Manna

Recently I was sent a link to a site to MarshallBrain.com. In particular a story on the site is called Manna, science fiction but is strangely believable IMO.

I haven't finished it yet but I wanted to share it all the same. Very interesting, worth a look.

http://marshallbrain.com/manna1.htm

Hehe, just read the first 2 chapters. It's been entertaining so far . Definitely a creepy concept... especially by chapter 2. I'm glad the author doesn't take it too seriously though, otherwise the whole story would come off as preachy.

Ugh... by chapter 3 it's off the deep end, becoming a complete nerd technical manual on how gaming consoles were linked together to build the first robot visual brain. Great... And it started so promising.

Well, from what I've read it's not very realistic or even believable on most aspects the author address. It's a decent idea for some classic SF but the way he handles it just can't work realistically. He also seems not to really know much about the technologies involved, so it's a pity he talks about them. He'd be better off just leaving it as a vague concept. And he completely ignores the social and legal sides of the problem, which make most of his premises impossible.

Damn you...
Party-pooper

So far i've read untill Chapter 2, but i think i'll stop.. lol
I've got a book to write

Walter said:

Hehe, just read the first 2 chapters.  It's been entertaining so far .  Definitely a creepy concept... especially by chapter 2.  I'm glad the author doesn't take it too seriously though, otherwise the whole story would come off as preachy.

Ugh... by chapter 3 it's off the deep end, becoming a complete nerd technical manual on how gaming consoles were linked together to build the first robot visual brain.  Great...  And it started so promising.

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Hmm, and here I thought it would be up your alley.
Like you said it's not to be taken too seriously, it's still just a science fiction but has alot of interesting concepts that do continue on after chapter 2. Within a few chapters it goes more into the protagonists story as opposed to being primarily an explanation of the situation.
It does go have its bit to say about present society and where it's heading, you could say that's preachy but I find the perspective interesting.

Aazealh said:

Well, from what I've read it's not very realistic or even believable on most aspects the author address. It's a decent idea for some classic SF but the way he handles it just can't work realistically. He also seems not to really know much about the technologies involved, so it's a pity he talks about them. He'd be better off just leaving it as a vague concept.

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I agree he should've left things more vague as it's not what drives the story, but I don't think of the creator of the site howstuffworks.com a science pseudo intellectual.

And he completely ignores the social and legal sides of the problem, which make most of his premises impossible.

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Although alot of his premises are unlikely, the social and legal side of things are ever changing and adapting depending on the changes in society. For me that's partly what makes the story a little creepy. In any case I don't think its a future prediction at all, more like an alternate reality of what is.

I'm up to chapter 5, there are obviously issues in the story relating to our current state, which has surely inspired the story to begin with.