The kaleidoscope of plots in this collection is interesting not only as an experiment at the intersection of literature and technology, but also as magical tales that melt reality—you'll find a new reading of 'The Turnip,' chess games that change the course of history, the saboteur Rebrov's encounter with powerful Ancients, the mysterious protein of oblivion, as well as ghosts, dreamers, and sorcerers.
Can Pepperstein's psychedelic realism reach new, intoxicating, and imagination-tickling heights with the help of a digital cast of his talent? What makes an author a writer, and can neural networks lay claim to this title? What does the future of literature look like, and where do human criteria for its evaluation end? 'Trying to Wake Up' offers answers to these questions and poses new ones.
