Downtown

Downtown is about a man that goes to a place called Downtown. He brings a talking Duck with him, who obviously gets on his nerves. While downtown he spends about 2 days making "various transactions" which involve having sex and discharging charges. In the end of the story he finds out that the Duck is actually a girl. The story does not really explain itself and leaves alot to interpretation from the reader.

Red Phone

The Read Phone is about s sex hotline with a man named Edwin Perskey. A woman on one end of the phone relays a message to a person who relays it to a rep of Edwin's, who relays it to Edwin. During this relay the reps change the messages and compete to have the better response.

I was pretty surprised by the level of detail they went into during this story.

The Last American

The Last American was an interesting look at the life of Andrew Steele and his wide ranging influence he has on the world. Kessel uses Steele's life to show a glimpse into the next century to see what life would be like. If the next century is anything like Kessel's projections than it will definitely not be boring. Multiple natural disasters, world wars, plagues that wipe out three quarters of the world, and the integration of technology into humanity. It is quite a lot to happen in the next century.

Where's the sci-fi in "Snake Girl"?

...I really couldn't find any. Does anyone have any ideas?

Space Travel at a Price

In this scifi show I'm watching, there is a species of aliens that is really advanced but doesn't have the power to travel through space. Instead, they agree to became the pilot of a ship (btw the ships are alive) in order to see the stars. As a result, they only live about a third of their normal live spans (because they die when the ship does) and have to be completely subservient to the other people on the ship. Also, I'm pretty sure they can never go back home or leave the ship at all. It's a lot to give up, but many members of the planet are willing to become pilots.

I'm not sure if I would want to give up so much for what seems like so little a gain. Maybe if I had more control, then I would do it even if it meant I would die sooner and that I could never come home. I just don't think I would want other people to have such control over me as the pilot does in the show.

So what would be an acceptable price to pay to travel amoungst the stars? What would you be willing to give up?

Downtown...???

This quite frankly is one of the most confusing stories I've yet read in my entire life. Although, after reading it a third time. I think it can have a little sense made out of it. Then again... perhaps it is just so crazy that you can make almost any point out of it, kinda like prophecies which are so vague that you can apply them to some situation that happens. I digress...

What I could get out of it is that it would appear Kessell is satirizing the internet and people's addiction to it. How everything now is based on charge which must then mean everything is electronic. For example, in today's society, people hate their jobs but love returning home to see their facebook, their tv, their video games, browse the web, youtube, etc. This is similar, but to a crazy whacked out extent.

As to the characters... I dunno, I couldnt make heads or tails (pun not intended) out of them.

Edit: Actually after reading it a fourth time (I know, it seems im obsessed, but cant help it as it is like a mystery needing to be solved). It makes me think of a video game. And the characters in it are characters in a game. I had this thought when I re-read "weekend skin". And a "skin" is a term for the physical look of something you see in a game, the picture if you will.

Anyone else have any opinions on this story?

The Red Phone

Has anyone else read the transcripts online where a guy (or girl I guess) under the username of bloodninja attempts to cyber with girls as he assumes absolutely ridiculous fantasy roles? I can't help but feel that Kessel might have been partly inspired by them while writing this story. One of the transcripts can be found here. I debated about how appropriate it would be to post it, but I figure it isn't any worse than anything we have read.