THE HUMMINGBIRD EFFECT
by Kate Mildenhall
(Simon & Schuster, $37.99)
Australian novelist Kate Mildenhall proves once again she's highly adept at writing about the world to come. In her new novel, the author of the near future The Mother Fault delivers a stark warning about what might be ahead if climate change and humankind's greed go unchecked.
The Hummingbird Effect is set in four periods following the lives of four women living in 1933, 2020, 2031 and 2181. In each case, they are witnessing progress they are fearful of. Interspersed in their stories is the "Hummingbird Project", a series of eerie and at times impossible-to-answer Q&As between a character, ErisX, and an AI chatbot, asking big questions such as what human innovations it would undo if that were possible.
Denne historien er fra September 23-29 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
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Denne historien er fra September 23-29 2023-utgaven av New Zealand Listener.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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First-world problem
Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.
Applying intelligence to AI
I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.
Nazism rears its head
Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.
Staying ahead of the game
Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?
Grasping the nettle
Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.
Hangry? Eat breakfast
People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.
Chemical reaction
Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.
Me and my guitar
Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.
Time is on my side
Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?
The kids are not alright
Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.
