"Defending Elysium" corresponde a un pequeño relato escrito por Sanderson allá por el 2008, al comienzo de su carrera. Se nota un tono algo simple, con exceso de detalles en algunos momentos mientras que en otros pareciera que faltan, es la semilla de lo que llegaría a ser el Citoverso.

Se entiende el tema principal de la obra, el tratar de explicar en pocas palabras el inicio de los problemas de los humanos con las otras razas alienígenas. Como es tan corto quedan muchas preguntas sin responder y las motivaciones reales del personaje principal no quedan del todo claras. Por otro lado algo que me molesto es la aparición de cierto personaje que lo acompaña casi toda la narración y que pareciera solo existir para salvar la situación en determinado momento.

Es un relato entretenido pero que a mi parecer no aporta mucho y es como esos capítulos de relleno que uno ve en series sci-fi como Star Trek. ( )

Defending Elysium is much shorter than the other novels and novellas in the Skyward series. It also has an entirely new cast of characters since it takes place before humans had expanded beyond their own solar system. Jason is a cytonic, and only the Phone Company knows how to use FTL communication because they were the ones who made first contact with the varvax. Jason knows less than the reader, however, since he hasn't read the four books and 3 novellas which take place in his future. Readers might therefore assume there is nothing left to be discovered. Jason thinks of space as elysium (the blessed afterlife in Greek mythology), and he wants to make sure the barbaric humans don't destroy the perfection inhabited by the alien races. But readers of the original series already know that the Superiority is not an idyllic paradise, so Jason seems naive. But there is something new to discover about the history of humankind's interaction with the aliens.

(Spoiler Warning)
In the original series, we learn that the Superiority has kept humans trapped on what are essentially prison planets because of their violent natures. According to the history, humanity waged multiple wars of conquest when they discovered the rest of the galaxy. But that's not what happened according to this book. At the end of the novella, Jason realizes that the varvax have created cytonic inhibitors to confine everyone who disagrees with them. But human technology is vastly superior to that of the other species, so he sets out to fix this. (And then the novella ends, before he has implemented his plans). "He'd known it was coming. He's feared that he couldn't keep humankind out of space. He just hadn't expected heaven to fail him...[Jason decides to tell the planet how to use faster than light travel]. 'Perhaps we can salvage something from paradise,' Jason whispered." ( )

Short story... pffft. This felt like more of a novelette, at least reading on my phone.

So, I finished [b:Skyward|36642458|Skyward (Skyward, #1)|Brandon Sanderson|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1531845177s/36642458.jpg|58411143] earlier today, and reddit discussions mentioned that Defending Elysium is in the same universe... though, I'd guess this is maybe a century before, at least, given we're still in our solar system. Very neatly contained, though I can see how this sets up the trajectory for humans to eventually eke out survival on Detritus by Spensa's time.

Some musings on what makes a peaceable society and whether or not we humans will fuck it up when we make first contact and/or figure out FTL travel. Can't really say much more without going into spoilers. ( )

Another free short story, available on Sanderson's website: see here. How this story saw the light of day, can be read in the annotation: see here. It's, like [book:Firstborn|25550556], set in space and in the future. However, this time Earth is also involved.

Different species, man vs aliens, and new technologies, like FTL (faster than light) travel. Main character Jason Write has been blind for quite some time, but to counter this loss of sight, he can Sense things. Yes, with a capital S, as this ability can also be taken away by another one who has the ability for Cyto, or, cybernetic-based telepathic linking. This technology was invented by Northern Bell Incorporated, a phone company (PC in short). The competitors, however, focused on holovid technology, which was cheaper and worked, in contrast to Cyto Sensing. At least, it didn't work like Bell had in mind.

But the PC had a monopoly on its technology, not telling Earth about it, for whatever reason (security?). Jason is a spy, has to retrieve a missing scientist, but stumbles upon a murder (it seems the Varvax are involved in this, although everything is denied, of course), and is being shadowed himself (he and the lad - Coln Abrams, from the United Intelligence Bureau - shadowing him will soon enough have to collaborate, [un]willingly). But there's more at stake, or rather, Jason is also targeted by more serious parties than a lad who wants to show off to his bosses and risk his young career.

Tadiana wrote a nice review on this /- 40 pages short story, so I'll direct you to her findings: see here.

She added one quote from the story, a fragment of a conversation between Jason and his wife Lanna, over the Cyto-connection:

"Do you know how the Interspecies Monitoring Coalition rates a race’s intelligence class?”
“No.”
“They look at the race’s children,” Jason said quietly. “The older ones. Children who have lived just long enough to begin imitating the society they see around them, children who have lost the innocence of youth but haven’t yet replaced it with the tact and mores of adulthood. In those children, you can see what a species is really like. From them, the Varvax determine whether a species is civilized or barbaric.”
“And we failed that test,” Lanna said.
“Miserably.”

I'd like to add another one, this time about hospitals. Like the quote above, you can apply it to our own world and time:

"The nurse nodded, leaving the desk to another attendant and waving Jason to follow. She wore white ̶ a roaring, blatant color. To others, white was neutral, but to Jason it was by far the most garish choice. Better the subtle hum of gray. The walls were white as well, and the hallways smelled of cleaning fluids.

Why do they do that? Jason wondered, shaking his head slightly. Do they think that it will make their patients feel at home? Lifeless sterility and monochrome white? Perhaps all these people need to regain sanity is a little bit of color."

--------------------

All in all, a nice and exciting story, which certainly leaves room for a follow-up, at least to fill any holes (see also Tadiana's review, for example, in which she sums up some of those). ( )

This story reminded me of Star Trek TNG. The arc of Wesley Crusher and the Traveler has its core in an advance of the mind over the tech as in this story. But was the Traveler a good guy? We usually perceive races with superior intelligence as more civilized. Yet, what if this intelligence is based on ugly skeleton in the closet? What if this peace of mind comes with oppression?
I want more. It has to be developed into the novel. Clearly, Sanderson can write sci-fi, not the hard one, but nevertheless interesting. ( )