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Microcosmic God
Original short story
20 pages
First published April 1, 1941
About the author
Theodore Sturgeon
727 books717 followersTheodore Sturgeon (1918–1985) is considered one of the godfathers of contemporary science fiction and dark fantasy. The author of numerous acclaimed short stories and novels, among them the classics More Than Human, Venus Plus X, and To Marry Medusa, Sturgeon also wrote for television and holds among his credits two episodes of the original 1960s Star Trek series, for which he created the Vulcan mating ritual and the expression “Live long and prosper.” He is also credited as the inspiration for Kurt Vonnegut’s recurring fictional character Kilgore Trout.
Sturgeon is the recipient of the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, and the International Fantasy Award. In 2000, he was posthumously honored with a World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement.
Sturgeon is the recipient of the Hugo Award, the Nebula Award, and the International Fantasy Award. In 2000, he was posthumously honored with a World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
January 1, 2020
Brilliant, creative story of a genius inventor who discovers a method to accelerate his acquisition of knowledge by creating a race of tiny intelligent creatures, the Neoterics, that live with an accelerated metabolism and develop at an accelerated rate. The inventor not only guides their development, as well as setting cardinal rules that carry severe punishments, but also gives them specific missions and objectives that he wishes to exploit for himself.
"He couldn't speed up mankind's intellectual advancement enough to have it teach him the things his incredible mind yearned for. He couldn't speed himself up. So he created a new race, a race which would develop and evolve so fast that it would surpass the civilization of man; and from them he would learn."
"He couldn't speed up mankind's intellectual advancement enough to have it teach him the things his incredible mind yearned for. He couldn't speed himself up. So he created a new race, a race which would develop and evolve so fast that it would surpass the civilization of man; and from them he would learn."
June 21, 2021
-Read in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One-
Excellent short story with deep and lasting themes on the ethics of creating and being responsible for life and the potential dangers of a genius mind relentlessly pursuing a goal. The story also could be seen as a parallel to humanity’s relationship with God or its Creator, and provides some thought provoking but dark possibilities toward explaining that relationship. I’d rather not explain the plot as one of the joys for me when I was reading this story was discovering how it naturally unfolded. Without giving away too much it’s about an incredibly gifted scientist who dedicates himself to personal projects on his own private island as the outside world tries to interfere.
Excellent short story with deep and lasting themes on the ethics of creating and being responsible for life and the potential dangers of a genius mind relentlessly pursuing a goal. The story also could be seen as a parallel to humanity’s relationship with God or its Creator, and provides some thought provoking but dark possibilities toward explaining that relationship. I’d rather not explain the plot as one of the joys for me when I was reading this story was discovering how it naturally unfolded. Without giving away too much it’s about an incredibly gifted scientist who dedicates himself to personal projects on his own private island as the outside world tries to interfere.
March 12, 2023
Living on an island off the New England coast, a brilliant, reclusive biochemist named Kidder produces several inventions that improve human life, but he cares little for money. That concern is left to his banker, and only associate, Conant. In order to increase his productivity, Kidder creates a new species of life called "Neoterics," a miniature civilization to which he plays God and orders them to innovate and produce items based on his scant instructions.
One such invention is an advanced power plant that can produce electricity more efficiently than anything in use today. When Conant fails to persuade Kidder to build a full-scale version on his island, the banker hires a workforce to do it... while plotting to murder Kidder.
One such invention is an advanced power plant that can produce electricity more efficiently than anything in use today. When Conant fails to persuade Kidder to build a full-scale version on his island, the banker hires a workforce to do it... while plotting to murder Kidder.
November 1, 2022
Going through a short story phase because of lack of time and enjoyed the re-published version of this story in the "We, Robots" collection. The microcosmic universe Kidder creates in this story must have been an inspiration for Martin's story "The Sandkings" that was then turned into a two-parter episode of "The Outer Limits" as well. Except that Sturgeon enjoys a more positive note to his stories and I thought that was a strength of this story as well. It's a solid and enjoyable read and I can see why it was chosen as one of the best short stories by the Nebula Awards.
December 19, 2016
This is one of my all-time favorite SF short stories. I first read it in The Science Fiction Hall Of Fame Vol 1 back when there was only the one volume, 30+ years ago. To this day, it stands out in my mind against all the SF I've read over the years. Highly recommended.
May 15, 2020
Damn, this was deep shit!
On one hand - I absolutely root for guys like Kidder. "Pure" engineers, scientists of any kind, academics are beautiful to behold. I imagine myself like that, if maybe I had had the balls to not succumb to the reality of Maslow's pyramid.
On the other hand - these guys who are too committed to their fields might be rather too psychotic to be good for the good of the world - that is, even if we don't get judgmental about the moral weight of their actions. I personally do not know anyone with such a mad, evil, scientist bent of mind. But hey, the fact that society came up with, and deployed the N-bombs shows we are capable enough. And Elon Musk, huge fan btw, might be going down that path.
And then, there's the theological aspect of the story. As much as I want there to be a benevolent God, I am afraid I am atheistic in my outlook. But sometimes I do think that if God exists - it might just be an entity like Kidder. Not necessarily evil. But just has its own agenda, and while it doesn't want us to go extinct, it wouldn't mind killing off a few of us if it somehow helped create what it wants. The Kidder-neoteric relationship was a perfect depiction of our species' relationship with God, all things considered.
Now those are deep waters to tread in - and as a short story, Microcosmic God is very, very successful in handling that.
On one hand - I absolutely root for guys like Kidder. "Pure" engineers, scientists of any kind, academics are beautiful to behold. I imagine myself like that, if maybe I had had the balls to not succumb to the reality of Maslow's pyramid.
On the other hand - these guys who are too committed to their fields might be rather too psychotic to be good for the good of the world - that is, even if we don't get judgmental about the moral weight of their actions. I personally do not know anyone with such a mad, evil, scientist bent of mind. But hey, the fact that society came up with, and deployed the N-bombs shows we are capable enough. And Elon Musk, huge fan btw, might be going down that path.
And then, there's the theological aspect of the story. As much as I want there to be a benevolent God, I am afraid I am atheistic in my outlook. But sometimes I do think that if God exists - it might just be an entity like Kidder. Not necessarily evil. But just has its own agenda, and while it doesn't want us to go extinct, it wouldn't mind killing off a few of us if it somehow helped create what it wants. The Kidder-neoteric relationship was a perfect depiction of our species' relationship with God, all things considered.
Now those are deep waters to tread in - and as a short story, Microcosmic God is very, very successful in handling that.
March 18, 2020
Kidder is highly secretive and reclusive biochemists whose inventions have transformed human life. Spanning every aspect of science and engineering, Kidder is hailed as the greatest living scientist in human history, but his secret lies in a synthetic life form which he created called "Neoterics." These creatures live at a greatly accelerated rate, and therefore what would take human scientists or engineers years decades or even century’s to develop are completed in a matter of hours or days. Kidder as the God of this microscopic world gives the Neoterics a problem and they return to him with the completed tech that has made him and his banker very rich men.
This was an amazing short story and one of the best I have read in quite some time. There is so much crammed into it and it is a pretty fasted paced story. The characters tho in some ways predictable are likeable and detestable and you really will find yourself rooting for Kidder and his Neoterics. Definitely worth a read!
This was an amazing short story and one of the best I have read in quite some time. There is so much crammed into it and it is a pretty fasted paced story. The characters tho in some ways predictable are likeable and detestable and you really will find yourself rooting for Kidder and his Neoterics. Definitely worth a read!
September 5, 2018
Classic SF. This story was quite a bit of fun, although a little silly as well. At first I thought the Neoterics were some new life form, but near the end of the story Kidder call them his little "people".
Considering the terrible experiments he performed on them, decimating the population at times, it is surprising that the Neoterics seemed to treat Kidder as a benevolent god as opposed to a capricious monster. The story was very reminiscent of George R.R.Martin's Sandkings, which of course came much later.
Considering the terrible experiments he performed on them, decimating the population at times, it is surprising that the Neoterics seemed to treat Kidder as a benevolent god as opposed to a capricious monster. The story was very reminiscent of George R.R.Martin's Sandkings, which of course came much later.
April 11, 2020
It's an interesting and ever familiar premise, which I figure had its origin with this short story.
I also liked Sturgeon's prose, an elegant and sparse medium to transmit his interesting ideas, but the plot kinda went off the rails when a megalomaniac scheme and the US government got involved all of the sudden during the final act.
I also liked Sturgeon's prose, an elegant and sparse medium to transmit his interesting ideas, but the plot kinda went off the rails when a megalomaniac scheme and the US government got involved all of the sudden during the final act.
November 16, 2023
Again, Sturgeon’s stories from this time take a while to develop, and the beginnings are rarely about show and all about tell—the very thing that modern writers are cautioned never to do. It’s not the lack of “scenes” or “action,” this telling thing, or even that the author is telling you a story, which works alright, but that Sturgeon is basically telling you the setup of the world, how things are different from what you know, prior to getting to the actual story. What makes it somewhat palatable is that Sturgeon had a style that made this kind of tell at least interesting rather than just dry. His descriptions of both Kidder and Conant establish their personalities fairly quickly, and the buildup of how Kidder makes his unusual discoveries, while not really feasible, at least is portrayed with panache (later, George R. R. Martin was to achieve something a little more feasible with “Sandkings”). And once the actual plot starts, then the story gets its action and its impetus to the end, with both a comeuppance and a warning. Still, I’d like it more if that early part could have been revealed through story rather than just dumped on the reader.
November 21, 2023
I read this short story for the first time in the mid-1970s when it was featured in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929-1964. Upon rereading it now, I am surprised how many of the plot points I remembered nearly fifty years later. I liked the story then and appreciate it even a little more now.
This classic SF tale is of the city in a bottle sub-genre--think of Superman's bottle in his Fortress of Solitude containing the city of Kandor if you need another. Only in this case the city's observer from our world hits upon the idea of challenging the residents of the city and copying their responses. A prevalent theory of history at the time Sturgeon wrote this story was to see the history of humanity in terms of a series of challenges and humanity's responses to those challenges, as a cycle of constant progress, and to write all of history accordingly.
Sturgeon's genius was to extrapolate that theory and put it in an SF setting. Add one naive scientist along with an unscrupulous businessman in the equation and the story practically writes itself. Brilliant!
This classic SF tale is of the city in a bottle sub-genre--think of Superman's bottle in his Fortress of Solitude containing the city of Kandor if you need another. Only in this case the city's observer from our world hits upon the idea of challenging the residents of the city and copying their responses. A prevalent theory of history at the time Sturgeon wrote this story was to see the history of humanity in terms of a series of challenges and humanity's responses to those challenges, as a cycle of constant progress, and to write all of history accordingly.
Sturgeon's genius was to extrapolate that theory and put it in an SF setting. Add one naive scientist along with an unscrupulous businessman in the equation and the story practically writes itself. Brilliant!
June 20, 2023
Microcosmic God
by Theodore Sturgeon
can be found in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One 1929-1964
Read June 2023
There are at least two thought provoking parallels to this story: The relation between the inventor and his creation could be the relation between a god and us. Are we been pushed to invent? Not likely – but an interesting thought. That would mean that vaccines are the result of a gods demands. The other parallel is between us and a future general AI: Smart (but maybe not supersmart) but able to invent things at super human speed simply because it runs trillions times faster. Here the crucial point would be when the
by Theodore Sturgeon
can be found in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One 1929-1964
Read June 2023
There are at least two thought provoking parallels to this story: The relation between the inventor and his creation could be the relation between a god and us. Are we been pushed to invent? Not likely – but an interesting thought. That would mean that vaccines are the result of a gods demands. The other parallel is between us and a future general AI: Smart (but maybe not supersmart) but able to invent things at super human speed simply because it runs trillions times faster. Here the crucial point would be when the
March 16, 2023
What happens when you threaten to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs?
A Scientist and seeker of knowledge decides that the world is moving too slow for his liking so, he creates his own and puts it into over-drive. Having it evolve and change according to his whims just to see what those smart little people of his will come up with.
On the other hand of the scale is his banker that has been profiting from the fractions of knowledge that have been tossed his way. But money corrupts and no matter how much of it, how much power he got it just wasn't enough.
Beautifully written, simple and to the point without added fluff making it unique in that respect.
A Scientist and seeker of knowledge decides that the world is moving too slow for his liking so, he creates his own and puts it into over-drive. Having it evolve and change according to his whims just to see what those smart little people of his will come up with.
On the other hand of the scale is his banker that has been profiting from the fractions of knowledge that have been tossed his way. But money corrupts and no matter how much of it, how much power he got it just wasn't enough.
Beautifully written, simple and to the point without added fluff making it unique in that respect.
May 4, 2021
Crazy scientist on his own private island creates intelligent life that far exceeds the capabilities of humans. A new world changing power source is developed by the beings and a political power struggle ensues.
July 11, 2023
It’s not often you get sci fi with a somewhat-happy ending. I’m honestly overjoyed enough at Johansen and Kidder’s survival that I’m willing to give this 5 stars.
Seeing the man who literally built a civilisation and then repeatedly killed half of it have more empathy and worry for the other inhabitants on the island than the Banker-President honestly makes a lot of sense. I really enjoyed this.
Seeing the man who literally built a civilisation and then repeatedly killed half of it have more empathy and worry for the other inhabitants on the island than the Banker-President honestly makes a lot of sense. I really enjoyed this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2023
An fun little speculative exploration of evolution. Idea is rather extraordinary for its time. Today, this is a tech bro dream, and as all such dreams, it makes recklessness a heroic feat. Though - it makes bankers out to be the bad guys.
December 20, 2017
EL 17.
June 1, 2018
I don't want to spoil this too much so I'll just say: Brilliant!
A little rough around the edges, but a must read for any type of reader.
A little rough around the edges, but a must read for any type of reader.
September 2, 2019
What if we could create an intelligent beings that live and evolve much faster than we do? Then learn from them. The Science Fiction Hall of Fame: Volume One, 1929-1964 #5.
September 13, 2019
Listened to in the SF Hall of Fame v.1 and it is my favorite story so far from the collection. Capturing and accelerating human-like evolution to "time travel to the future" is just brilliant!
November 16, 2019
Reviewed in collected edition here: http://www.skjam.com/2019/11/16/book-...
January 16, 2020
3.25. Short story.
July 9, 2020
Co je male, to je hezke...
August 31, 2021
Meh.
October 15, 2021
Wow I loved every word of it
December 16, 2021
Classic.
Again..reminds me black mirror. One if the series. I guess this where they took ideas from.
Again..reminds me black mirror. One if the series. I guess this where they took ideas from.
September 10, 2022
Written in 1941 and considered a sci-fi classic. It may be the first occurrence of the concept of a microscopic universe created by a scientist.
April 19, 2023
A great book that narrates a tale and fear that every inventor or creative should have in mind, to know what your work is being used for and the consequences of it, highly relatable and entertaining.
November 17, 2023
Creative genius…and money attempting to corrupt…
SF Hall of Fame Vol I
SF Hall of Fame Vol I
January 22, 2024
cute little story about a crazy genius finding himself spending the rest of his life with the love of his life, an engineer <3 how cute
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews