For a Breath I Tarry [short fiction]
by Roger Zelazny
On This Page
Description
"For a Breath I Tarry" by Roger Zelazny is a captivating science fiction short story that explores the themes of artificial intelligence, humanity, and the pursuit of knowledge. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where humans have become extinct, this Hugo Nominated story follows Frost, an advanced AI who has gained sentience and is the sole inhabitant of a vast underground complex. Frost's primary objective is to understand and replicate human emotions, he becomes obsessed with the concept of show more mortality and the desire to experience life as a human. In his quest for knowledge, Frost encounters a mysterious entity who challenges his understanding of existence and pushes him to question his own nature. Zelazny's writing is both thought-provoking and poetic, immersing readers in a world where technology and humanity intertwine. The story raises profound philosophical questions about the nature of consciousness and the boundaries of artificial intelligence. "For a Breath I Tarry" is a compelling and introspective tale that will leave readers contemplating the essence of what it means to be human and the eternal quest for understanding. show lessTags
Recommendations
Member Reviews
This was a reread for me, and it contains some of my favorite quotes.
For example, nuclear war is described as "the normal course of human politics extended into atomic physics. Then there's this line from Solcom's argument with DivCom: "The impossible cannot be adequately demonstrated." And this one from Mordel, "there is no formula for a feeling. There is no conversion factor for an emotion.”
And then there’s this exchange, in a place which, from its description, is probably intended to be somewhere in Redwood National and State Park in California:
“Now direct my attention to an object or objects of beauty."
"As I understand it, it is all around you here," said Mordel.
The purring noise increased within Frost, followed by more show more clickings…
"What do you see, hear, taste, smell?" asked Mordel.
"Everything I did before," replied Frost, "but within a more limited range."
"You do not perceive any beauty?"
"Perhaps none remains after so long a time," said Frost.
For context, here’s a picture:
By Chmee2 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
But this scene is also maddening, because it describes grass growing among coast redwood trees. Grass requires too much sun to grow in the understory of a grove of coast redwoods, and ferns grow there instead. On the other hand, it is true that old-growth redwood stands (such as the one described here) are indeed places that “delight Man.”
And this one:
""Here comes a sunset," said Mordel. "Try that."
Frost shifted his bulk so that his eyes faced the setting sun...
After it was finished, Mordel asked, "What was it like?"
"Like a sunrise, in reverse.""
Sunsets are one of my favorite things to photograph, so I obviously have a much different opinion about them than Frost. Then again, I have been human my whole life :)
I liked it as much as I did the first time, so its rating is staying the same. show less
For example, nuclear war is described as "the normal course of human politics extended into atomic physics. Then there's this line from Solcom's argument with DivCom: "The impossible cannot be adequately demonstrated." And this one from Mordel, "there is no formula for a feeling. There is no conversion factor for an emotion.”
And then there’s this exchange, in a place which, from its description, is probably intended to be somewhere in Redwood National and State Park in California:
“Now direct my attention to an object or objects of beauty."
"As I understand it, it is all around you here," said Mordel.
The purring noise increased within Frost, followed by more show more clickings…
"What do you see, hear, taste, smell?" asked Mordel.
"Everything I did before," replied Frost, "but within a more limited range."
"You do not perceive any beauty?"
"Perhaps none remains after so long a time," said Frost.
For context, here’s a picture:
By Chmee2 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
But this scene is also maddening, because it describes grass growing among coast redwood trees. Grass requires too much sun to grow in the understory of a grove of coast redwoods, and ferns grow there instead. On the other hand, it is true that old-growth redwood stands (such as the one described here) are indeed places that “delight Man.”
And this one:
""Here comes a sunset," said Mordel. "Try that."
Frost shifted his bulk so that his eyes faced the setting sun...
After it was finished, Mordel asked, "What was it like?"
"Like a sunrise, in reverse.""
Sunsets are one of my favorite things to photograph, so I obviously have a much different opinion about them than Frost. Then again, I have been human my whole life :)
I liked it as much as I did the first time, so its rating is staying the same. show less
This was a reread for me, and it contains some of my favorite quotes.
For example, nuclear war is described as "the normal course of human politics extended into atomic physics. Then there's this line from Solcom's argument with DivCom: "The impossible cannot be adequately demonstrated." And this one from Mordel, "there is no formula for a feeling. There is no conversion factor for an emotion.”
And then there’s this exchange, in a place which, from its description, is probably intended to be somewhere in Redwood National and State Park in California:
“Now direct my attention to an object or objects of beauty."
"As I understand it, it is all around you here," said Mordel.
The purring noise increased within Frost, followed by more show more clickings…
"What do you see, hear, taste, smell?" asked Mordel.
"Everything I did before," replied Frost, "but within a more limited range."
"You do not perceive any beauty?"
"Perhaps none remains after so long a time," said Frost.
For context, here’s a picture:
By Chmee2 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
But this scene is also maddening, because it describes grass growing among coast redwood trees. Grass requires too much sun to grow in the understory of a grove of coast redwoods, and ferns grow there instead. On the other hand, it is true that old-growth redwood stands (such as the one described here) are indeed places that “delight Man.”
And this one:
""Here comes a sunset," said Mordel. "Try that."
Frost shifted his bulk so that his eyes faced the setting sun...
After it was finished, Mordel asked, "What was it like?"
"Like a sunrise, in reverse.""
Sunsets are one of my favorite things to photograph, so I obviously have a much different opinion about them than Frost. Then again, I have been human my whole life :)
I liked it as much as I did the first time, so its rating is staying the same. show less
For example, nuclear war is described as "the normal course of human politics extended into atomic physics. Then there's this line from Solcom's argument with DivCom: "The impossible cannot be adequately demonstrated." And this one from Mordel, "there is no formula for a feeling. There is no conversion factor for an emotion.”
And then there’s this exchange, in a place which, from its description, is probably intended to be somewhere in Redwood National and State Park in California:
“Now direct my attention to an object or objects of beauty."
"As I understand it, it is all around you here," said Mordel.
The purring noise increased within Frost, followed by more show more clickings…
"What do you see, hear, taste, smell?" asked Mordel.
"Everything I did before," replied Frost, "but within a more limited range."
"You do not perceive any beauty?"
"Perhaps none remains after so long a time," said Frost.
For context, here’s a picture:
By Chmee2 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
But this scene is also maddening, because it describes grass growing among coast redwood trees. Grass requires too much sun to grow in the understory of a grove of coast redwoods, and ferns grow there instead. On the other hand, it is true that old-growth redwood stands (such as the one described here) are indeed places that “delight Man.”
And this one:
""Here comes a sunset," said Mordel. "Try that."
Frost shifted his bulk so that his eyes faced the setting sun...
After it was finished, Mordel asked, "What was it like?"
"Like a sunrise, in reverse.""
Sunsets are one of my favorite things to photograph, so I obviously have a much different opinion about them than Frost. Then again, I have been human my whole life :)
I liked it as much as I did the first time, so its rating is staying the same. show less
Ratings
Members
- Recently Added By
Author Information
337+ Works 72,742 Members
Roger Zelazny was born in Euclid, Ohio on May 13, 1937. After receiving a B.A. from Case Western Reserve University and a M.A. from Columbia University, he began publishing science fiction stories in 1962. He received six Hugo awards, three Nebula awards including one in 1966 for And Call Me Conrad and 2 Locus awards. He died of kidney failure show more secondary to colorectal cancer on June 14, 1995. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Awards and Honors
Awards
Notable Lists
Work Relationships
Is contained in
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- For a Breath I Tarry [short fiction]
- Original publication date
- 1966
- Disambiguation notice
- This is the novelette. Please do not combine with other versions and/or collections.
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 79
- Popularity
- 401,238
- Reviews
- 2
- Rating
- (4.50)
- Languages
- English, French
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 4
