Author Topic: EP343: The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees (Read 18787 times)

eytanz · **on:** May 04, 2012, 06:34:52 AM

EP343: The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees

By E. Lily Yu

Read by Mur Lafferty

Originally appeared in Clarksworld

---

For longer than anyone could remember, the village of Yiwei had worn, in its orchards and under its eaves, clay-colored globes of paper that hissed and fizzed with wasps. The villagers maintained an uneasy peace with their neighbors for many years, exercising inimitable tact and circumspection. But it all ended the day a boy, digging in the riverbed, found a stone whose balance and weight pleased him. With this, he thought, he could hit a sparrow in flight. There were no sparrows to be seen, but a paper ball hung low and inviting nearby. He considered it for a moment, head cocked, then aimed and threw.

Much later, after he had been plastered and soothed, his mother scalded the fallen nest until the wasps seething in the paper were dead. In this way it was discovered that the wasp nests of Yiwei, dipped in hot water, unfurled into beautifully accurate maps of provinces near and far, inked in vegetable pigments and labeled in careful Mandarin that could be distinguished beneath a microscope.

The villagers’ subsequent incursions with bee veils and kettles of boiling water soon diminished the prosperous population to a handful. Commanded by a single stubborn foundress, the survivors folded a new nest in the shape of a paper boat, provisioned it with fallen apricots and squash blossoms, and launched themselves onto the river. Browsing cows and children fled the riverbanks as they drifted downstream, piping sea chanteys.

At last, forty miles south from where they had begun, their craft snagged on an upthrust stick and sank. Only one drowned in the evacuation, weighed down with the remains of an apricot. They reconvened upon a stump and looked about themselves.

“It’s a good place to land,” the foundress said in her sweet soprano, examining the first rough maps that the scouts brought back. There were plenty of caterpillars, oaks for ink galls, fruiting brambles, and no signs of other wasps. A colony of bees had hived in a split oak two miles away. “Once we are established we will, of course, send a delegation to collect tribute.

“We will not make the same mistakes as before. Ours is a race of explorers and scientists, cartographers and philosophers, and to rest and grow slothful is to die. Once we are established here, we will expand.”

Listen to this week’s Escape Pod!

eytanz · **Reply #1 on:** May 04, 2012, 06:43:36 AM

Quick moderator's note: this story marks the first of the Hugo nominees to run in Escape Pod. The tradition of running the Hugo nominees goes back to the early days of Escape Pod and I believe I speak for everyone involved in EA in saying they are proud and happy to continue with it. However, it's important to note that the normal genre guidelines for EP are not adhered to with the nominees.

So, please, no complaints about this or other Hugo nominees not being Science Ficiton.

Thanks!

aceofwands · **Reply #2 on:** May 04, 2012, 12:01:05 PM

I'm beginning to feel that, with the awards this year, writers are being rewarded for the neatness of a core idea rather than the execution.

I enjoyed this as a narrative, the central idea is quite "neat", but in the end I was disappointed becasue I couldn't tell is this was plain ole fiction or allegory.

I wasn't so much bothered that I found the ending quite downbeat; but if it's allegorical and therefore reflects the author's world-view, it seemed to me to say something quite negative about political free thought, which didn't reflect well. And given that I only found the central idea "neat", it didn't seem to justify the weight I was assigning.

I'm now unconfortable about trying to seem deep, so ...

Hey! Bees that draw maps! Neat!

Listener · **Reply #3 on:** May 04, 2012, 07:54:27 PM

Am I the only person who had a weird double-audio thing on Mur's intro? It didn't affect the story.

I... am not sure how I felt about this story. On one level, it's your pretty standard "technological invaders take over a weaker society and make them a subject race" that we've all read. On another... wasps making maps and bees making anarchy! And it was all framed by the fact that it was happening in this little town in what I'm guessing is a communist country, given the use of "The Capital" (I could practically hear the T and C).

So, I'd say it was okay.

SF.Fangirl · **Reply #4 on:** May 05, 2012, 03:14:48 AM

Uggg! I was disappointed to see this story here because I listened to it a few months back and disliked it then. And it's not even Sci Fi, but running the Hugos is a great Escape Pod tradition which I have enjoyed in previous years. (I like the nominees less and less each year though it seems.) I think aceofwands it the nail on the head. This was a allegory certainly not sci fi but not exactly fantasy either. But whatever story it telling, I did not enjoy it.

schizoTypal · **Reply #5 on:** May 05, 2012, 03:21:29 AM

@Listener - go back and listen again, Mur and the producer fixed everything up. Thanks again, Mur!

@aceofwands - It does seem to be an allegorical story, though I don't know if that would mean that it reflects how the author feels about the actual world. True in some cases, but definitely not all. Also, I didn't necessarily see what it was saying as negative, as far as political free thought, just ... sort of accurate. Inevitably, complete freedom is anarchy.

@SF.Fangirl - How exactly was the story not sci-fi? I'd be interested to know your definition of the genre, because it definitely seemed like it to me. Would you call it fantasy? Either way, Eytanz did say (in bold) not to complain about Hugo nominees being not Sci-Fi.

Personally, I felt like the story was one of extremes, as any good Sci-Fi tends to be. The extreme control on the side of the Wasps, and the extreme lack of it on the Bees. It also seemed a story of the way an aristocracy tends to crush the people living under it, and the way those people tend to rise up to crush that same aristocracy. All in all, I thought it was a well-told story, and as usual well-narrated.

Oh, and Nathan, I liked the little "transmission" joke at the end...

Lightspeed Kiwi · **Reply #6 on:** May 05, 2012, 01:06:10 PM

Well, Despite it being an "allegory". I still enjoyed the simple escapism. Rather than a sci fi story that indulges my imagination to fantastical limits, here was a story with a simple supposition, that could be deemed plausible, if you laid down some preliminary ground rules, such as it being set a 100 years ago? To allow for the slimming of the chance an entomologist might discover their true nature. It sure does make me feel vindicated incinerating a paper wasp nest on our fence last week with a lighter and a handy aerosol can.

Unblinking · **Reply #7 on:** May 07, 2012, 04:39:17 PM

I heard this story when it ran on the Clarkesworld podcast last year, and I found it incredibly boring. Neat idea, but it's nothing but loads and loads of exposition summary with no characters, and no matter how interesting an idea that gets really old really fast.

And this got nominated for a Hugo? Ugh. I don't know why such noms surprise me every year, but as happens every year this makes me question the entire point of these awards.

Thanks for running the Hugo noms, Escape Pod, even if most of them make me wonder if someone slipped something into the drinking water on voting day!

Devoted135 · **Reply #8 on:** May 08, 2012, 04:53:16 PM

Oh good, it's not just me! I was feeling almost guilty for not being able to really sink into this story and I was worried that it was the fault of my multi-tasking.

I agree that the core idea was cool, but the flowing descriptions separated me from the narrative so much that I cared quite a bit less than usual. In the end, my favorite part was the title.

InfiniteMonkey · **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2012, 08:06:36 PM

Quote from: Listener on May 04, 2012, 07:54:27 PM

Am I the only person who had a weird double-audio thing on Mur's intro? It didn't affect the story.

No. It came through that way from iTunes as well. Thought perhaps she was experimenting in 3-D audio (I mean, 3-D IS the Hot right now, so...)

As for the story, while it was interesting examination of anarchism and totalitarianism, the effects of the former on the latter weren't entirely clear to me, nor the effects of either on the human world. Maybe I'm exceedingly dense, but I would have preferred that to be spelled out a little more clearly. Allegory or no.

I also had a bit of problem keeping track of which species of insect the narration was discussing when they flipped back and forth between wasp and bee. Somethings were obvious markers (paper vs. wax and honey) but some were not.

merian · **Reply #10 on:** May 09, 2012, 06:41:21 PM

OK, this is an odd one. I found it hard to keep my interest up and found it sounded too didactic and exposition-heavy. But I was wondering if there wasn't something I didn't get, so I went out and found the text on Clarkesworld Magazine. This was one of the times that reading works a lot better for me than being read to. Much more subtle, and I finally understood the end. Maybe this is one story that just doesn't work as well in audio.

(And yes, Mur's intro is completely mangled in my mp3.)

schizoTypal · **Reply #11 on:** May 10, 2012, 05:07:28 AM

@merian and @InfiniteMonkey and @Listener

The double audio thing (which, being a producer myself I'd guess was a side effect of some failed slight echoing for depth) was unintentional, and was fixed the next day. If you re-download it you can hear Mur in her usual glory! Also, at the end, the audio is messed up exactly that same way on purpose.

Dem · **Reply #12 on:** May 10, 2012, 12:31:08 PM

I loved this on Clarkesworld, and I loved it again here - which tells you that the story can transcend equally good but quite different narration. Disappointingly, I didn't comment on the CW forum or I would have lifted it in a generous act of recycling. It's quite hard to pinpoint the qualities that draw me, but the sheer lyricism of the writing, which nevertheless remains clear and 'ordinary', is a major factor. Then there's the leap of imagination that has wasps making tiny maps, while bees potter along with their more artistic literacy. With some authors, this might have been twee and anthropomorphising but I never felt I was being asked to buy into a talking wasp - somehow, they just were what they were. I guess that's poets for you.

Talia · **Reply #13 on:** May 10, 2012, 02:25:22 PM

My mind is actually blown that so many people didn't like it. Quite strange.

I thought it was absolutely LOVELY! A fascinating idea with a neat setup. I loved the imaginings of bee and wasp society, just fun to think about (though dang, wasps are jerks. Well that's true of them in real life too! :p).

It was sad that the anarchist bees perished, but it was clear their message would continue, and I think they would have been content to know that.

childoftyranny · **Reply #14 on:** May 10, 2012, 05:36:56 PM

I have to admit, I entered this story thinking allegory, that's what you get for reading those dern commentaries before hand but at the end I didn't really see it. I also didn't really have any trouble understanding which group of insects were talking as it was very linear that when it moved from the meeting to the not-so-grand debate of bees after that it was mostly exposition about what the bees were doing or having done to them.

I think what lead me off the allegory train was how little it actually seemed to have to with the actions of story, its not as if the wasps and bees were not organized, and to have bees that were anarchist apparently everyone just worked together, though of course, the queen being the only one who can mate and creating more queens requires royal jelly, so if they had not perished in one season that there are stark differences would have become clear. The short amount of time in story seems to avoid the very sticky questions to me leaving it as beautiful writing but that it fails really take that dive into the deeps.

Cutter McKay · **Reply #15 on:** May 10, 2012, 08:26:27 PM

As with most, I struggled with this one. Granted, the imagery is nice, I could picture the hives, nests, wasps, and bees clearly, and enjoyed that aspect. However, like Merian and Unblinking, I found the exposition far too dense and boring. I would have liked a few specific characters, with dialogue, but at the same time, when the story is about the evolution of the society you can't really spend time on specific characters who might be gone in the next generation. It's like Asimov's Foundation series, or Tracy Hickman's Bronze Canticles; the story is about the world, not the people. Going into with that in mind, does it change how the story reads? Perhaps, but not enough in my opinion.

I also found myself at several points wondering why this story was being told about wasps and bees at all. I mean, it was creative and artistic, yes. But could the author have gotten her point across better if the reader wasn't spending so much time trying to reconcile the sentient state of these tiny insects.

Perhaps I just prefer a straight forward story to allegory. Either way, if this can get a Hugo nod, it gives me hope for own writing...

childoftyranny · **Reply #16 on:** May 11, 2012, 02:20:29 PM

Quote from: Cutter McKay on May 10, 2012, 08:26:27 PM

I also found myself at several points wondering why this story was being told about wasps and bees at all. I mean, it was creative and artistic, yes. But could the author have gotten her point across better if the reader wasn't spending so much time trying to reconcile the sentient state of these tiny insects.

This seems a curious problem to have to me, considering that you rarely see these comments in stories involving all sorts of odd aliens, the story doesn't actually identify the planet as earth, and neither does it identify the people as humans, perhaps if you approach it as an alien world you might find the suspension of disbelief easier, something I've been pondering after reading a few related comments.

Cutter McKay · **Reply #17 on:** May 11, 2012, 03:25:38 PM

Quote from: childoftyranny on May 11, 2012, 02:20:29 PM

This seems a curious problem to have to me, considering that you rarely see these comments in stories involving all sorts of odd aliens, the story doesn't actually identify the planet as earth, and neither does it identify the people as humans, perhaps if you approach it as an alien world you might find the suspension of disbelief easier...

This brings up so many more ideas/wonders/questions. One the one hand, what if E. Lily Yu had written this as an obvious alien landscape? You're absolutely correct in stating that we have no trouble reconciling the vast possibilities of alien entities for just that reason; they're alien. They can do anything, be anything. It's when you take something familiar, like bees/wasps and change it that we find it harder to believe. It's like Stephanie Meyer calling her sparkling bloodsuckers "vampires". (My sincere apologies for the Twilight reference.) But how much can you change the familiar before it becomes alien?

However, if E. Lily Yu had just written this as aliens on a different world, would there be any magic in the thought of tiny sentient creatures creating maps and developing written communication? It's the familiarity of the wasps/bees that makes this idea so unique and creative.

I'm finding that I'm at odds with myself over this story. Because I like the idea, the creativeness, the imagery of sentient insects; and yet, I didn't like the story. Heavy exposition has a lot to do with that, but, as I said before, this story is not about any specific characters, but about the race as a whole. And I'm OK with that. I liked the Foundation and Bronze Canticles series and they were more about their worlds as a whole. So why didn't I like this one? Could E. Lily Yu have told the same story from the limited points of view of a few select anarchist bees? It doesn't seem likely.

I guess I'm just going to have to chalk this one up to a good, well written story that just failed to resonate with me. I'm not in the target audience of this tale.

yicheng · **Reply #18 on:** May 11, 2012, 05:44:24 PM

Holy shit, this story was awesome!!! I loved everything about this, from the Anarchist Bees, to the idea of aristocratic Wasps drawing tiny maps, to the lush poetic imagery. I hereby challenge all detractors of this story to a sushi-eating contest. Be there or be forever dishonored!

Balu · **Reply #19 on:** May 11, 2012, 11:07:02 PM

Well it wasn't science fiction, but so what? It was awesome.

There was such a dense weave of ideas in this one, and the narrative pace moved just fast enough for them to be savoured without ever becoming dull.

How do you respond to tyrants possessed of terrible force ? Do you become Vichy Bees or risk anhilation? Was the Wasps' recruitment of slaves justified because slavery gave them the leisure to get on with civilization? That's something which can be argued of the ancient Greeks. And what happened to anarchists bees' version of Das Kapital? What contagion will it create?

Really, great stuff. I haven't heard the rest yet, but it deserves to win something.

Balu · **Reply #20 on:** May 11, 2012, 11:12:19 PM

Also, on the 'not science fiction' front I am sooooooooooooooo glad the author didn't tack on some extraneous stuff to lever it into the market.

You see authors do this and you can't blame them, but it really shouldn't be necessary. SF should be a state of mind, not a requirement for somebody to be a robot.

Cutter McKay · **Reply #21 on:** May 12, 2012, 12:49:46 AM

Quote from: yicheng on May 11, 2012, 05:44:24 PM

Holy shit, this story was awesome!!! I loved everything about this, from the Anarchist Bees, to the idea of aristocratic Wasps drawing tiny maps, to the lush poetic imagery. I hereby challenge all detractors of this story to a sushi-eating contest. Be there or be forever dishonored!

I will eat you under the table. Challenge accepted!
(Not because I feel the need to defend my position as a detractor. I just love sushi.)

childoftyranny · **Reply #22 on:** May 12, 2012, 01:29:54 AM

Quote from: Balu on May 11, 2012, 11:07:02 PM

Well it wasn't science fiction, but so what? It was awesome.

Today I finally figured out the way to wonder this question. Why isn't sociology and psychology as well as political science, which this story fits, sci-fi? We ought we limit our horizons as to what sci-fi out to explore to the so called hard sciences?

Not a direct comment just your thoughts and this story finally cemented that question for me.

Cattfish · **Reply #23 on:** May 12, 2012, 07:50:25 AM

Quote from: Cutter McKay on May 12, 2012, 12:49:46 AM

Quote from: yicheng on May 11, 2012, 05:44:24 PM
Holy shit, this story was awesome!!! I loved everything about this, from the Anarchist Bees, to the idea of aristocratic Wasps drawing tiny maps, to the lush poetic imagery. I hereby challenge all detractors of this story to a sushi-eating contest. Be there or be forever dishonored!

I will eat you under the table. Challenge accepted!
(Not because I feel the need to defend my position as a detractor. I just love sushi.)

mmmmm, sushi....

What? I just got completely derailed about my story comment. So uh, yeah, I guess the moral of the story is don't be bug Nazis or some human scientist will steal you for profit. Not sure who that's supposed to be in this parrallel, lol. A litearal deux ex machina?

Anyway back to more important matters: what kind of sushi do you like the most? I'm more partial to the fried eel myself...

Cutter McKay · **Reply #24 on:** May 12, 2012, 03:47:07 PM

Quote from: Cattfish on May 12, 2012, 07:50:25 AM

Anyway back to more important matters: what kind of sushi do you like the most? I'm more partial to the fried eel myself...

I love eel. No matter what other rolls I order, Las Vegas, Alaska, Rainbow, I always get a Dragon. And usually a couple of Unagi Nigiri, too.

But, we really should try to keep this on-topic. So, what if this story was told from the points of view of some oceanographer salmon who come across a faction of suicidal eels who believe they should all sacrifice themselves for the greater Unagi good? Would it be a parallel of the way our society treats... ok I have no idea where I'm going with this. But, hey, I tried.

Coolbreeze44105 · **Reply #25 on:** May 13, 2012, 05:21:44 PM

This story was good. I'm glad that the author ended it the way she did. I was also glad that the narrator was a female voice. It made the story more enjoyable for me.

schizoTypal · **Reply #26 on:** May 14, 2012, 03:27:30 AM

Quote from: Cutter McKay on May 12, 2012, 03:47:07 PM

Quote from: Cattfish on May 12, 2012, 07:50:25 AM
Anyway back to more important matters: what kind of sushi do you like the most? I'm more partial to the fried eel myself...

I love eel. No matter what other rolls I order, Las Vegas, Alaska, Rainbow, I always get a Dragon. And usually a couple of Unagi Nigiri, too.

But, we really should try to keep this on-topic. So, what if this story was told from the points of view of some oceanographer salmon who come across a faction of suicidal eels who believe they should all sacrifice themselves for the greater Unagi good? Would it be a parallel of the way our society treats... ok I have no idea where I'm going with this. But, hey, I tried.

In the interest of remaining on the topic ... I also love unagi.

friendOfAgnes · **Reply #27 on:** May 17, 2012, 09:55:02 PM

A little late to posting, but I wanted to chime in that I loved this story (enough to compel me to make my first comment on the forums). I may be largely biased here, being an entomologist myself, but, nevertheless, I thought it was great. I can see where the narrative itself was a little undirected, but to me the world-building was so wonderful that I don't really care.
I would disagree with interpreting this story as heavily allegorical, and I instead saw it as exploring what insect social systems (which are very different from our own) would look like if we started adding on a higher level of intelligence and culture. It strongly brought to mind Ursula K. LeGuin's "The Author of the Acacia Seeds" but with a stronger scientific grounding and more developed narrative. While many parts of the story are clearly fictional (i.e. wasps creating maps we can use), the social structures and many other aspects have a quite sound basis in actual studies of social insects. Most importantly, that this includes that there are conditions under which workers will lay their own eggs (only male due to the sex determination system of bees and wasps), and related hypotheses that evolution of genetic inhibition of reproduction was a key step in the emergence of social insect. Where one gene evolved, a mutation could easily shut it down, thus producing the anarchist bees seen here.
Finally, for anyone who thinks the anarchist bees have failed, I would disagree because (as the ending hints) the genes are still out there, and since they can read the notes of their predecessors, they'll do better next time.

So, I think this story completely deserved its nomination for a Hugo award (although all the other nominees I've read were also awesome, so I'm really not sure who I think should win).

schizoTypal · **Reply #28 on:** May 19, 2012, 09:23:57 AM

Quote from: friendOfAgnes on May 17, 2012, 09:55:02 PM

A little late to posting, but I wanted to chime in that I loved this story (enough to compel me to make my first comment on the forums). I may be largely biased here, being an entomologist myself, but, nevertheless, I thought it was great. I can see where the narrative itself was a little undirected, but to me the world-building was so wonderful that I don't really care.
I would disagree with interpreting this story as heavily allegorical, and I instead saw it as exploring what insect social systems (which are very different from our own) would look like if we started adding on a higher level of intelligence and culture. It strongly brought to mind Ursula K. LeGuin's "The Author of the Acacia Seeds" but with a stronger scientific grounding and more developed narrative. While many parts of the story are clearly fictional (i.e. wasps creating maps we can use), the social structures and many other aspects have a quite sound basis in actual studies of social insects. Most importantly, that this includes that there are conditions under which workers will lay their own eggs (only male due to the sex determination system of bees and wasps), and related hypotheses that evolution of genetic inhibition of reproduction was a key step in the emergence of social insect. Where one gene evolved, a mutation could easily shut it down, thus producing the anarchist bees seen here.
Finally, for anyone who thinks the anarchist bees have failed, I would disagree because (as the ending hints) the genes are still out there, and since they can read the notes of their predecessors, they'll do better next time.

So, I think this story completely deserved its nomination for a Hugo award (although all the other nominees I've read were also awesome, so I'm really not sure who I think should win).

That was another side that I definitely did see, beyond the allegory. Bees and Wasps as intelligent, speaking creatures with agendas and plans.

CryptoMe · **Reply #29 on:** May 22, 2012, 06:16:08 PM

I too liked this story. I didn't see the problems some other posters did, in terms of too allegorical, dense, or boring. Like friendOfAgnes, I found this an intriguing glimpse into what a more highly evolved hive society might look like. Very neat, I thought.

LaShawn · **Reply #30 on:** May 24, 2012, 07:12:57 PM

OH YAYYYYYYY!!!! THIS STORY IS HERE!!!!

Sorry. I'm just now getting around to listening to it. When I read it at Clarkesworld, it BLEW MY MIND. So I don't care what the comments say, LALALA ENJOYING THIS STORY I CAN'T HEAR YOU.

But I still love all of you. Really I do.

(edit) and I also like sushi...

Feegle · **Reply #31 on:** May 28, 2012, 04:00:04 PM

Toss in another vote for loving this story. I didn't see it as an analogy until the anarchist bees came along - then I was thinking of the Wasps as the Europeans, the Bees as Chinese, and the Anarchist Bees as Maoists.

Still, a neat story in its own right, if not with the most upbeat ending. I felt like the story of the Bees was just getting going... and then there was a rather abrupt ending.

Still, beautifully crafted from a language point of view.

Balu · **Reply #32 on:** May 31, 2012, 10:26:01 PM

Quote from: childoftyranny on May 12, 2012, 01:29:54 AM

Quote from: Balu on May 11, 2012, 11:07:02 PM
Well it wasn't science fiction, but so what? It was awesome.

Today I finally figured out the way to wonder this question. Why isn't sociology and psychology as well as political science, which this story fits, sci-fi? We ought we limit our horizons as to what sci-fi out to explore to the so called hard sciences?

Not a direct comment just your thoughts and this story finally cemented that question for me.

That is a good point. I suppose the hard science element is traditionally a marker of sci-fi, but in some of the best works it is incidental to the other 'ologies (I'm thinking Brave New World in particular)

hronir · **Reply #33 on:** June 05, 2012, 02:49:27 AM

The prose and imagery, especially relating to the hives, wax and the delicate map making, was gorgeous. I definitely did not find this dense or boring; it was fresh, eloquent and elegant (great reading too Mur!).

I do not think that it has to be an exact reflection of our socio-political history in order to work as a meditative comment about imperialism, colonialism, anarchism, totalitarianism, communism etc. I actually liked it more this way than if it was a direct allegorical analogue as it gave us more license for meandering thought.

I loved the chemical specialists in the hive drawing up the treaty in phermones! Detail such as this made me smile. As friendOfAgnes says, the scientific grounding was great- I'm not an entomologist but, studying and working in a physiology department, I have attended a number of seminars and paper sessions relating to insect genetics, "dancing" behaviours and reproduction and find this all very interesting. For such comparatively simple creatures, these insects exhibit some extraordinary and fascinating behaviours and are such a worthwhile area of study- not just for naturalists, behaviourists and physiologists but for physicists and those studying military structure, politics and social theory. Great work Ms Yu! This was a well deserved nomination

Myrealana · **Reply #34 on:** June 05, 2012, 01:57:43 PM

I am severly apiphobic, though that may not even be the right word, since it's not confined to merely bees. Anything that's black and yellow or orange and buzzes sets my skin to crawling. If I get dive-bombed by a honeybee on its way to a flower, I sometimes lose complete control and run screaming like a little girl. It's so bad, I can't walk under crabapple trees, or have any flowers in my yard. Even pictures of bees make my stomach tighten and my fingers feel weak.

With all of that said, I loved this story. The descriptions were so lyrical and the bee and wasp cultures so intriguing that I forgot to think of them as bees and just fell into it.

Sometimes, I listen to the Hugo nominees and think "I wrote better stories than this in high school. Who thought this was worth honoring?" Other times, a story comes along that is breathtakingly different and so well crafted I know I could only hope to aspire to its level. This is one of the latter.

Well done, Ms. Yu.

Puck · **Reply #35 on:** June 06, 2012, 03:34:05 AM

I loved this story when it first was podcast on Clarkesworld, but I have to admit I wasn't as fond of it this time around. Unfortunately, I feel that this was due to the narration. While I usually love listening to Mur narrate stories for some reason I feel her timing and vocalization was just off. It tended to pull me out of the story and made me very "aware" of the narrator. Not that Kate Baker hits it right all the time either, but this is a good example (to me at least) how a narration can make or break a story.

LaShawn · **Reply #36 on:** June 08, 2012, 04:10:31 PM

Okay, posting my thoughts on it after listening to it and Movement several times. (If you don't want to read me rambling, feel free to skip. I'm trying to make up my mind which one to vote for.)

I found the two stories mirror each other. Both deal with change and timescale. Movement is slowed down into the space between pauses, and the narrator must struggle to live within her parents time differential. It takes place in the space of two days. I emotionally connected more with Movement because it is a study in character. And I felt strongly for the narrator. Feeling the universe move beneath my hands. I like how the narrator ties in elements of evolution with change, and what she sees and does ties into it all: glass, bug zappers, venus flytraps, ballet, the evolved internet, and her own circumstances. This is a contemplative story that is very strong. I think I would vote for this story if it wasn't for Wasps.

Wasps and Bees take place over several insect lifetimes. I thought the story had a detached state that made me hard to connect to, because there were so many characters. but not one individual was meant to be the star. It's all the wasps as a protagonist, bees the antagonists. They're all one collective whole character. In reading again, I was rooting for the bees. You have the rise and fall of regimes, the use of story and history passed on to the next generation, learning from their ancestors, using that knowledge to change themselves. The anarchist bees' deaths are tragic, but their legacy will carry on. And those dictating wasps find themselves suddenly the pawns of a higher power who will use them--and they can't even comprehend they're being used.

The delicate use of words in this story: a stinger sent back in a paper envelope. The use of pheremones to describe the treaty. The anarchists bees pressing down the last vat of honey, not knowing what will happen in the future, but hopeful that they will live on. All these delicious little sentences. And the world-building! So much in one story. Perfect.

If I knew more about Chinese history, I think this would pack a huge punch. As it is, I think this gets my vote.

And come on. Wasps on a paper boat piping sea chanties. Like pirates. PIRATE WASPS. (Mind blows again)

Scattercat · **Reply #37 on:** June 14, 2012, 10:55:42 AM

Quote from: schizoTypal on May 05, 2012, 03:21:29 AM

Oh, and Nathan, I liked the little "transmission" joke at the end...

Thanks! I try to make them entertaining. I have to battle between my impulse to make jokes, my fear of stepping on Norm's gig, and the fact that those segments are supposed to be about the readers in the forums and not about Nathan's nonsense.

(Guess who's behind on the feedback segments?)

Devoted135 · **Reply #38 on:** June 14, 2012, 01:58:10 PM

Quote from: Scattercat on June 14, 2012, 10:55:42 AM

Quote from: schizoTypal on May 05, 2012, 03:21:29 AM
Oh, and Nathan, I liked the little "transmission" joke at the end...
Thanks! I try to make them entertaining. I have to battle between my impulse to make jokes, my fear of stepping on Norm's gig, and the fact that those segments are supposed to be about the readers in the forums and not about Nathan's nonsense.

(Guess who's behind on the feedback segments?)

FWIW, I also think they're very entertaining

Gamercow · **Reply #39 on:** July 18, 2012, 01:04:40 PM

I'm torn about this story. There's some great imagery, and the first half for me was REALLY strong, but the second half started to falter, and I think it unraveled quickly at the end. Maybe I just wanted more, maybe I just didn't understand it. Either way, it missed the mark for me.

hardware · **Reply #40 on:** July 30, 2012, 10:10:06 AM

I really liked this story, although it bordered on fairy tale land. The style of telling a story of collectives rather than individuals was very neat, and the mix of timescales between individual insects, hives and humans was used in a very effective way. Also, rarely do you stumble on such a happy union of lyrical language and political theory.