The Adolescence of P-1

1970’s fiction about the birth of an artificial intelligence which takes over the country’s networks in a search for self-identity. Good “archaeological” reading from the days of massive 80-meg IBM machines.

The Brotherhood of the Dark Revolution

There is a cabal of young men, adolescent, calling themselves “The Brotherhood of the Dark Revolution.” Their hair is cut short, their faces are smooth; their robes are white, and tinted rose. It seems they have come together in anticipation of what they call the Dark Revolution. This is an event of apocalyptic proportions, in which the Earth is covered in darkness following a great burning. Though their role in this catastrophe is unclear to me, it seems that through some mysterious transmutation they will achieve immortality and become the dominant — if not the only — survivors of this event. Continue reading %s

The Western Lands

When I realized I was going to go back and reread this book as soon as I finished it, I worried that my eyes might stay permanently bugged out of my head. Vengeful souls from Hiroshima launch a raid on the land of the dead. I think. [New York: Penguin]