I read once a science fiction story which postulates that no one ever dies. As any one person dies, their consciousness leaps to a less- likely version of themselves which lives on. However, there’s no conflict if other people die, so everyone ends up permanently alone and end up mad because of it. It was written in a very direct style, author to reader. I believe there was some stuff at the beginning about how the ‘reader’ doesn’t remember that this situation is true. I think I found it online within the last five years or so, but I've got no idea where now. I’m pretty sure I read it in a book when I was younger, in the last 10-15 years.
I’ve been recommended Robert Charles Wilson’s "All the Myriad Ways" or Harlan Ellison, but neither seems to be what I want.
pamwink...@gmail.com writes: >I read once a science fiction story which postulates that no one ever >dies. As any one person dies, their consciousness leaps to a less- >likely version of themselves which lives on. However, there=92s no >conflict if other people die, so everyone ends up permanently alone >and end up mad because of it. It was written in a very direct style, >author to reader. I believe there was some stuff at the beginning >about how the =91reader=92 doesn=92t remember that this situation is true. >I think I found it online within the last five years or so, but I've >got no idea where now. I=92m pretty sure I read it in a book when I was >younger, in the last 10-15 years. >I=92ve been recommended Robert Charles Wilson=92s "All the Myriad Ways" or >Harlan Ellison, but neither seems to be what I want. >Does anyone remember this story?
I do not --- I have to admit I'd think Greg Egan for the consciousness-hopping-around-probability stuff, though --- but with the YASID in the subject line maybe the folks who do actually remember what they read will chime in.
-- Joseph Nebus --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---
pamwink...@gmail.com wrote: > I read once a science fiction story which postulates that no one ever > dies. As any one person dies, their consciousness leaps to a less- > likely version of themselves which lives on. However, there’s no > conflict if other people die, so everyone ends up permanently alone > and end up mad because of it. It was written in a very direct style, > author to reader. I believe there was some stuff at the beginning > about how the ‘reader’ doesn’t remember that this situation is true. > I think I found it online within the last five years or so, but I've > got no idea where now. I’m pretty sure I read it in a book when I was > younger, in the last 10-15 years.
> I’ve been recommended Robert Charles Wilson’s "All the Myriad Ways"
The only story of that title is by Larry Niven.
or
> Harlan Ellison, but neither seems to be what I want.
> Does anyone remember this story?
I remember several which _almost_ fit.
Suggestion: If you remember ANY details which are too unimportant to mention, mention them. You never know what will spark someone's memory.
Dan Goodman <dsg...@iphouse.com> wrote: >pamwink...@gmail.com wrote:
>> I read once a science fiction story which postulates that no one ever >> dies. As any one person dies, their consciousness leaps to a less- >> likely version of themselves which lives on. However, there’s no >> conflict if other people die, so everyone ends up permanently alone >> and end up mad because of it. It was written in a very direct style, >> author to reader. I believe there was some stuff at the beginning >> about how the ‘reader’ doesn’t remember that this situation is true. >> I think I found it online within the last five years or so, but I've >> got no idea where now. I’m pretty sure I read it in a book when I was >> younger, in the last 10-15 years.
>> I’ve been recommended Robert Charles Wilson’s "All the Myriad Ways" >The only story of that title is by Larry Niven.
>or >> Harlan Ellison, but neither seems to be what I want.
>> Does anyone remember this story?
>I remember several which _almost_ fit.
>Suggestion: If you remember ANY details which are too unimportant to >mention, mention them. You never know what will spark someone's memory.
You know, I'm thinking it's probably Wilson's "Divided by Infinity." It was collected in:
* The Year's Best Science Fiction: Sixteenth Annual Collection, (Jun 1999, Gardner Dozois, St. Martin's Griffin, 0-312-20445-0, $17.95, lix+609pp, tp, anth) Cover: Bob Eggleton - [VERIFIED]
* The Year's Best Science Fiction: Sixteenth Annual Collection, (Jun 1999, Gardner Dozois, St. Martin's Press, 0-312-20963-0, $29.95, lix+609pp, hc, anth) Cover: Bob Eggleton
* The Year's Best Science Fiction: Sixteenth Annual Collection, (Aug 1999, Gardner Dozois, St. Martin's / SFBC, #02285, $14.98, lix+609pp, hc, anth) Cover: Bob Eggleton
* Starlight 2, (Oct 1999, Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Tor, 0-312-86312-8, $14.95, 320pp, tp, anth) Cover: Jeff Adams - [VERIFIED]
* The Perseids and Other Stories, (Aug 2000, Robert Charles Wilson, Tor, 0-312-87374-3, $22.95, 224pp, hc, coll) Cover: Stephan Martiniere - [VERIFIED]
* The Perseids and Other Stories, (Jul 2001, Robert Charles Wilson, Orb, 0-312-87524-X, $12.95, 224pp, tp, coll) Cover: Stephan Martiniere - [VERIFIED] -- http://www.livejournal.com/users/james_nicoll http://www.cafepress.com/jdnicoll (For all your "The problem with defending the English language [...]" T-shirt, cup and tote-bag needs)
>>I read once a science fiction story which postulates that no one ever >>dies. As any one person dies, their consciousness leaps to a less- >>likely version of themselves which lives on. However, there=92s no >>conflict if other people die, so everyone ends up permanently alone >>and end up mad because of it. It was written in a very direct style, >>author to reader. I believe there was some stuff at the beginning >>about how the =91reader=92 doesn=92t remember that this situation is true. >>I think I found it online within the last five years or so, but I've >>got no idea where now. I=92m pretty sure I read it in a book when I was >>younger, in the last 10-15 years.
>>I=92ve been recommended Robert Charles Wilson=92s "All the Myriad Ways" or >>Harlan Ellison, but neither seems to be what I want.
"All the Myriad Ways" is by Larry Niven. The Robert Charles Wilson story that might apply is "Divided by Infinity". That seems possibly the story you're thinking of ...
pamwink...@gmail.com wrote: > I’ve been recommended Robert Charles Wilson’s "All the Myriad Ways" or > Harlan Ellison, but neither seems to be what I want.
All the Myriad Ways is by Niven, not Wilson.
> Does anyone remember this story?
I don't, but the phenomenon itself is known as "quantum immortality" (or "quantum suicide", after the thought experiment that's commonly used to illustrate it).
> In article <4936ef91$0$90338$80460...@auth.newsreader.iphouse.com>, > Dan Goodman <dsg...@iphouse.com> wrote: >>pamwink...@gmail.com wrote:
>>> I read once a science fiction story which postulates that no one ever >>> dies. As any one person dies, their consciousness leaps to a less- >>> likely version of themselves which lives on. However, there's no > You know, I'm thinking it's probably Wilson's "Divided by > Infinity." It was collected in:
> I read once a science fiction story which postulates that no one ever > dies. As any one person dies, their consciousness leaps to a less- > likely version of themselves which lives on. However, there’s no > conflict if other people die, so everyone ends up permanently alone > and end up mad because of it. It was written in a very direct style, > author to reader. I believe there was some stuff at the beginning > about how the ‘reader’ doesn’t remember that this situation is true. > I think I found it online within the last five years or so, but I've > got no idea where now. I’m pretty sure I read it in a book when I was > younger, in the last 10-15 years.
> I’ve been recommended Robert Charles Wilson’s "All the Myriad Ways" or > Harlan Ellison, but neither seems to be what I want.
> Does anyone remember this story?
A story this reminded me of at first, though it does not fit the description or indeed the timing, is Alastair Reynolds' "Everlasting", which was in Interzone 193 (I think the last Pringle one) in 2004.
It "features a journey through snowy treacherous roads by Moria Curbishley to the remote home of an old college friend. Ian lives an isolated life, and is in one of his depressive moods. She fears that he may be suicidal, but it is far more complex - he has come to the conclusion that they are living in an Earth which has the odds stacked in favour of longevity : out of all the quantum Earths, the dice on this Earth are loaded in our favour. Or, more appropriately, the chambers in the revolver with which he is set to play Russian Roulette will always end up with the empty one. " http://www.bestsf.net/reviews/interzone193.html
SPOILER
Of course, Russian Roulette guy tries it out, and dies - but he is not the POV character. But Moira is the POV character...
I thought the story was effective, though the reviewer above didn't think so much of it. Basically, it toys with the question of what any of us know about death - none of us reading this now, obviously, has ever died. It only ever happens to other people. How, in fact, do we know that we CAN die? - or rather, how do I know that I can die? Perhaps I can't.
