Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang
Ted Chiang’s Exhalation: Stories is an exploration of technology, science, and the human experience through nine lengthy short stories. An excavation of the intricacies of the universe, Chiang yearns to investigate how newly discovered technology and science affects our lives and futures, while also exploring topics ranging from virtual reality to artificial intelligence to extraterrestrial life. Chiang’s works are both spellbinding thoughtful explorations of the questions that challenge humanity and contemporary world.
Exhalation kicks off with “The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate”, the story of a Baghdad shopkeeper in the 8th century who discovers a mysterious shop in the city that sells archaic trinkets and artifacts with a mystical gate that allows the buyer to travel through time. With this gate promise of a second chance for a brighter past or future, the shopkeeper is filled with hope and despair as he considers using the machine for his own benefit.
In “The Lifecycle of Software Objects”, Chiang examine the implications of artificial life and the transportation of consciousness through computer systems. The story centers on two characters, Ana and Derek, who work on creating Digients, digital creatures which are AI-driven and constantly evolving with the help of humanity. The unique twist to the tale is that the consciousness of these creatures can be transferred to other forms – such as robots or even spaceships – as the creatures age and become increasingly incapable of living in their animal forms. As the story progresses we see Ana and Derek grapple with their own moral and ethical dilemmas, especially as the creatures become more and more like their own children.
The stories continue to explore new realms of possibilities and confront the issues rooted within them. One of these stories, “Anxiety is the Dizziness of Freedom” follows two characters as they travel to a newly discovered planet, cataloging and observing the strange lifeforms and extraordinary ecosystem for the sake of a scientific exploration. Here, the duo struggles to make sense of the ethical boundaries of their mission, as well as the boundaries of their own humanity.
In the seminal “The Story of Your Life”, Chiang explores the intersection of free will and determinism. The story centers on the linguist Dr. Louise Banks, who is tasked with learning an alien language and deciphering how it works. As she struggles to make sense of the language, she begins to experience visions of the future, leading her to reconsider the nature of free will, destiny, and the inescapable links between cause and effect.
The collection continues with stories that question the nature of reality, our psychological susceptibilities and even our relationship with God. In “Omphalos”, Chiang perceives of God as a watchmaker, who created a universe with a fictitious history contrary to the real, yet His plan for eternity remains intact. “What’s Expected of Us” follows two AI powered robots as they are forced to grapple with the violent and unpredictable nature of human impulses as well as their own understanding that they are machines designed to exist in servitude of humans.
In “Exhalation”, Chiang attempts to reconcile the conflicts between science and mysticism. Set in a steampunk world of robots Chiang wonders if the robotic possibility of immortality is a way out of mortality and attainable through mechanical means. Here, Chiang grapples with questions of whether the world and all its complications can be reduced to its most simplest form - a world of cold science based logic and reasoning.
Exhalation: Stories is a standout compilation of science fiction that yearns to explore the boundaries of our collective imagination’s. Written with verve and sharpness, Chiang paints vivid portraits of experiences, scientists, and robots that explore topics that many readers will find both familiar and awe inspiring. A must read for any science fiction reader, Exhalation: Stories is an excavation of the inner workings of our universe.
