Hieroglyph
Stories & Visions for a Better Future
-
-
4.0 • 1 Rating
-
-
- $11.99
Publisher Description
Hieroglyph: Stories & Visions for a Better Future is an anthology of optimistic science fiction from some of today's most hopeful visionaries.
"This collection could be the shot in the arm our imaginations need. It's an important book and not just for the fiction." —Wall Street Journal
Born of an initiative at the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University, this remarkable collection unites a diverse group of celebrated authors, prominent scientists, and creative visionaries who contributed works of "techno-optimism" that challenge us to imagine fully, think broadly, and do Big Stuff—reigniting the iconic visions of the golden age of science fiction.
Inside this volume are marvels of imagination and possibility, including a steel tower so tall that the stratosphere is just an elevator ride away . . . a drone-powered Internet . . . crowdfunded robots descending on the moon . . . cities that work like a single cell of algae powered entirely by the sun . . . and much more.
Engaging, mind-bending, provocative, and imaginative, Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future offers a forward-thinking approach to the intersection of art and technology that has the power to change our world.
Introduction by editors Ed Finn and Kathryn Cramer
Foreword by Lawrence M. Krauss
Interview with Paul Davies
Stories by Charlie Jane Anders, Madeline Ashby, Elizabeth Bear, Gregory Benford, David Brin, James L. Cambias, Brenda Cooper, Cory Doctorow, Kathleen Ann Goonan, Lee Konstantinou, Geoffrey A. Landis, Annalee Newitz, Rudy Rucker, Karl Schroeder, Viranda Singh, Neal Stephenson, and Bruce Sterling
Customer Reviews
Project Hieroglyph Anthology
“Hieroglyph: Stories and Visions for a Better Future” is a 2014 anthology edited by Ed Finn & Kathryn Cramer. This is the resulting work from Project Hieroglyph, which was lead by Author Neal Stephenson. The goal of this project was to write near-future stories that were on the whole positive, and which might spur innovation. There are a number of works by big names in the field of science fiction, and range from advances in the biological sciences to engineering. It’s an ambitious work.
Personally, I found it varied in interest to my tastes. While this is going to be true of every anthology, I found less here to like than usual for me. It might be the nature of the subject matter, and of course your experiences may be different. There are some stories that I found memorable, and others left me wishing they were over sooner. I like that the theme of the anthology avoided dystopian tales, and tried to tend toward positivity. There’s a lot of supporting materials associated with each story, which is a nice aspect of this concept.