Source Decay

Last updated
"Source Decay"
Author Charlie Jane Anders
Country United States
Language English
Genre(s) Science fiction short story
Published in Strange Horizons
Publication type Periodical
Media type Online magazine
Publication dateJanuary 3, 2011

"Source Decay" is a science fiction short story by Charlie Jane Anders. It was first published in the online magazine Strange Horizons January 3, 2011. [1]

Contents

The story's title was named after the Mountain Goats song "Source Decay" from their 2002 album All Hail West Texas . [2]

Synopsis

Over the centuries, an episode of the reality television program Infidelity Squad is constantly being remade and adapted for a variety of futuristic mediums as space elevator installations and "metapoem". It eventually becomes the most important cultural artifact in human (and posthuman) history.

Reception

Locus Online 's Lois Tilton was critical of the short story stating "The premise has been done before, and the humor is labored." [3] Tangent Online 's Rena Hawkins reviewed it saying "I 'get' the idea contained within the story; that even a mundane reality TV episode can be so blown out of proportion by the media and obsessed viewers that it takes on meaning and significance it never possessed to begin with. Unfortunately, Source Decay kicks this idea to death by the time the story ends." [4]

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References

  1. Charlie Jane Anders (3 January 2011). "Strange Horizons Fiction: Source Decay, by Charlie Jane Anders". Strange Horizons . Retrieved 29 September 2011.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  2. Charlie Jane Anders (22 July 2014). "Twitter / charliejane: @DrWho42 @mountain_goats Yep. ..." Twitter . Retrieved 24 July 2014.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  3. Lois Tilton (19 January 2011). "Lois Tilton reviews Short Fiction, mid-January". Locus Online . Retrieved 29 September 2011.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)
  4. Rena Hawkins (23 April 2011). "Strange Horizons, January 2011". Tangent Online . Retrieved 29 September 2011.CS1 maint: discouraged parameter (link)