Collection of Fiction about AI is Published

POPLAR GROVE, Ill. - March 15, 2024 - PRLog -- "AI Tales: A Collection of Artificial Intelligence Stories" is a new collection of stories from Northern Illinois publisher Tales of Wonder and Dread. The book, as the subtitle suggests, features fiction about Artificial Intelligence. There are several modern stories and a host of vintage tales. By definition all of the stories qualify as science fiction, but some have definite horror elements.

Heath D. Alberts has two stories in the collection. "Apropoganda" centers around a real internet phenomenon called "Loeb." "The Battery Man" is a post apocalyptic story about an android finding himself and the world. "ReSkinned" from R. C. Mulhare tells a tale of an android who has been "reskinned" to serve as a body double to a human musician. Gary Hill's "The Quest of Alice" is a reimagining of Pinocchio, as a dark android tale.

The vintage stories included are "There Will Be School Tomorrow" by V. E. Thiessen, "Selling Point" by Norman Arkawy,  "Moxon's Master" by Ambrose Bierce, "Survival Tactics" by Al Sevcik, "Arm of the Law" by Harry Harrison, "Robot Nemesis" by E. E. Smith, "Automata" by S. Fowler Wright, "Robots of the World! Arise!" by Mari Wolf, "Let's Get Together" by Isaac Asimov and "The Metal Giants" by Edmond Hamilton.

AI might be a big buzz word and source for concern today, but as this collection shows, people have been thinking about it and worrying about the threats it might pose for a very long time. In fact, the oldest story in the collection dates back to 1899.
Gary Hill, who edited the book, ended his introduction to the book this way: "Finally, let me say that I hope we resolve our issues with AI in society because the technology will continue to advance. If we don't create the proper safeguards that advancement will make it a bigger threat as time goes on. Hopefully this book sheds some light on some of the potential problems via fictional worlds. At least, I hope it entertains, and perhaps makes you think."

Poplar Grove based Tales of Wonder and Dread Publishing was founded in 2018. The name refers to science fiction ("wonder"" and horror ("dread"). Before this new book, TOWAD had released nearly four-dozen books. That number includes all three novels in a trilogy from Elizabeth Lynn Blackson. Those books, "A Girl's Gotta Eat," "Old Black Water" and "Invasive Species" blend genres like urban fantasy, horror, action adventure and more. In addition to the three published as separate books, a book compiling all three as "Suffering Sequence Trilogy" was also released recently.

The book is available in paperback and hardcover at lulu.com/spotlight/strangesound and GaryHillAuthor.com and TalesofWonderandDread.com.