From Robert Checchio, Dunellen, New Jersey, US
Regarding the sci-fi stories inspired by the “Blueprint Problem” that Annalee Newitz decries because of their preference for placing human beings at the centre of the story rather than robotic spacecraft: I have found that the sci-fi stories that made the biggest impact on me were those that asked the question: “How would I have acted in [name your favourite protagonist here]’s place?”
One of the best examples is the Star Trek episode “The City on the Edge of Forever”, in which Captain Kirk has to make a choice between his love for Edith Keeler and the future of the world. It is difficult for me to identify with Robby the Robot, but I can try to put myself in the place of a starship captain (27 December, p 16).
