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329: An Atomic Fable
Available at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
The atoms that compose your body were around long before you were born and will remain long after you're dead. Their brief sojourn with you is a tiny episode within their life in this universe. This short story traces the path of a single hydrogen atom from the Big Bang to the edge of the universe. If we could ask an atom to recount its adventures perhaps this is the story it would tell.
This is a short story of about 4600 words.
Excerpt:
"There were still other particles in this universe besides us protons. We called them the short life particles because they would spring into existence and then decay in only a few short trillionths of a second. 329 and I would often watch as they quickly appeared and then vanished, leaving faint bursts of light all around us. Whenever we drifted a bit from the crowd we could see them even more clearly and it was quite beautiful. It was said that none of us protons would live forever, and that one day each of us would decay as the short life particles did. Decay was a random process, meaning no proton could know the exact moment of their own decay. All we could do was hope that it would not happen for a very long time. In fact I wasn't quite convinced it would ever happen. No one had ever actually seen a proton decay, and so perhaps we would live forever."
The atoms that compose your body were around long before you were born and will remain long after you're dead. Their brief sojourn with you is a tiny episode within their life in this universe. This short story traces the path of a single hydrogen atom from the Big Bang to the edge of the universe. If we could ask an atom to recount its adventures perhaps this is the story it would tell.
This is a short story of about 4600 words.
Excerpt:
"There were still other particles in this universe besides us protons. We called them the short life particles because they would spring into existence and then decay in only a few short trillionths of a second. 329 and I would often watch as they quickly appeared and then vanished, leaving faint bursts of light all around us. Whenever we drifted a bit from the crowd we could see them even more clearly and it was quite beautiful. It was said that none of us protons would live forever, and that one day each of us would decay as the short life particles did. Decay was a random process, meaning no proton could know the exact moment of their own decay. All we could do was hope that it would not happen for a very long time. In fact I wasn't quite convinced it would ever happen. No one had ever actually seen a proton decay, and so perhaps we would live forever."
13 pages, ebook
First published April 29, 2011
53 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 26, 2011
'Pathetic Fallacy' is a way of describing inanimate objects as having feelings or desires. It is often misused in science, as in the sentence "One oxygen atom wants to combine with two hydrogen atoms to produce water". But that's not true, oxygen atoms don't want anything, and to describe them in those terms is an oversimplification that ignores the basic scientific principles which underlie molecular bonds.
Pathetic fallacy can cause a lot of errors and oversights in scientific thought, and for this reason, is discouraged. This short story is a long piece of pathetic fallacy, assigning names, mathematical knowledge, and romantic relationships to hydrogen atoms. It's all rather silly, and neither the story nor the science are interesting or insightful. I couldn't help but think of Jurrasic Park's "Mr. DNA" introducing himself and telling us about how he is the building blocks from which animals form.
The author spam suggested this story to me out of the blue without so much as an introduction, and when I checked his author page, found that he had voted his own short story to the top of various 'best sci fi' lists, a common technique by shameless self-promoters on Goodreads, and almost as bad as rating your own book 'five stars'.
But I forgot to apply Hanlon's Razor to the problem: "Never chalk anything up to malice which could as easily be explained by ignorance". Apparently the author didn't realize he was voting his own short story "The Most Innovative Book of All Time"--we've all got a learning curve.
Let this be a lesson to you prospective writers out there: no one likes cold-calls, not for insurance, and not for books. If you really want to promote your own writing, try to talk to people--communicate with them, find like-minded people and they might even help you out. Start groups, participate in discussions, blog, talk about writing. Remember: when you're asking someone to read your book, especially if they have to pay for it, you're asking them to do you a favor. It pays to be a but gracious and humble about it.
If you spam people you don't know with requests, rate your own stories highly, vote them 'Best Book Ever', friend-collect, have zero ratings or reviews (besides your own books), and avoid participating in the community, you're going to come off as an egotistical, annoying self-promoter.
Pathetic fallacy can cause a lot of errors and oversights in scientific thought, and for this reason, is discouraged. This short story is a long piece of pathetic fallacy, assigning names, mathematical knowledge, and romantic relationships to hydrogen atoms. It's all rather silly, and neither the story nor the science are interesting or insightful. I couldn't help but think of Jurrasic Park's "Mr. DNA" introducing himself and telling us about how he is the building blocks from which animals form.
The author spam suggested this story to me out of the blue without so much as an introduction, and when I checked his author page, found that he had voted his own short story to the top of various 'best sci fi' lists, a common technique by shameless self-promoters on Goodreads, and almost as bad as rating your own book 'five stars'.
But I forgot to apply Hanlon's Razor to the problem: "Never chalk anything up to malice which could as easily be explained by ignorance". Apparently the author didn't realize he was voting his own short story "The Most Innovative Book of All Time"--we've all got a learning curve.
Let this be a lesson to you prospective writers out there: no one likes cold-calls, not for insurance, and not for books. If you really want to promote your own writing, try to talk to people--communicate with them, find like-minded people and they might even help you out. Start groups, participate in discussions, blog, talk about writing. Remember: when you're asking someone to read your book, especially if they have to pay for it, you're asking them to do you a favor. It pays to be a but gracious and humble about it.
If you spam people you don't know with requests, rate your own stories highly, vote them 'Best Book Ever', friend-collect, have zero ratings or reviews (besides your own books), and avoid participating in the community, you're going to come off as an egotistical, annoying self-promoter.
July 23, 2011
How many short stories can truly say that they cover trillions of years, even from a limited perspective? Even fewer can say that they've done it in an interesting, fun, and all together different fashion. 329 is one of those that have done this tremendous task and has done it well!
329 starts at the beginning of time. Well, actually, it starts .000001 seconds AFTER the absolute beginning of time, but I think the beginning of time is close enough. 329 is a love story of sorts, with the main character being 4 times 10 to the 36th power. As one of only 10 to the 93rd power protons in the universe, 4 times 10 to the 36th leads a pretty interesting life.
It all starts when he meets, bonds, and falls in love with 329. Unfortunately, after a scant 718 million years they are separated. 329 is the story of 4 times 10 to the 36th power life after 329 and his search for her.
Is the story funny? No, not really. Is it exciting? I wouldn't say so, no. However it is extremely well written and includes situations that will be very familiar to everyone. This story is highly recommend for lovers of science, or science fiction, or for anyone who knows what it is like to be separated from a loved one.
329 starts at the beginning of time. Well, actually, it starts .000001 seconds AFTER the absolute beginning of time, but I think the beginning of time is close enough. 329 is a love story of sorts, with the main character being 4 times 10 to the 36th power. As one of only 10 to the 93rd power protons in the universe, 4 times 10 to the 36th leads a pretty interesting life.
It all starts when he meets, bonds, and falls in love with 329. Unfortunately, after a scant 718 million years they are separated. 329 is the story of 4 times 10 to the 36th power life after 329 and his search for her.
Is the story funny? No, not really. Is it exciting? I wouldn't say so, no. However it is extremely well written and includes situations that will be very familiar to everyone. This story is highly recommend for lovers of science, or science fiction, or for anyone who knows what it is like to be separated from a loved one.
July 13, 2011
Combine a new found interest in short stories with a bit of science and you've piqued my interest.
I must admit I was a little unsure about where this story was going to go and how scientific it would get, but any concerns were misplaced. Narrated by an insignificant proton we find out its entire life story in a chatty conversational tone. It is a story of the beginning and the end of the world, and encompasses a love story, the object of the proton's desire being 329. Who knew that by the end I'd feel empathy with a proton.
I really enjoyed this story, it's such a great concept, not overwhelmed by science and providing a novel viewpoint. It think I took me less than an hour to read and I was almost sad to reach the end. It's probably something that might not have leapt off the virtual shelf for me, had I not been offered a review copy, but I came away from it thinking that it was a great, clever, quirky read.
I must admit I was a little unsure about where this story was going to go and how scientific it would get, but any concerns were misplaced. Narrated by an insignificant proton we find out its entire life story in a chatty conversational tone. It is a story of the beginning and the end of the world, and encompasses a love story, the object of the proton's desire being 329. Who knew that by the end I'd feel empathy with a proton.
I really enjoyed this story, it's such a great concept, not overwhelmed by science and providing a novel viewpoint. It think I took me less than an hour to read and I was almost sad to reach the end. It's probably something that might not have leapt off the virtual shelf for me, had I not been offered a review copy, but I came away from it thinking that it was a great, clever, quirky read.
June 25, 2013
This is a very well Developed Short Story and nothing more. The Author Doesn't Claim this to be a Educational book, This is Fiction so take that in account before you read and review it as lacking the educational & Scientific factor. I don't have any problem enjoying this story, and in fact I really enjoyed it. it's the story of the 'Life' Adventures and Love of an Atom. very original Concept and Story, best suited for Younger Readers. I do Recommend it.
November 27, 2016
This is interesting. It's a love story. About an atom.
It's actually really well researched for a short story, and reads like something Prof. Brian Cox would tell to children. I enjoyed it, but at the same time I felt most of it was above my head. It's powerful and sad, but at heart, it's a love story.
If you like science, space and love stories. It's a perfect little tale. Weird, but perfect.
It's actually really well researched for a short story, and reads like something Prof. Brian Cox would tell to children. I enjoyed it, but at the same time I felt most of it was above my head. It's powerful and sad, but at heart, it's a love story.
If you like science, space and love stories. It's a perfect little tale. Weird, but perfect.
March 25, 2013
It fulfilled my expectations to an extent. The author appeared in the book as a narrator. I did enjoy the book because it was completely different that most science fiction books.It was on par and better in some ways that other books in this genre.I was pulled into the book.
The author’s presence was very fitting and appropriate.It did not end how I expected it to.
The author’s presence was very fitting and appropriate.It did not end how I expected it to.
March 31, 2012
It was okay, not sciency enough.
February 5, 2013
En elektrons livsforløb over trillioner af år. -Underfundig og tankevækkende, vil jeg mene!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews