Simulacrum

Short Story by Ken Liu

Published free in Audio and Text

Absolutely brilliant audio recording performed by Gabrielle de Cuir and Stefan Rudnicki

Read/listened to this one three times, cried every time. I can find no faults with this story. It's the tale of the man who invented a device for capturing 'Simulacra' of people. A recording which retains some of their personality and is able to interact and behave differently each time it is played back.

The story is a series of interviews with Paul Larimore and his daughter Anna. She refuses to speak to him, even as he grows older, because of an incident when she was a teenager. Both characters have very real, very consistent emotional flaws, they're extremely believable, which makes the story all the more effective. I feel bad for Paul, but I can see where Anna was coming from too.

The worst/best part is the final line, the only thing the father's simulacrum says in the story. It's sweet and heartbreaking and brilliant.

5 estranged daughters out of 5.

P.S. I encourage everyone to read this story, but if it makes no difference to you, I'd recommend the Audio, they really bring the story to life, and Rudnicki in particular absolutely kills with the final sentence.