Reviews for Cybertext: Perspectives on Ergodic Literature

The average rating for Cybertext: Perspectives on Ergodic Literature based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2010-06-02 00:00:00 Donna Milcheck Aarseth first deconstructs current (in 1995) approaches to ergodic literature. He obliterates semiotic and poststructuralistic analyses (which are weak more because of their authors than their theory). One problem with the approaches is that they do not account for emergent behavior (results not predicted by the designer; i.e., a programmer being beaten by his own chess program). Aarseth sets the foundation for a new approach to ergodic literature. Part of this foundation is a rigorous definition of terms. An entire chapter, "Textonomy" is devoted to defining attributes of text (with correspondence analysis!). Aarseth shows that ergodicity does not depend on the medium of the text, but on the user function (explorative, configurative, interpretative, or textonic). OPINION TIME Good things: Rigorous about defining terms! Only creates new terms when old terms are determined insufficient. Observations are backed with evidence in the literature (this also serves to show readers how the theory Aarseth proposes is applied). Tone is thorough and intelligent. Problems: Textonomy chapter is intimidating to non-statistics-users (but it was purposeful - to define a text). Aarseth's audience is one already familiar with some literary theory: Pierce and Derrida. Prose at times overly verbose (yet slight humor makes up for it). Slightly outdated, but surprisingly relevant. Lots of confusing new terms (discouraging); Aareseth is self-aware of the "extensive contruction and use of neologisms" (182), his "clarity-fetishism," and the problem of defining MUD as ergodic lit.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-02-08 00:00:00 John Smith "Cybertext" was the most useful book for a paper on "House of Leaves." It's a comprehensive look at the history, nature, and possible future of ergodic texts (that is, texts that require effort from the user on a level higher than simply reading and/or turning pages). He talks about everything from the I Ching to the types of computer hyperlink puzzle games online to programs designed to generate text in a non-linear narrative fashion, all the way to the C.A.V.E. facility in Brown, where electronic texts are written for their highly experimental MFA program in fiction.