11 ms·

If anyone hasn't read the short story that Arrival is based on, definitely check it out, it's called "Story of Your Life". Ted Chiang is a fantastic SciFi write

by extr 10y ago

If anyone hasn't read the short story that Arrival is based on, definitely check it out, it's called "Story of Your Life". Ted Chiang is a fantastic SciFi writer and I was very excited (worried?) that this particular story was chosen for a film adaption, as it doesn't seem to lend itself well to the medium. But based on early feedback I'm optimistic. Not sure how closely the movie follows the short story's plot, but obviously spoilers could be involved, so fair warning. Here is a PDF version of the story: http://cfile203.uf.daum.net/attach/254E884754DC52CB277F4F http://cfile203.uf.daum.net/attach/254E884754DC52CB277F4F

schoen 10y ago
I had read the story before and I saw the movie this evening. I wrote to a friend that it's about 25% Ted Chiang and about 75% Hollywood (with some very significant changes, though a similar central theme). I guess discussing the differences makes for a huge spoiler. Perhaps I can say that the movie has a major plot about military conflicts (obgu orgjrra uhznaf naq urcgncbqf, naq orgjrra uhzna angvbaf) that's absent from the original story. Also, in the movie we learn jul gur urcgncbqf ivfvgrq Rnegu, whereas in the story guvf erznvaf n pbzcyrgr zlfgrel. In the story Louise ersyrpgf n terng qrny ba jung vg zrnaf gb xabj gur shgher naq ubj guvf vagrenpgf jvgu serr jvyy, while in the movie this isn't really depicted at all, except sbe gur prageny cybg nobhg xabjvat gur sngr bs ure zneevntr naq ure qnhtugre nurnq bs gvzr.
- SkyMarshal 10y ago
  For the lazy: http://www.rot13.com/ http://www.rot13.com/ :)
- jimmcslim 10y ago
  For a story that's about yvathvfgvpf, that was irel pyrire!
andrewflnr 10y ago
That's an ass-kicker of a story. Chiang is awesome.
crdb 10y ago
I disliked the story for the same reason I dislike a lot of modern SF (and arts generally): it is nihilist and depressing. The craftsmanship is good, although not great (the split structure feels a bit forced, for example). To use one's skill like this is... sad. The grandmaster of depressing SF was PKD. Story of Your Life left me with the same feeling of hopelessness and sadness as Ubik, which itself demonstrates great craftsmanship. Despite being raised atheist, I remember reading a novelised story of Jesus' life as a teenager where Joseph told a young Jesus that no cross was ever built well because great craftsmen refused to build instruments of death. I thought of this passage whilst reading Ubik and I think of it with Story of My Life. I'll add to these two the otherwise pretty good Hyperion Cantos, for its ending, although I think the author did paint himself in a corner there. Some series are better left unfinished...
- david-given 10y ago
  Ooh, I have a treat for you! Peter Watts, known in the science fiction world as 'The Antidote for Optimism', has some of his novels online. I would strongly recommend his multiple award winning Blindsight: http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm ...because it's fascinating first contact novel; crazy, well researched, aliens that are genuinely alien, and not quite as bleak as his other books. (Still quite bleak.) There's a sequel, Echopraxia, that is also awesome, and will introduce you to Portia Labiata, the most intelligent spider in the world. Also, space vampires.
  - ricree 10y ago
    While those books are fairly good, they seem like a poor recommendation for someone sick of nihilistic sci-fi.
  - crdb 10y ago
    I was going to say two recent great first contact novels (showing you can still, in our era, do first contact in an original and intelligent manner) are Cixin Liu's Three Body trilogy and Peter Watts' work. I also think many of Charlie Stross' novels fit in there. For example, what they find on the other side of the wormhole modem in Accelerando counts as a "first contact" of sorts... and it is definitely original. Clearly we're on the same page. Any other recommendations?

by extr 10y ago

schoen 10y ago

I had read the story before and I saw the movie this evening. I wrote to a friend that it's about 25% Ted Chiang and about 75% Hollywood (with some very significant changes, though a similar central theme). I guess discussing the differences makes for a huge spoiler. Perhaps I can say that the movie has a major plot about military conflicts (obgu orgjrra uhznaf naq urcgncbqf, naq orgjrra uhzna angvbaf) that's absent from the original story. Also, in the movie we learn jul gur urcgncbqf ivfvgrq Rnegu, whereas in the story guvf erznvaf n pbzcyrgr zlfgrel. In the story Louise ersyrpgf n terng qrny ba jung vg zrnaf gb xabj gur shgher naq ubj guvf vagrenpgf jvgu serr jvyy, while in the movie this isn't really depicted at all, except sbe gur prageny cybg nobhg xabjvat gur sngr bs ure zneevntr naq ure qnhtugre nurnq bs gvzr.

SkyMarshal 10y ago
For the lazy: http://www.rot13.com/ http://www.rot13.com/ :)
jimmcslim 10y ago
For a story that's about yvathvfgvpf, that was irel pyrire!

andrewflnr 10y ago

That's an ass-kicker of a story. Chiang is awesome.

crdb 10y ago

I disliked the story for the same reason I dislike a lot of modern SF (and arts generally): it is nihilist and depressing. The craftsmanship is good, although not great (the split structure feels a bit forced, for example). To use one's skill like this is... sad. The grandmaster of depressing SF was PKD. Story of Your Life left me with the same feeling of hopelessness and sadness as Ubik, which itself demonstrates great craftsmanship. Despite being raised atheist, I remember reading a novelised story of Jesus' life as a teenager where Joseph told a young Jesus that no cross was ever built well because great craftsmen refused to build instruments of death. I thought of this passage whilst reading Ubik and I think of it with Story of My Life. I'll add to these two the otherwise pretty good Hyperion Cantos, for its ending, although I think the author did paint himself in a corner there. Some series are better left unfinished...

david-given 10y ago
Ooh, I have a treat for you! Peter Watts, known in the science fiction world as 'The Antidote for Optimism', has some of his novels online. I would strongly recommend his multiple award winning Blindsight: http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm ...because it's fascinating first contact novel; crazy, well researched, aliens that are genuinely alien, and not quite as bleak as his other books. (Still quite bleak.) There's a sequel, Echopraxia, that is also awesome, and will introduce you to Portia Labiata, the most intelligent spider in the world. Also, space vampires.
- ricree 10y ago
  While those books are fairly good, they seem like a poor recommendation for someone sick of nihilistic sci-fi.
- crdb 10y ago
  I was going to say two recent great first contact novels (showing you can still, in our era, do first contact in an original and intelligent manner) are Cixin Liu's Three Body trilogy and Peter Watts' work. I also think many of Charlie Stross' novels fit in there. For example, what they find on the other side of the wormhole modem in Accelerando counts as a "first contact" of sorts... and it is definitely original. Clearly we're on the same page. Any other recommendations?