Science Fiction: Paradox - Stories Inspired By The Fermi Paradox

(Drivebycuriosity) - There are so many stars in the universe. Many of them have planets which might be habitable. But we didn´t find any signs of advanced life so far. This phenomena is called the Fermi Paradox, named after the physicist Enrico Fermi.

"Paradox - Stories Inspired By The Fermi Paradox", edited by Ian Whates is a collection of science fiction stories about this issue (amazon).


The book contains 15 stories and a scientific introduction written by the physicists Marek Kukula and Rob Edwards from the Royal Observatory Greenwich. I finished 8 of the stories.

My favorites are:

"Catching Rays" by David L Clements. The astrophysicist wrote a smart story with very original ideas about an alien contact based on quantum physics. I want to read more by him.

"Lost to Their Own Devices" by Adrian Tchaikovsky. This is a kind of space odyssey mixed with militaristic science fiction. The story, which is spiced with amazing ideas, is thrilling and has a surprising twist.

"In The Beginning" by Gerry Webb. The author delivered a mystery story set into a lush and rich future.

"The Worldmaker" by Rachel Armstrong. The plot describes dating in a sophisticated bar in an advanced future where people can control their moods by pheromone pills and other technologies a glance into a new baroque.


Honorable mentions:

"Baedeker´s Fermi" by Adam Roberts. I didn´t really enjoy the plot but the style in the manner of a travel report from the early 20th century has its charm.

The book is an interesting introduction into an often discussed topic and a valuable enrichment for any serious science fiction collection. In the moment of writing Amazon.com offers the Kindle version for just $3.99 (amazon). Enjoy!