Derryl Murphy

the concept sounded so interesting, where mathematics was equivalent to magic, but as the book wore on, "the numbers told me to do it" seemed an insufficient plot device. I had no empathy for the two main characters, Dom & Jenna.
To cap it all, when it got to part 3 (spoiler alert) and Billy's real identity was announced, I had kind of guessed and was totally irritated to find my guess correct as I can't stand William Blake's poems or crude art. By which time all the religious references were beginning to get on my tits too.
I can't believe either, that dolphins do maths, or that the world somehow changed because humans discovered quantum maths.
Annoying.… (mehr)

Døden til Archie som er nær forestående gir en gyllen mulighet til å dokumentere undergangen til en art av store dyr. Når han dør, da er den Gyldne Bambuslemuren utdødd.
Ulohtsa, turisten fra stjernene, benytter sjangsen til å se døden inntreffe på vår jord.
Han understreker han hvor sårbare vi er, som art, for miljøkollaps. Vi er sårbare på øyer såvell som i vårt lokalmiljø.

5 av 5 stjerner * * * *
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Island of the Moon
En novelle av: Derryl Murphy
Side 49 (57sider)… (mehr)

Before I start down I look one more time in the stream. I can see nothing swimming in it, no fish, no beetle.
As I walk, I wish there were still birds to sing to me.

Eleven stories about the end of the world as we know it. Although the overall theme of the book is ecological disaster, apocalypse comes in many forms, from invading aliens, water shortages, and garbage-covered oceans, to swarms of huge insects and far future earth that is about to be swallowed by the sun. "What Goes Around" is a more light-hearted story and brings a bit of light relief to the book.

The only story I disliked was "Summer's Humans", which was inspired by Nadine Gordimer's story "July's People". The characters were unpleasant and the aliens' constant hair-shedding made me shudder in disgust (although that was probably the point).

My favourite story was The History of Photography, which was subtle and lyrical and poignant. The author said that when this story appeared in a photography magazine, the readers sent in lots of irate letters complaining about inaccuracies, as the magazine hadn't made it clear that it was fiction. "Those Graves of Memory" and "Wasps at the Speed of Sound" make up my top three.… (mehr)