Machine Learning

New and Collected Stories

By: Hugh Howey

Narrated by: Gabra Zackman, Scott Aiello, Hugh Howey

Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

A new collection of stories, including some that have never before been seen, from the New York Times best-selling author of the Silo trilogy

Hugh Howey is known for crafting riveting and immersive tales of boundless imagination, spawning millions of fans worldwide, first with his best-selling novel Wool, and then with other enthralling works such as Sand and Beacon 23. Now comes Machine Learning, an impressive collection of Howey's science fiction and fantasy short fiction, including three stories set in the world of Wool, two never-before-published tales written exclusively for this volume, and 15 additional stories collected here for the first time. These stories explore everything from artificial intelligence to parallel universes to video games, and each story is accompanied by an author's note exploring the background and genesis of each story.

Howey's incisive mind makes Machine Learning: New and Collected Stories an addictive and thought-provoking selection of short works - from a modern master at the top of his game.

©2017 Hugh Howey (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

Howey Does It

An astoundingly thought provoking and imaginative collection... Most collections are hit and miss, this one is all hits... Love the unique thought processes and scenarios delivered to us w/ encouragement to consider and cogitate... Stories off center and kilter intriguing and teasing dexterous minds... You’ll wanna give some little, or large, thought once done w/ each... Some won’t like the author’s notes following each, but I dug them tremendously... Narration is very good... Fans will gobble it up, and if you’re a neophyte to the Howey creations this could be an excellent appetizer to get started on your way....

So good

I loved this in its entirety. my kids would even listen along. There isn't a bad story in the whole lot.

Great writing - perhaps more daring than his novels

I generally don’t like reading anthologies. The stories are too short and the jump from story to story it too jarring. I bought this book because I really like Hugh Howey’s books and believe I have read them all.

This collection is gratifyingly great. Each story progresses with intensity - perhaps with urgency to get his message across. And Hugh Howey’s always has a message. It was enlightening to read the stories that precede and succeed the Silo series. I gained valuable insights. Even more enlightening were the author’s notes at the end of almost every story. Those glimpses into Hugh Howey’s messages and morals were truly a joy.

pretty solid

I liked it overall but my main complaint is that a lot of these short stories don't really have an ending. there's no catharsis. you listen to 3 chapters of a story then it's just done.

Solid story, easy to listen to with deep thought.

Great series of short stories with the added bonus of closure with Wool. Very easy read

Howey’s home are short stories

I was addicted to the Wool series but it does have its issues. Largely due to the short turned long form it takes. This collection - while not all platinum - is filled with a quality that wows across a range of topics. I highly recommend it with both some early winners, mid throw backs to wool and an epic number few closers.

Mixed bag

Some stories were interesting, some less so. The male narrator in my opinion didn't convey emotions correctly and completely failed to capture my attention, so midway through a story I kept finding myself wondering what it was about. It could be just me, or the nature of short stories and continuously changing contexts - but I had a much easier time following along with the female narrator; as well as every other title I've listened to on Audible so far.

Really good anthology

I am a fan of the Wool trilogy, so decided to check this out. Glad I did! Very good collection of short stories that is well written and showcases a range of sci-fi plots. Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Some Good, Some Not So Much

Some authors excel at long form stories and some are best in the short story. A few are great at both. Hugh Howey is interesting because most of his books are comparatively short, and even his most famous work (Wool) was published as a series of novellas.

This series of short works covers most of Howey’s short stories collected in one place, and as you may expect, it’s hit or miss. There are some good ones and some that miss the mark, and a few new Wool stories too. None are overly long.

While not one for the annals of Howey’s best works, it should appeal to his fans and fans of his other series.

Some good, some not for me

I found a few of the stories very thought provoking. Others I was meh on. I should say I’m not really a short story reader but am a Howie fan. I think I enjoyed his thoughts on his stories between the entries more than the stories. Found it cool as well that he read those parts himself. I’d recommend the book to short story fans for sure.