a "second chance". A pilot was on his cancer deathbed - and now is repeating the process. There are many interesting events that occur with these people. 

There are also those that don't like the un-understandable. A religious zealot decides they are the spawn of Satan and kills off two clones. There are two clones that fight with each other for custody of their child. In most cases, one of the clones ends up assuming a new identity so that all can live their life in peace.

A few months later, another copy of the plane appears. This time, the government decides to shoot it down rather than risk more problems.

Nyxia

Nyxia is a special substance that you can mold to almost anything with your mind. However, you can't try to manipulate it too much or you will go insane.

The book centers on a group of recruits that are going on a special mission to a distant planet to mine nyxia. They are undergoing training in space. Eight of the ten will be selected to go on the mission and be financially set for life. The other two will receive a small "parting gift". They are undergoing a number of exercises in the process. They must learn to work together and individually. Many of the exercises involve types of virtual reality, but there is real damage done. It gathers together many of the tropes from survivalism and boarding school works.