The nine short stories in Tales Lost Among the Stars are a throwback to the Golden Age of science fiction. They echo the early works of writers like Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, and Poul Anderson. And much like these writers, Emiliano Forino Procacci‘s stories are focused on ideas, ambitious yet relatable, yet they also contain subtle takes on ethics and morality.
The opening story, “Artificial Intelligence”, is a perfect example of this. It tells the tale of two people who rely solely on their electronic devices to navigate their worlds. This includes when to get up in the morning, when to leave for work, and timing everything for optimal efficiency. Of course, this also overlaps into their personal lives. The AI prevents distractions – like romantic encounters – so their humans can achieve promotions and recognition.
Interestingly enough, the second part of the story tells the tale again, but this time without the interference of AI. This shows the contrast between an artificially guided life and one that unfolds naturally. It’s an interesting juxtaposition.
Other story topics include consumerism, ecological disaster, human bondage, and the pitfalls of immortality. There is also an interesting look at death and dying that offers a new take on what happens when Death arrives at our door. The messages aren’t heavy-handed, they are matter-of-fact. Simple and understandable without having to dig deeply for meaning.
However, I would caution readers that, much like the Golden Age writers, the emphasis of the stories is ideas and not characterization. There is a lot of exposition and telling, rather than showing. Not that it’s a bad thing if you’re a fan of those early science fiction stories. But if you’re a reader of modern science fiction works, then you may find these stories aren’t to your liking.
Overall, it’s an interesting collection of stories that take the reader on a journey around the planet and to the stars, into both the near and distant future, and leaves them with ideas to ponder long after the book is finished.
This review was originally published at Reader Views. You can read more reviews and recommendations on my Reading List page.
Excellent review, Richard. The topics are of interest to me. Thanks for bringing a new book into my awareness.
And thank you for taking the time to read the review!
RB