Think Like a Dinosaur

Think Like a Dinosaur is a science fiction collection featuring the Hugo Award-winning title novella and thirteen additional short stories. The stories were written between 1984-1995 and showcase Kelly's explorations of human identity, consciousness, and technological advancement. The title story follows a human "translator" who facilitates matter transmission between Earth and alien worlds, forcing him to confront difficult ethical choices. Other notable entries examine virtual reality, genetic engineering, and humanity's encounters with extraterrestrial civilizations. Kelly's narratives often place ordinary characters in extraordinary circumstances that test their understanding of what it means to be human. The collection wrestles with questions of progress, morality, and the price of technological advancement through a distinctly human lens.

Readers point to the title story as the strongest piece in this short story collection, with many drawing parallels to Tom Godwin's "The Cold Equations." Multiple reviewers note the moral and philosophical questions raised about identity and consciousness. What readers liked: - Creative takes on classic sci-fi concepts - Complex ethical dilemmas without easy answers - "Clean, straightforward writing style" (Goodreads review) - Tight pacing and plot construction What readers disliked: - Uneven quality across the stories - Some endings felt rushed or unresolved - A few stories described as "forgettable" - "Too similar to other sci-fi stories of the era" (Amazon review) Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (312 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (28 ratings) LibraryThing: 3.7/5 (89 ratings) Multiple reviewers compare the collection favorably to works by Robert Silverberg and Frederik Pohl in terms of writing style and themes.

The Cold Equations by Tom Godwin This short story explores the moral implications of sacrificing human life in service of scientific protocols and space travel regulations.

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin The narrative examines the cost of utopian society and presents readers with an ethical dilemma about collective happiness versus individual suffering.

Learning to Be Me by Greg Egan The story follows the transition of human consciousness into artificial substrates, questioning the nature of identity and consciousness.

The Ship Who Sang by Anne McCaffrey This tale centers on the transformation of human beings into spacecraft through technological means, examining the price of progress and the definition of humanity.

Mindscan by Robert J. Sawyer The plot explores consciousness transfer technology and its implications for identity, mortality, and the rights of copied minds.

🦖 "Think Like a Dinosaur" won the 1996 Hugo Award for Best Novelette, one of science fiction's most prestigious honors. 🚀 The story was adapted into an episode of The Outer Limits in 2001, starring Enrico Colantoni and Linnea Sage. 🧬 The plot explores the philosophical question of consciousness and identity during teleportation, similar to the "transporters" in Star Trek but with darker implications. 📚 Author James Patrick Kelly has won multiple Nebula and Hugo awards, and teaches at the Stonecoast Creative Writing MFA Program. 🔄 The story's central concept of "balancing the equation" - destroying the original body after teleportation - was inspired by similar themes in Algis Budrys' 1960 novel "Rogue Moon."