Science Fiction: And Shall Machines Surrender By Benjanun Sriduangkaew

 (Drivebycuriosity) -  We don`t know what the future will bring. But war, treason and political manipulation might still be around for centuries. Benjanun Sriduangkaew, a young author from South Thailand, tells her own version of the future. Her elegant novella "And Shall Machines Surrender" puts the readers in a distant future - with strong Asian & female aspects - and on an exotic luxurious world called Shenzen Sphere, an artificial planet which circles around a red star (amazon). SS is created and controlled by AIs. Some citizens, member of a chosen elite, incur a symbiotic relationship with an AI, which turns them almost into half-gods, but there are problems.

Dr. Orfea Leung, a refugee, is granted temporary residential status in Shenzen Sphere, apparently the rulers have some use for her. Soon she meets another immigrant, her former colleague & lover  Krissana Khongtip (I don`t tell you more about the plot. This is a spoiler free blog).

I indulged into Sriduangkaew´s utopia, or is it a dystopia? Shenzen is a future Byzantium with complex rules, a fascinating and a kind of baroque world. "Spindly buildings with spacious balconies and roofs the color of antique gold; flocks of replicants with petal-plumages of peonies and chrysanthemums; spiral hanging gardens thirty meters high". And Sriduangkaew`s universe is dominated by interesting & strong women. I would like to visit this place.

I indulged into the author`s imagination, her wonderful descriptions of images, sceneries & food and I love the names of her characters, like "Nataku Contemplates a Flight of Sparrows" or "Benzaiten in Autumn" (referring to a Japanese goddess). Who else gets such ideas? I was impressed & fascinated how Sriduangkaew plays with the English language. And I was entertained by the high-tech supported combats and enjoyed the all-female sex scenes ((even though she is no Sarah Waters).  The merge of humans & AIs into highly complex powerful & dangerous persons is a fascinating idea. I want to read more about this topic.

Sriduangkaew`s dense novella (143 pages), the Kindle version costs in the moment of writing just $2.99,  is a gem of hard science fiction. I plan to read more by this author.