Award Eligibility 2011

written by David Steffen

Hey everybody, just a quick post to talk about voting eligibility for my work for the Hugo (and John W. Campbell). Now, I am not crazy enough to think I have any real chance at either, but I figure there’s even less chance if I don’t tell people what I’m eligible for. So, here’s a quick breakdown of everything that I might be eligible for. If anyone feels inclined to nominate me, you are my personal hero!

If you don’t know what the Hugo or Campbell awards are, or if you just want to know more details about how you can vote and so on, go here to find out more.

John W. Campbell Award

This is my last year of eligibility for the John W. Campbell new writer award. This year I had four stories that make me eligible, the same four short stories eligible for the Hugo.

Best Fanzine Hugo

Diabolical Plots itself for the Best Fanzine Hugo.

 

Best Short Story Hugo

Fruitful at Digital Science Fiction

The Infinite Onion at AE

Helpers at One Buck Horror

The Quest Unusual at Daily Science Fiction

Review: Deus Ex: Human Revolution

written by David Steffen

Overview

The original Deus Ex game was one of my favorite games of all time. That one came out in 1999, and was a first person shooter (FPS). At least, the basic format was FPS; really it allows a much more versatile gameplay experience. In that game you played nano-augmented anti-terrorist agent JC Denton. Each mission of the game involves specific objectives, but those can be reached in a variety of ways, whether by playing the usual FPS blast-through-the-front-door strategy, or shutting down the security system by hacking, or bribing a guard, or through stealth. You can read an article I wrote about it here.

Then, in 2003, a sequel was published under the name “Invisible War.” I’d rather not talk about that one. It was a huge disappointment after the great first one. If you see a cheap copy, save it for something else instead.

Then “Human Revolution” came out in 2011. This story takes place in 2027, 25 years before the first game in the series, before nano-augmentation is available, in the age of mechanical augmentations (think hydraulics and dermal plating instead of nanites in your bloodstream). Your character is Adam Jensen, head of security for augmentation designer Sarif Industries. In the opening scenes, Sarif industries is attacked by a team of supersoldiers. Adam is severely injured in the attack, losing several limbs. The only way to save his life is through augmentation. Six months later, while he’s still recovering, Sarif calls him back into duty. The company has been attacked again, and they want to make use of his new augmented abilities to handle it.

The overall gameplay is similar to the original Deus Ex, with the versatility of gameplay allowed, and with augmentation upgrades.

I’ll have one section with a general spoiler-free review, followed by one that has spoilers (including help with the boss battles).

Spoiler-free Review

Human Revolution is much better than Invisible War. It sticks much more to the gameplay and style that made the first game so popular. As is often the case, it doesn’t quite recapture the novelty of the original. For one thing, part of the appeal of Deus Ex was a plot full of conspiracy theories, involving every popular theory from Area 51 to the Illuminati to the Knights Templar, and so on. I don’t know if they just used them all up for Deus Ex, or what, but I felt like it lost a little bit.

The augmentations are still fun, and they’re a completely different set. Some are cooler than the original game, some less so, so there’s plenty of new room to explore in that area. Some abilities are definitely improved–especially auto-regenerating health as a default augmentation. In Deus Ex, if you got injured, you’d have to just search for med kits, and there would not be much you could do if you couldn’t find any–you could easily get stuck in an area with only certain death awaiting you.

One thing that’s quite a bit different is the hacking abilities. In Deus Ex, improving your hacking skill just gave you a time limit while in a hacked system. Improving your skill was choice, but it took no real strategy or skill. In this game, every time you hack, you have a layout of network nodes. To break into the system, you have to break into the node of the computer that holds the passwords. To get into that node, you have to break into other nodes to get to it. With each node, there is a chance that the security system will catch on, and will start tracking you, at which point you have only a short period of time to finish your hack. So that adds some extra challenge and strategy. And there are plenty of opportunities for hacking, from doorways to PCs to security hubs, and so on.

Really, there’s only one thing that’s wrong with the game: the boss battles. Apparently they outsourced the programming work, and you can tell, because the boss battles are almost entirely unlike the rest of the game. I get the impression that they gave the game engine and set of weapons to the third party and told them nothing about the rest of the game. Tough boss battles in a standard FPS are expected. In most of those games, you are expected to play as a killing machine and the bosses are built to be a challenge for that kind of tough character. But in this game, it is completely valid to play a nonviolent stealthy style of gameplay. So it is a very unpleasant surprise when you hit that first boss battle and you have an inventory full of non-lethal slow-loading weapons, and a set of augmentations that only help you be sneaky. In Deus Ex, there were fights that were like boss battles, but there were always other ways to resolve them without an actual firefight. I did manage to beat all the bosses in Human Revolution, so read the next spoiler section if you want to know how I beat each of the bosses.

Spoiler Section

I took the nonlethal approach through most of the game, though I did slip into violence in 2 or 3 places where I was cornered by large amounts of armed enemies. Non-lethal, slow-loading weapons (some of which are short range) aren’t so good in such situations, so I tried to keep a shotgun in my inventory.

Through most of the game, I kept the following in my inventory (I upgraded my inventory size to the max very early on):
–stun gun (short range non-lethal)
–PEPS (cone of effect non-lethal)
–Tranquilizer rifle (long range non-lethal)
–shotgun (lethal, very effective at short range)
–revolver (lethal, upgradable to exploding bullets, compact with explosive power)
–gas grenades
–EMP grenades
–ammo for all those weapons, as much as I can carry

And I usually use the non-lethal takedown augmentation which is pretty much free to use, whenever I can get close enough to use it without being seen.

There are a couple big experience bonuses you can get if you play the way that I do:
Ghost–No hostile sees you on your way to the objective
Smooth Operator–You don’t set off any alarm on your way to the objective

Boss Walkthroughs

Barrett–This first boss fight really caught me off guard. I admit, I went to look online for some times. None of which I found particularly helpful. This boss fight starts in a particularly irritating way–with a cut scene that leaves you standing in plain sight in front of the boss. Barrett is a tank of a man, slow moving but with an automatic weapon grafted onto his arm and packing a heavy arsenal of grenades. Don’t bother trying a takedown on him, he will pick you up and take a big chunk out of your health in the process. The room is medium size, with plenty of pillars to hide behind, and a couple offshoot rooms. Since you start the fight in plain sight of Barrett, hiding behind the pillars doesn’t make him forget where he last saw you. Just because he’s built like a tank doesn’t mean he’s that stupid.

So, after dying about 50 times in an hour of gameplay, I finally found a strategy that I could make work. It helps that the room is well-stocked with equipment, but first, you have to get Barrett off your tail so you can get a second to put something together. Keep in mind, too, that after you kill Barrett you will still be in the room until you choose to leave, so if you want to drop some of your inventory to make room for other equipment, feel free to do so (this is true for any of the boss battles).

Okay, so here are the steps that I took. For this to work, all you need to take into the room is a stun gun with a few darts:
–As the fight starts, duck behind the pillar to the right to get out of Barret’s line of fire.
–In that corner you’ll find gas barrel. Pick it up, wait for a gap in Barrett’s firing pattern, and throw it at him, hitting him directly if possible.
–The gas will throw him for a loop, while he’s disoriented duck into the corner room that was on the far right side (from where you started). If you’re quick he won’t see you go back there and he’ll just wander around the main room shouting at you.
–Back in that room is a weapons locker with a shotgun (thank goodness!) and some shotgun ammo. Pick those up.
–Outside the room is an explosive barrel. Peek around the pillars, wait until Barret is nearby and facing away and hit him straight on the back with the explosive barrel.
–From here, the stun gun is your friend. Don’t get too close–he will throw you down. Just get close enough that your targeting reticle turns red, then zap him. He’ll be disoriented for a few seconds.
–Quickly use the quick-inventory button to switch to the shotgun. Fire off 3 or 4 shotgun blasts to his head.
–Switch back to the stun gun and zap him again, repeat with a zap and several shotgun shells. Three or four zaps with shotgun blasts to follow should finish him off.

Federova–I learned my lesson from the first fight, and started toting the shotgun and revolver. Also, it’s a very good idea to get the dermal plating augmentation that gives you electricity resistance.
Federova is the stealthy one of the group. She has a cloaking augmentation, she has some hard hitting attacks, and she loves hit-and-run attacks. But, the stungun-shotgun combo works well on her too. The fight takes place in a server room with a thin layer of coolant on the floor, which is handy because when she cloaks and runs away from you you can follow her rippling footsteps. She tends to attack, and then try to avoid you, to recharge her batteries, so if you can catch her, that’s the best time to attack. Or, you will usually get a voice warning from Eliza (another character in the room) when Federova is going to charge you. Either way, zap her with the stun gun, fire a few shotgun headshots, run and regroup.

Oh, and that electricity augmentation is useful because she can zap you through the coolant.

Lather , rinse, repeat, and you should have no problem.

Nammir–This one is BY FAR the hardest boss fight. Especially if you make the same mistake that I did in an earlier quest. As the game goes on, your augmentation glitches get worse, with your head’s-up display keeps twitching. You were given the mission to go to the LIMB clinic to update your biochip. You better hope you avoided that mission or this fight will be much, much harder. That biochip has a backdoor in it that lets the bad guys shut off your augmentation. And that’s ALL your augmentations, even the ones that you started the game with. That means no health meter, no ammo display, no takedowns, no radar. And it happens when you’re fighting the character that is easily the most augmented person in the game.

It took a while to get the hang of this, but I found a strategy that seemed to work pretty consistently. One little extra bit of help is that you can carry a turret into the fight area to help you a little bit. In the main area of the level, there’s a turret in the middle of one of the streets. Behind is a security terminal. If you hack the terminal, you can turn the turret against enemies, and if you have the strength augmentation you can carry it to the fight area.

Before you leave the area, get your biggest gun ready, and frag grenades if you have them. I used my revolver (with exploding bullet upgrade), and I had two frag grenades. You have a moment at the start to get off a few attacks. I tossed a frag grenade, and fired off a couple shots, then I got out of the center of the room. The center of the room is the most dangerous, that’s where you’re most vulnerable. Get to the outside wall and just start doing laps. Luckily, his strategy is pretty easy to counter. He doesn’t fire while he’s giving chase; he chases, fires off some shots, but not while he’s chasing. If you see him ahead of you, fire off a few shots, then turn and run. If you hear explosions or sounds behind you, turn, find him, fire off a few shots, then turn and run. Repeat, you might want to keep a few saves if you can get the occasional breather. I think that your health regeneration aug still works, but it is a little hard to tell since your health display is faulty.

If you can make it through this fight without augs, you have made it through the hardest part of this game, by far.

Hyron–And the game finishes on the easiest boss fight. Which is at the end of the easiest level of the game. The only enemies in the final level are dumb zombie-like humans that rely only on melee attacks and only charge directly at you.

The real target that you want to kill in this boss fight is behind a wall of bullet-proof glass, so you first have to take out the security system. The security system consists of three human drones that are in pods around the central pillar. The pillar is protected by three turrets that are on a rotating track that runs around the pillar. Everything becomes significantly easier if you take out the turrets. I did so with the revolver which has an exploding bullet upgrade. Each turret took maybe 4 or 5 hits. Now the room’s unprotected for the moment. There are three computers in the room which you can hack to open each of the pods. You might have found the login passwords in the level, in which case you can use those, otherwise you can hack them like normal, then blast the drones as they are revealed. When each one is opened, some zombies will come out and attack you, but they’re easy pickins. Once all those are out, then the floor will electrify in intervals (which you can ignore if you have the electricity immunity upgrade). A few security bots will come out, so if you have some EMP grenades or explosives you’ll probably want to take those out. Eventually some explosions will shatter the bulletproof glass, and then your target is unprotected.

 

Daily Science Fiction: October 2011 Review

written by Frank Dutkiewicz

First review of the New Year! But what about last year? We have a list of our favorites, but before we tell you which ones we liked the best, let us tell you what we thought of these.

 

A sorcerer learns the hard way the lesson of ‘ends justifying the means’ in “Wider and Deeper” by Carma Lynn Park (debut 10/3). The sorcerer seeks the energy of the dark ones deep within the earth. He intends to feed of their power but reaching them is difficult. He manipulates creatures to tunnel, but doesn’t think of the consequences of letting loose his creations.

The story is told like a parable. The creatures are tools, and tools left alone can be instruments of destruction. I confess, I was not a fan of how this story was told or how it shaped up. I’m not sure if there was a moral in it. If so, I missed it.

 

A young girl reflects on her parents in “Where Sea and Sky Kiss” by Dan Campbell (debut 10/4). The protagonist of this tale is the child of widowed parents. The two were brought together by her birth, both losing spouses in tragic accidents. The closeness the two had for each other fades, the distance between them growing wider when they move to anew home. The young lady wishes for them to be close , and with the help of items stored away , hatches a plan for them to fall in love again.

I confess, the moral and deeper meaning of this piece was lost on me. A second reading did not help. Perhaps others will find the appeal of it, but I must say, it was not a tale for me.

 

Silence is the canvas of magic in “Canvas” by M. K. Hutchins (debut 10/5). The protagonist is part of a very talented family. They are capable of wonderful magic, but a deadly plague threatens to take them and all in the land. The protagonist cannot reach the silence to save his nephew. Desperate measures may be the only way out of these desperate times.

“Canvas” is set within a difficult to grasp premise for me. It is a solemn and distant tale told without clear parameters of what is possible.

 

The author contemplates “If Wishes Were Fishes” by Amanda M Hayes (debut 10/6), and brings a quite cute story to life. A goldfish at a Chinese restaurant swallows a coin tossed into its pool and takes on the wish that accompanies it.

“If Wishes” is a novel take on this common phrase. The reader follows the fish, now transformed into the coin, and sets about making the wish a reality. Well told for such a brief tale.

Recommended.

 

A man’s hopes and dreams rest on the outcome of a concert in “A Concert of Flowers” by Kate O’Connor (debut 10/7). William Reis is a planet surveyor when he encounters a species of flower that sings when it blooms. He envisions a potential moneymaker, but the risks are high. The music the flowers make is beautiful. If only he can get others to believe in him.

“A Concert of Flowers” is written in series of flashbacks. The story starts at the beginning of the concert, the moment William has been working toward. Each flashback is set as a potential setback for William, yet he perseveres, betting on himself and his idea.

I must say I liked the idea of flowers that sing. Ms O’Connor did a nice job of making them believable to me. However, the story was really about William and fulfilling his dream. As a story about perseverance, it kind of works, but I’ve read better tales of inspiration. But, for a self-described new writer, I must admit this tale is one any writer would be proud to write.

 

An alien race plays host in “The Human Guest” by Marge Simon (debut 10/10). The alien race tells of the coming of men. At first, they tolerate the new arrivals, then a single human inserts himself into their collective just as mating season commences. The aliens are too polite to refuse. To do so is anti-social.

“The Human Guest” is a distant and dark tale. The nameless human is the worst humanity has to offer. The aliens come off as very human but with a different culture. Details in the story are vague (which was for the best). I found it well-written, just don’t expect an uplifting tale.

 

Vincent reflects on his life on his deathbed and takes pity upon his robot servant, Jonas, in “The Farthest Coast” by Jeremy Lightner (debut 10/11). Vincent has led a good life but knows his death will mean the end of Jonas. He tries to convey his feelings to his servant, wishing Jonas could have a life as fulfilling as his own. But Jonas has a different idea on what makes a life fulfilling.

“The Farthest Coast” is a moral told as a story. The touching moment of Vincent having pity upon Jonas reverses as the tale progresses. I found myself resenting Vincent’s feelings getting turned to mud. The point of the story was taken but I felt as if the author was making a commentary of what makes for a ‘good’ life.

 

Sir Hugh stops to ask peasant Matthew directions to his Lord’s Castle in “The Quest Unusual” by Dave Steffen (debut 10/12 and reviewed by James Hanzelka). He wants to hunt dragons for him. This is unusual since Sir Hugh is a dragon. Now Matthew has a problem does he put his Lord in danger, or deny Sir Hugh and endanger his own life

One of my favorite stories is Ray Bradbury’s “The Dragon”. This is a lighter look at the same subject, with a similar wry twist at the end. Very well done.

 

The main character in “California Gurls” by S. A. Rudek (debut 10/13 and reviewed by James Hanzelka) is trying to convince his partner of the value in music, specifically Katy Perry. His partner is more concerned with dwindling resources in the post apocalyptic world. The bigger question is “will the pair find what they need to survive?”

I didn’t care for the voice in this story, but that’s a personal taste thing. Aside from that, I thought the author did a pretty good job of creating the setting and developing the story in a short format.

 

Phoebe reconnects with her mother after the collapse in “Free Lunch” by Will McIntosh (debut 10/14). The story opens with Phoebe finding her husband having sex with a fourteen-old student of hers, in their bedroom, while her mother-in-law sits in the kitchen. Her decision to leave immediately seems like a no-brainer, but a collapsed civilization makes her pause. She has only one place to go, to parents who disowned her 19 years before. But the journey to her childhood home is an eighty-mile hike through a bamboo forest, and information of what life is like beyond her town is skittish.

“Free Lunch” is a prequel to McIntosh’s novel “Soft Apocalypse.” The story is set in a Georgia twenty years after an economical collapse. Rogue scientists have unleashed bio-engineered bamboo and tailored viruses to quell an upcoming nuclear war. The bamboo has choked the land. Life has gotten harder and people are living a life under siege. But the collapse isn’t complete. There is some form of commerce that still exists. Cars (rare that they are) still travel on the roads. Farmer markets survive but it is clear there are less people around and opportunities are slight.

Early in Phoebe’s trek, she comes across a man named Rumor offering a free meal. Suspicious, yet hungry, she accepts his offer. Rumor is recruiting others to join his tribe. They appear to have everything they need. The catch? Phoebe must allow herself to be infected with the Happy virus. Sensing a cult, she politely refuses, but Rumor’s offer is an open one.

The mood of “Free Lunch” starts off dim and gradually becomes darker. Phoebe finds her mother, alone and starving. Food has become scarce and money has lost its value. At first grateful to find her mother alive, it doesn’t take long for old tensions to resurface between the two. Without many valuables, Phoebe is left with the only thing she has worth trading. Life in a cult, infected with a mood-altering virus, doesn’t seem so bad now.

If you are a fan of Will McIntosh, or have bought , or plan to , a copy of “Soft Apocalypse”, this story is a must read. His writing is smooth and premise intriguing. The story is a lesson on how desperation can dismantle a person’s self-respect. If you are after an uplifting tale, steer wide of this one. Phoebe has no good choices to make in this depressing piece. If you do read it, try not to get too immersed into her character. You’ll want to take a shower if you do.

 

The children of colonists on a new world love hearing the Spidersong by Alex Shvartsman (debut 10/17). The spiders of the alien world are large, hunting and killing the people from Earth. Only the children can hear their songs. They have become the early warning system to the adults, saving them from harm’s way. Only the children can hear the spiders and know what they think. They share a telepathic ability with them, and a kinship the adults aren’t aware of.

“Spidersong” has a twist I won’t dare reveal. The tale is a deceptive tease into the perspective of children who have an ability the adults aren’t privy to. The story is a set up for the reader. Nice piece, I enjoyed it. Keep an eye on those kids.

 

The protagonist writes a letter to her sister on life in the country in My Dearest Miranda by Jamie Lee Moyer (debut 10/18). The letter describes how she and the staff endure trolls, pixies, goblins, and like. Her husband soothes the help and the widow next door in his private parlor for hours at a time (it is difficult to calm down excitable, and lonely, women, after all). Life in the country is much harder than the city.

This work of humor (written as a letter) follows the exploits of a very naÃ’ ve woman. Admittedly, I chuckled a time or two. This delightful tale was indeed funny.

 

An angel appears before Amy, just as her friend said it would in Amy’s First by Henry Szabranski (debut 10/19). A small angel greets Amy in her bedroom. The corporeal being has an important message for her, just as her friend predicted. Thanks to her friend, she knows just what to do.

“Amy’s First” is a delightful little tale. The twist caught me completely off guard. Well executed.

Recommended.

 

A man must decide which sword to choose in Selecting by John M Shade (debut 10/20). A bloodthirsty prince is waiting outside while the protagonist searches the armory, contemplating on his choice of magical sword. Based on the names of the blades, most would be useless, but the sword of Vengeance calls to him.

“Selecting” has the flavor of Fred Saberhagen’s Swords series. In fact, you could call it a parody of the late author’s work. I rather liked it, and loved how the author chose to end this great piece.

 

Sea Charm by Ann Chatman (debut 10/21 and reviewed by Dustin Adams)

When a story ends, and I don’t get it, I figure there’s something I missed. Being a fairly smart guy, I believe I should get every story, so when I don’t, I feel a general washing away of the entire tale. After reading the author comments, and thinking hard about the tale, I believe I’ve pieced together what happened.

A young girl is saved by a merman who so captivates her, she seeks the aid of an old sorceress to assist her in being united with her savior. The old woman leads us to believe this is a common occurrence. Or at least, that young girls seeks her wisdom. This portion of the story trails off as the old woman visits a seal creature in order to inquire of the merman’s intentions. Seems like a lot of trouble to go through for “this latest girl”.

I won’t reveal the ending, in case I’m off with what happened. However, I did appreciate this story as I read along. I gave “Sea Charm” three rocket dragons.

 

Junk Silver by Michael Canfield (debut 10/24 and reviewed by Dustin Adams) is an interesting story, worth four rocket dragons, but it suffers one major flaw, which is I’m unable to picture what is going on.

Taken purely at word for word value, it’s nifty, and intrinsically ironic, which is always a fun combo in a story. However, if you’re looking for a traditional story from which you can picture the characters and surroundings, this isn’t it.

To sum up: Two custodial engineers are on earth cleaning the seemingly physical vestiges of the internet wasteland and various other garbage. The conversation, which is the bulk of the plot, is inane but interesting with various factoids throughout.

 

A woman continues to construct paper animals for her vanishing boyfriend in Like Origami in Water by Damien Walters Grintalis (debut 10/21). Johnny is losing digits. They are disappearing and no one knows why. His girlfriend is his only comfort. He craves her origami and displays them about their apartment.

“Like Origami” is an emotional tale. The story is told from Johnny’s girlfriend point of view. She holds her feelings in, not daring to let them free. She endures, as she watches her dear Johnny waste away.

It is only the mysterious illness that makes this tale a work of speculative fiction. Any person, who had a loved one that succumbed to a long illness, could identify with this story. It is the protagonists attempt to withhold her feelings that make this tale such a strong emotional one. The origami figurines her Johnny loves so much, stand as objects of indictments to her character.

The editors of DSF announced that this tale was nominated for the prestigious (?) award. I hope it wins. It will take an outstanding story to beat it.

 

Tomorrow’s Dawn by Milo James Fowler (debut 10/26 and reviewed by Anonymous) focuses on a man traveling on a lunar tube and sitting opposite him is a member of a subjugated alien race. The man remembers an incident where an alien suicide-bombed a lunar-tube when he was a child, killing many and he picks up clues that the alien in front of him is going to repeat this act in only a few moments…

I found this story a little predictable. I guessed how it would end mostly because of the effort put in to sustain the perceived threat level. That said the message of the story is clear and important and I think that side of things was handled well.

 

In Radical Therapy by Edward Gary Kratz (debut 10/27 and reviewed by Anonymous), a young man is referred to a specialist for his problem–namely he believes himself to be a shapeshifter. More than that, he is a shapeshifter who is having difficulty controlling his shifts. It is his hope–and protected by therapist/patient confidentiality–that the man he is seeing will be able to help him. First however, he must convince the man that he is in fact a shapeshifterâ€

If the guy has this problem, and there is a shapeshifting community (suggested by the story) then surely he would seek help via them?

The story was written with a fly-on-the-wall point of view (POV) and avoids dipping into anyone’s thoughts. The whole emotional side of the story is dialogue and facial expressions and for two good reasons. If you dipped into the head of one of them specifically you’d reveal the twist that happens near the end too early, and if you dipped in the head of the other you’d have some terminal POV problems at the end. The problem with handling the POV such is that it doesn’t really draw you in–at all.

The story didn’t really work for me.

 

Robbie fights his own war against the great menace of creatures adults never see in I Kill Monsters by Nathaniel Matthews Lee (debut 10/28). Robbie is one kid exterminator. Monsters are everywhere; in the closets, under beds, hiding in the basements (always in the basement). They are menacing, scary, and in Robbie sights. With his trusty baseball bat, he bashes the creatures whenever he sees them. Adults are blind to them but aren’t about Robbie’s odd behavior. Robbie doesn’t care, but when a new kid comes to town and offers Robbie a chance to make two bucks, the monster killer discovers the world is a lot scarier than he thought.

“I Kill Monsters” is humorous horror action tale. Mr Lee plays on the childhood fear that monsters are indeed real. The story has a tone that reminded me of the classic Bill the Galactic Hero. I found myself grinning at it throughout. The story is just plain fun.

 

A teacher’s once living students drag him back into the Classroom of the Living Dead by James Van Pelt (debut 10/31). The protagonist’s former pupils have forcibly shoved their teacher into their class. They are now zombies and ask for one thing from him, “brains.”

Mr Van Pelt has taken a new spin on the zombie trend with a unique usage of a pun. Pretty clever, even for a teacher.

 

The Best of the Best Publication Out There

In one of their daily emails, DSF provided a link to one of their reader’s blog with his top ten list of his favorite stories from DSF. Mr Anonymous thought we should do the same so here is our favorites, dating all the way back to DSF’s first issue.

Frank Dutkiewicz

1)ÂÂÂÂÂ Buy You a Mockingbird by Eric James Stone
The most powerful flash fiction I ever read

Â2)ÂÂÂÂÂ Questions by Jacob A. Boyd
A wonderful tale of the afterlife

Â3)ÂÂÂÂÂ A is for Arthur by The Alphabet Quartet
Merlin meets Shakespeare. I don’t know which author wrote it, but they deserve an award for their efforts

 

And to round out my top tenâ€

Flint’s Folly by J Chant

Blivet for the Temporal Lobes by Dave Raines

Y is for Yellow by the Alphabet Quartet

Grinpa by Brian K. Lowe

Ten Speeds at the End of the World by Gunevere Robin Rowell

Her Majesty’s Guardian by Donald S. Crankshaw

Rinse or Repeat by Sylvia Hiven

Â

James Hanzelka

1) The Quest Unusual by Dave Steffen

2) Paying the Tab by Brian K. Lowe

3) Outer Rims by Toiya Kristen Finley

Deathbed by Caroline M Yoachim

Still Life by A. C. Wise

Writing on the Wall by Vaughan Stanger

Imaginary Enemies by Colum Paget

Barb the Bomb and Imaginary Boy by Julian Mortimer Smith

Vision, Values and Mission by James Van Pelt

Shark’s Teeth by T. A. Pratt

 

Anonymous

1) Shroedinger’s Outlaw by Matthew W. Baugh

2) If Wishes Were Fishes by Amanda M. Hayes

3) Starlight Cantata by Brian Lawrence Hurrel

Palindrome by Will Arthur

The Artwork of the Knid by John Parke Davis

Our Drunken Tjeng by Nicky Drayden

The Girl Who Asks Too Much by Eric James Stone

The Wish Writer’s Wife by Ian McHugh

Exit Interview by Patrick Johannsen

 

There is a reason why I gave Dave Steffen’s story The Quest Unusual to reviewer James Hanzelka. James is an avid reader of Daily Science Fiction but rarely keeps up with what’s going on here at Diabolical Plots. He wasn’t even aware the author of that piece was the same person who runs DP. But just to make sure, I asked if he was familiar with the author and wanted to know what made Dave’s story special. His explanationâ€

”â€the main reason I chose the piece is it reminded me of one of my favorite stories, “The Dragon” by Ray Bradbury.”

ÂSo Dave’s piece was chosen by preference and merit alone. For that, we deserve to see that smiling face, again.

 

 

 

 

The Best of Pseudopod 2011

written by David Steffen

Another year has passed, which brings us to another year’s worth of “Best of” lists (see previous lists, including of previous years of this podcast here). First up, is Pseudopod, the horror branch of the Escape Artists podcast tree. Pseudopod was on hiatus for the first few months of 2011, but they have been publishing stories at a steady rate again since March, and there are plenty of stories to make a list from. This list picks out my favorites published in 2011, which covers episodes 220-262, and includes some promotional stories to promote a listener incentive collection written by the Alphabet Quartet, and quite a few “Flash on the Borderlands” flash collection episodes. I only considered stories that were available on the main feed, not stories which were part of listener promotions.

One story written by me was published by Pseudopod in 2011. The story is “What Makes You Tick” and was published as one of the stories in Pseudopod 228 Flash on the Borderlands VII: Tableaux and Displays. (I didn’t consider that story for the list, but I figured I could get away with a quick shameless plug)

(54 stories, including What Makes You Tick, including ___ Flash on the Borderlands episodes, including a promotional Alphabet Quartet episode) So it will be up to a top 5, with 3 honorable mentions. Episodes 220-262. Not considered for this list was my story What Makes You Tick which was published in Pseudopod 228: “Flash on the Borderlands VII: Tableaux and Displays.”

 

The List

1. The Voice in the Night by William Hope Hodgson
Excellent classic horror, all the more notable because it is still effective a century later. A ship encounters an unseen speaker on the dark ocean, and that speaker tells a story of a shipwreck and a horrible fate.

2. To My Wondering Eyes Did Appear by Larry C. Kay
Christmas horror! We’ve all heard of Santa Claus, but what about his lesser known brother Rumple Klaus? A dark story with shades of Krampus and Black Pete. A story of a remembered childhood encounter told by one sister to another. Where this story really shines is its strong, realistic characters.

3. Pageant Girls by Caroline Yoachim
Childhood beauty pageants are a subject ripe for horror adaptations. A brief look into another world, where the living dead can enter.

4. Dearest Daughter by Kate Marshall
A really good unreliable narrator story. The story seemed very straightforward at first, even a little too straightforward, but at several points during the story new information become available that made me revise my understanding. This can be done badly or done well; here it is done very well. Much of this one is open for alternate interpretations, which makes it very fun to discuss and re-read.

5. Pieces by M.C. Funk
A terrible and twisted love story all the more disturbing because it seems to be a metaphor for the worst kind of relationship.

 

Honorable Mentions:

Terrible Lizard King by Nathaniel Lee

Black Hill by Orrin Grey

Little Monster by LynnCee Faulk
At first, this story seems all too familiar, but the author makes it unique.

 

 

Review: Writers of the Future XXVII

written by Frank Dutkiewicz

This marks the fourth year in which I am reviewing the Writers of the Future contest. As a long time reader (I bought Volume I when it came out), and frequent submitter of the past few years, I have come to appreciate the work K D Wentworth and her predecessors have done putting this mammoth endeavor together every year. In the past, I’ve read issues and thought I can do better than that. It wasn’t until I started writing did I realize it wasn’t as easy as it looked. When I started reviewing, I had begun to marvel the work the authors put into each story.

WotF #27 marks the beginning of a new era for the anthology, electronic submission. The contest has done their part to save a good-size tree, to the detriment of the post office. However, although the contest isn’t sharing how much, free mailing likely means an increase in submissions.

This issue has 13 stories for us to enjoy. 12 winners and one writer who’s still qualified to win a future Gold Award (lucky slob). So how are they? Let’s find outâ€

 

“The Unreachable Voices of Ghosts” by Jeffery Lyman 2nd place, 4th quarter.

Max Getty is a sail-ship fisher. His sails ride on the solar wind while he fishes for the mini-black holes needed to power the engines of starships, in an area of space way beyond the orbits of the outer planets. Max was once famous, but has turned his back on humanity. The crowded inner system and suffocating public had been enough for him. He seeks the solitude of isolation, vowing never to speak to another human again.

But divorcing yourself from humanity is never a clean break. Max still monitors the radio traffic between fishermen. Kingfisher’s constant rambling over the waves is comforting. He listens to announcements from other fishers as they ‘check out’ for the last time, while tracking others in his neighborhood – his closest neighbor, a million miles away. Then disaster strikes, forcing him to break his vow of silence and ask for help.

Help arrives in a vid sent from a fisher named Maureen. Like other fishers, she has had enough of humanity, escaping from its confinement and running from past mistakes. The distance between them is so far the time lag is 16 minutes for their messages to reach each other. They are millions of miles apart but Max hasn’t felt this close to another in decades.

“The Unreachable Voices of Ghosts” is “Robinson Crusoe” with a ham radio. The story is set in a background of a crowded solar system. Hundreds have escaped to its edges in the search of the mother load. The trips are one-way for most. Many succumb to the isolation, choosing suicide in the end. The story takes the shape of a depressing romance early on. Max’s belief that he wants nothing to do with people evaporates almost immediately as soon as Maureen comes calling. However, like many romances that spring up in today’s internet world, the long distant suitors hide secrets about themselves.

A lot of good science fiction are tales that explore the people we are today in settings of tomorrow. Mr. Lyman created a very plausible premise, a way out for the agoraphobic of a crowded future. Max is a man in mourning, acting out in an extreme fashion. I had problems with a few points in the piece. I believe a sudden influence of G’s would be devastating to anyone living in a zero-G environment, as one example.

This tale explores how much of a social animal we really are, even when we want nothing to do with humanity anymore. The story and setting captured my interest right away, but I began to sour on it expecting a depressing conclusion. I can safely say the ending ended up satisfying me after all.

“The Unreachable Voices of Ghosts” is just the type of story I look forward to when I buy my copy of WOTF every year.

Grade A,

“Maddy Dune’s First and Only Spelling Bee” by Patrick O’Sullivan 1st place, 4th quarter

Maddy Dune has arrived at the St Anselm Orphanage with her array of morphed animal family members. The Bee is for the up and coming spellmakers. Maddy’s entrance is unusual. Half-beasts like her are curiosities. She befriends a cabinet, who is her closest competitor, and searches the audience for her adoptive parents who rescued her long ago.

“Maddy Dune” is an intriguing fantasy. By the title, I was expecting something different. Very clever. Maddy proves to be a formidable speller, frightening half the audience into fleeing with her first illusion. Her immediate family is an arrayof pets , brother, a raven and sister as a cat , it made me wonder what Maddy really was (a question that was never answered). She assumes that she has angered her adoptive mother, Nadine, believing it to be the reason why her stepmother broke her promise to attend the bee. Tan the Cabinet soothes her, assuring her that her parents are likely proud of her and will keep their promise in the end.

This is a tale that was easy to fall into. There were many characters to keep track of but most served as background for this complicated tale. The real story focuses on Maddy and Tan. Tan is mesmerized by Maddy, forming his spells with her in mind.

Deeper into the story, the tales complicated plot takes a twist, confusing to the point where following along gets dizzy. Piecing together what is happening becomes a chore, turning this wonderful tale into a reader’s project. Particularly delightful is Maddy herself. Mr. O’Sullivan brought to life a character who is likeable and convincingly talented. The parts of the tale with her conjuring spells was writing at its best.

Considering the previous story was submitted in the same quarter as this one, I can imagine the judges had a difficult time choosing which one was better. My vote would have been different but nevertheless, this story was well deserving of its first place finish.

Grade B+

 

“The Truth, from a Lie of Convenience” by Brennan Harvey first place, first quarter

Marianne Summers is a freelance on-camera reporter. Older, discredited, she jumps at a job covering the five-year memorial of the Luna City terrorist attack on Habitat 14. The job is simple: film Thomas Rubner, husband to Susan , one of the council members who died with 6000 others that day , while he lays a wreath at the memorial. Thomas ruins the script when he uses the event to espouse his belief that the attack was orchestrated by the government.

Marianne equates the Habitat 14 conspiracy as she does 9/11, the Kennedy assassination, and countless others in history, a bunch of bunk. But when the security forces report a lie of Thomas committing suicide at the memorial, Marianne’s reporter instincts kick in. She is out to discover the truth, but has two problems of getting to it. No one on the moon wants the truth and no one on Earth cares.

“The Truth” has the flavor of a futuristic mystery. The tale follows along while Marianne attempts to investigate what happened after Thomas Rubner inexplicably fell off the script. Thomas claims that his wife didn’t die in the explosion five years before. That she and other council members were rescued. Marianne finds it hard to believe that the government would willingly destroy a priceless habitat, and kill the innocent people inside, but the terrorists demands were met , independence from Earth , as a result of the disaster. Her attempts to follow up on the events of the memorial are blocked by the security forces, raising her suspicion. Then while following Tommy’s body, as it is about to be loaded on shuttle back to Earth, she runs into a person who should be dead.

Much of the story is about Marianne trying to become relevant as a reporter again. A smear by a former employer has made her almost unemployable. She knows the story she is following is huge but can’t get any support from her temporary employers Earthside. Evaporating funds and a hostile law enforcement have left her with few options. She has few friends to turn to in Luna City, and the security force knows it.

“The Truth” is a strong tale. Mr. Harvey created a character so easily identifiable in today’s world and set her in a believable future. It isn’t too difficult what spawned the idea for this story. Conspiracies have become ingrained in our society. This story dives into what I consider a human frailty, a desire for many to believe that there is always more than meets the eye in every event. Unlike the circumstantial leaps of faith modern day conspiracies draw their life from, the Luna City conspiracy has solid evidence any law enforcement agency could poke holes into, even from afar. I found it difficult to believe the disaster would have resulted in independence instead of a more solid Earth authority presence. In short, the inability to uncover what Marianne did years later is a frailty in this plot.

Aside from that small nit, I thought this story was solid. The writing, pacing, idea, and conclusion fit well in the type of story that I like. I was always expecting a twist to pop up (must be a conspiracy) but Mr Harvey kept the storyline straight. A good tale told by a solid writer.

Grade A ,

 

“In Apprehension, How Like A God” by R.P.L. Johnson first place, third quarter, Gold Award winner.

Detective Conroy investigates an unusual death at the reclusive Academy. Magister Musoke exploded while working alone in an isolated workshop. The Arch-Mage of the academy concludes by the complicated steps necessary for the accident that Musoke committed suicide. Conroy finds an illegal drug in Musoke’s room, something unthinkable for a monk of the academy. With his only lead, Detective Conroy searches for the drug dealer who supplied Musoke, and in the process, unravels an even greater mystery.

The setting for this futuristic tale is in a bustling Entebbe with a space elevator dominating its skyline. Within this future Ugandan city is the Academy, keeper of the aethernet , the all encompassing data storage and delivery system intertwined in society. Nodes , small rolling balls that are Limited Intelligent units , accompany the programming monks. Magister Musoke was working on improving the nodes, making them capable of perceiving and compiling data on their own, or allowing them to become self-aware. Detective Conroy is greeted by one such node named Stromboli, an assistant to Musoke.

The investigation moves quickly and turns sharply when Conroy’s person of interest turns up dead. The method of death is just as gruesome as Musoke’s, and is also ruled a suicide. Whatever is happening is either a curious set of circumstances, or a conspiracy far greater for a lowly detective to solve.

“In Apprehension” is a story cut from the cloth of “Blade Runner.” The future in this tale has a dark flavor to it. The aethernet has become a part of us, connected to our senses and embedded into are brains. It has the capability of altering what we see and smell. Drugs of this future further this sensory disconnection. The world sounds like a tough place to soak in, which may explain why some want to tune out.

The details of this surreal place are done well by Mr. Johnson. I thought his attention to providing a picture of his future to the reader, was similar to what Alastair Reynolds does with his dystopia futures. I found the main character very likeable. Couple him with the author’s ability to bring a unique and rich future to life and you can see why the judges chose his story as this year’s winner. I however, wasn’t as taken in with it.

Mr. Johnson’s long departures from the story to provide behind the scene details for the reader left my head swimming. A couple of times, I had to stop reading and backtrack just so I could regain some clarity to what was happening. As a mystery, the tale doesn’t work as well. I thought Detective Conroy jumped to conclusions based on assumptions alone. In fact, I would say the things he got right were at best lucky guesses.

Nevertheless, once you manage to get grounded in this difficult to soak in setting, there is a very good story in “In Apprehension.” Not my favorite tale, but I can see how it would be for fans of dystopia-like futures.

Grade B

 

“An Acolyte Of Black Spires” by Ryan Harvey 3rd place, 1st quarter

Quarl researches for his Artikon masters. He is an acolyte, one of a few whose goal it is to search through the history books, looking for answers to the Sorrow that inflicts the Eldru race. Like many who suffer from the Sorrow, he is an introvert, preferring the company of his rodent pet over Eldru and humans. He dons a mask while in the presence of others , the Sorrow making it necessary so his face doesn’t overwhelm others inflicted with the condition. Quarl’s superiors are satisfied with his research and have decided to give him an assistant. He is uneasy with the idea with working with another, but finding worthy volunteers to assist the Acolytes of the Black Spires is rare.

Hallett is unlike any Eldru acolyte he has known before. He is encouraged by her eagerness. His jehol pet has taken an instant liking to her. Quarl pushes down a nagging suspicion he feels for his acolyte protÃ’ gÃ’ . She shows an interest in him and asks for the unthinkable , to see his face.

“An Acolyte of Black Spires” is a strong character driven story in a murky speculative setting. Quarl is convincingly reclusive. The tower he lives in is more of a high security prison than a facility of higher learning. He seems content in his existence, so much so his superior says he doesn’t feel his Sorrow, a statement that has a negative connotation meaning to it. Hallett’s entrance to the story brings out feelings he has suppressed.

While I found the story between Quarl and Hallett intriguing, the background tale of the world they lived in, left much to be desired. Questions of what the Sorrow was, how the Black Spires and Quarl’s job as a historian could end it, or what the Eldru were, were left unanswered. I couldn’t get a grasp of what the problem was to care if it was solved. The story itself went on a bit too long. I found the ending scene anti-climactic and wondered if it was really needed at all. Complicating my enjoyment of the piece, the twist two-thirds of the way through was a complete blindside.

“An Acolyte” was a demonstration of how strong writing can carry an incomplete plot. Fortunately, the bright characters carried me through a hazy story enough to look favorably upon it.

Grade B ,

“The Dualist” by Van Aaron Hughes 3rd place, 2nd quarter

Thomas McFall is Earth’s envoy to Phrentyr. The world is recovering from its latest, and deadliest, religious war. The nuclear travesty it has experienced has devastated the planet, all but eliminating the Tokhin , believers of the Two Gods. Only Earth’s threat of a withdrawal of aid keeps their rivals, the Solarans, at bay. Thomas aims to save the Tokhins and their culture, but the few left appear to be not interested. Billions of dead Phern and a crop killing moss, a byproduct of the nuclear winter, has failed to cool the hatred between the two cultures. Death of their race is preferable to reconciliation for the Tokhin, and Hirokh , Chief Enforcer for the Solaran , agrees.

Thomas accepted the impossible task of envoy, hoping this recovering world would help him find solace. His wife was brutally murdered back at Earth , a very rare crime these days – but he is mistaken to believe the Pherns would share his grief. Despite the devastation wrought by a difference in dogma, the Phern are not through with their violence to one another. Thomas even admits to himself that the Tokhin are not victims of a genocidal war, just the losers of one. But he learns that not all are eager to give up all hope. If one Phern is willing to move beyond the ancient hatreds, than perhaps there is hope yet for their world.

“The Dualist” is a tale that parallels humanity’s own violent past (and present). The two races of Phern’s hatred runs so deep it smothers all attempts at reconciliation. The few remaining Tokhin have been penned inside a ghetto called Doubletown. Thomas hopes encouraging the Tokhin to rebuild their temple will spark their will to go on. But the Sha’ad Tokn, a sacred stone, is missing and assumed destroyed. If Thomas can revive their hope, and their temple, he can save a dying race.

Of all the writers in this anthology, Mr Hughes skill for the penned word stands out the brightest. For the first two-thirds of this tale I was completely taken in with it. He framed an excellent premise, wrote engaging characters, and brought his setting to life for me. I believed I was reading a WotF masterpiece, then it all fell apart.

The back-story of Thomas’ own personal tragedy was a distraction, as if it was needed for Thomas’ motivation to succeed. Wouldn’t saving a race and culture from extermination be enough? I also found it unlikely that Earth’s choice for envoy would be a person harboring psychological scars. Even his alien counterparts were aware that he was unstable. I can’t imagine that Thomas’ superiors would be blind to his shaky stability.

I will not expose the ending so not to spoil it for those who haven’t read it, but I must say the twist in the final scene did not work for me. I found it to be a cheat in the premise.

The quality of Mr Hughes writing alone makes him deserving for a spot in this anthology. The fact he is so good, and wrote a story I liked most of the way through, earns him a favorable grade from me.

Grade B

“Bonehouse” by Keffy R. M. Kehrli 3rd place, 3rd quarter

Chris is an Evictionist. He infiltrates bonehouses to retrieve the people plugged into a netdream. He does it for a fee, and the fees are paid for by loved ones, broken-hearted souls eager to save the people they knew from wasting away to skin in bones. The addicts are hooked into an electronic life in cyberspace. Chris is after a hopeless addict named Laura. The fee is small, and he knows she will be back into a bonehouse once she recovers in rehab, but she is just a small fish on his way to a bigger catch.

“Bonehouse” is set in a bleak future in the Pacific Northwest. Rising oceans and an exploded Mt Rainier has devastated Washington State. Many have chosen to escape into cyberspace, their bodies sustained intravenously with vitamins while their minds exist in an electronic reality. They congregate in bonehouses, aptly named for the users who degenerate into atrophy. Chris is a futuristic bounty hunter. He was once locked into a netdream. He is on the hunt for the most wanted man in the Evictionist community, Cameron Trexel.

The road to Cameron takes Chris to a former lover’s home. Hints of his dark past are all over David’s home. Chris knows he is close to his biggest catch but will he be able to overcome addictive tendencies that have never left him?

I really enjoyed the setting Mr Kehrli framed for me. It did help that I happened to be traveling in the very areas in which he wrote. Envisioning addicts withdrawing from the real world for a virtual one is a problem I believe would exist today’ if it were possible. Particularly jarring for the addicts is when they are yanked from cyberspace. They have become living corpses, unable to walk, move, or care for themselves from months and years of laying in a coma like state while their minds live an addictive life. A very real future possibility indeed.

A story I found strong with a premise I could easily envision, unraveled for me halfway through. I had trouble understanding why Cameron was such a bad guy. A vague notion that he was a cyber terrorist was touched upon but he came off more as a modern day drug runner to me, and the drugs addicts are addicted to is available to anyone with a little bit a power and ability to access the web. The opening had Chris as a really tough guy, something like a Steve McQueen no-nonsense bounty hunter. The further I read, the less I knew about him. At one point, I wasn’t even sure Chris was a ‘him’ at all. By the end, Chris proved to be not so tough and the bad guy was hardly frightening.

Because of the premise and engaging beginning, “Bonehouse” is a story that could have received my highest of praise. But the high-octane first half sputtered before the end. This is a world I would like to see more of.

Grade B

:This Peaceful State of War” by Patty Jansen 1st place, 2nd quarter.

Miranda Tonkin is Solaris’s envoy to Bianca. The world is in the midst of a genocidal war. The Pari are a gentle yet resourceful race, capable of building architectural works of wonder with the simplest tools. The Hern’s only purpose in life is to hunt, destroy, and kill Pari. Wide tracks of ashes are the only thing left of Pari villages. The Universal Church’s missionaries have separated the two sides and are attempting to negotiate a permanent segregated settlement. They are the only thing preventing total annihilation and are requesting Solaris intervention to stop a massacre.

Miranda lives in the sterile confines of a low G space station. Planets are torture to her. She needs crutches to walk in the full G environment. Her body is atrophic and bloated. The Planet is a green world with a high oxygen content, so high projectile weapons are as dangerous to their user as they are to the users target. The world lacks carbon. Life has developed on a foundation of titanium. Bianca is very different than Earth but the Universal Church insists the Pari and Hern are human. They are out to prove the existence of god, and god made humans in His own image. Only humans can be sentient in their eyes and they are convinced Bianca’s inhabitants are brothers and sisters to Earth’s children.

“This Peaceful State” is compiled as a mystery. The missionaries have ceased to be objective. The Pari are like trusting children. They are capable of so much yet are docile to the point where they won’t protect themselves from the Hern. The Hern are unreachable. Miranda quickly becomes sympathetic to the church’s position but things have degraded to the point where an occupying force will be the only way to stop a complete genocide. She digs up past expeditions and discovers the Pari were more communicative in the past. The Hern were fewer in numbers as well. Miranda’s escort, Brother Copernicus, fears the churches interference has created this problem. Miranda can feel the answers to this un-Earth-like world, are close. Perhaps a simple Earth-like reason may be her answer.

Good sci-fi, in my book, are creations of possibilities I have never dreamed of before. Ms Jansen hit this mark in spades for me. Non-carbon based lifeforms are almost always ammonia in nature. Using titanium I thought was brilliant. Inserting missionaries conflicted with their beliefs also worked well in my opinion. The author deserves the highest praise for her well thought out setting. Bravo.

What keeps me from giving this piece my highest grade was the use of the protagonist. She had little to do with the resolution of the problem. She relied on past expeditions to piece it all together, and by time she did, it was too late anyway. The ‘problem’ resolved itself in its end. Her presence changed little.

Despite my complaint about the protagonist, I thought “This Peaceful State” was well deserving of its first place finish. After reading this tale, I now know why I see Ms Jansen’s name in a lot of publications these days.

Grade B+

 

Sailing the Sky Sea by Geir Lanesskog 2nd place, 3rd quarter

ÂVic Basilone’s life aboard a sky mine, riding on the swift clouds of Uranus, takes a turn when a missile strikes the platform and sends him freefalling into the dense atmosphere. Falling off a platform usually isn’t a problem, the danger of Uranus’s interior heat is a four-hour drop, but hopes of a rescue were blown sky-high with the platform. His luck changes when a portion of the station falls near him, and someone inside is manipulating the morph metal to slow the stations descent.

“Sailing the Sky Sea” opens with a bang. The station in which Vic works, is a victim of an opening salvo in a war between Mars and the Asteroid belt. He considers himself lucky that he was working outside when the missile hits, and even luckier when a portion of the platform falls close enough for him to climb aboard. But his luck may be short lived. The platform is still falling and power to it is running out. Rescue is a dim hope but the only hope left.

Vic enters the saved portion of the platform and finds two women doing all they can to survive. Kyla is a nurse and an assistant to a rich Venusian. Moor is a Martian and former soldier. Moor has been doing her best to hold the platform together while Kyla tries to keep her gravely injured boss, and his two business partners, alive. The trio work feverishly to save themselves. Moor and Vic must work together to keep the platform in one piece, stop its fall, and steer it to get a Venusian sky mines attention for any hopes of survival.

The premise to this tale is a wild ride, for the characters and the readers. Mr Lanesskog wrote an exciting sci-fi tale. I do not know if the physics of his story were possible but he had me believing that they were. In a short amount of space, the author wrote an extraordinary – yet buyable , future, with compelling characters and a problem that was unique and difficult to solve. This story was science fiction at its best. Poul and Niven would be proud.

My only nit was a brief ending that read corny to me. Could be just me, or it could be that I searched too hard to find fault with a superiorly written work of speculative fiction, but it was enough for me to not consider it perfect.

Grade A

 

“Unfamiliar Territory” by Ben Mann 2nd place, 2nd quarter

Mira is a security officer aboard an Empire company space station. Her boss, Harlan, wants her to intercept a company vessel that is failing to respond. Mira can’t go without an engineer, her boyfriend and longtime engineer died in their last trip. Harlan has one for her, a wide eyed intern from Earth. Rose is sweet, caring, and a bit squeamish , qualities not suited for a spacer. Mira wants nothing do with Rose but an engineer is necessary for her to do her job, and her job is all Mira has.

“Unfamiliar Territory” is a mystery set in future where space is run on the same set of rules that governed the 18th century seas. The non-responding Lumen has decompressed and her crew is dead. It has all the signs of piracy except most of Lumen’s cargo is intact. Shortly after intercepting the Lumen, Harlan radios her to intercept another vessel. This time one crewmember is found alive, in his suit, outside the vessel. The stress of a harshness of space is beginning to wear on Rose while Mira’s own skin becomes thicker. The surviving spacer is near death. A competing company vessel is close enough to ask for assistance, but asking for it is frowned upon and rarely welcomed. Suspicion runs deep in space, and there is no such thing as a friendly ship.

I found the tale, like many of the others in this anthology, rich in setting. I also thought the premise of a rough and you’re on your own attitude of space intriguing, but unlikely. Operating in space is an expensive endeavor, and I can’t imagine it would ever get cheap enough to allow cargo to get stolen, or people to get murdered, without a concerted effort to stop it. It appeared to me Mira’s job was more of an enforcer suited for today’s mob, rather than a rescue and recovery specialist. Rose is a girl in a tough spot. Mira makes it plain to her she isn’t wanted, as she is thrown into a dangerous and harrowing mission.

Mira is a hard woman. She is so unsympathetic she becomes angry when Rose’s compassion resurrects an old soft spot in her for a brief moment. She has survived on a notion that space is unforgiving and hard, and life is cheap. No one is your friend, which makes Rose’s inquisitive and naÃ’ ve disposition that much harder for her to take.

As I said before, “Unfamiliar Territory” is a mystery, but a mystery that wasn’t solved in my opinion. The climactic scene was confusing. I had no idea what was going on, or why it was happening, during it. It pains me to say this, because Ben is a friend of mine (thanks for the book prize, buddy), but if he passed this one by me, I would have insisted he change that climactic scene if he expected this story to stand a chance. Good thing for him he didn’t. But nevertheless, unresolved mysteries and confusing premises are not stories that I remember warmly. The story was, however, a dynamite tale for the first two-thirds of it. That reason alone earns it a favorable grade.

Grade B-

 

“Medic!” by Adam Perin 3rd place, 4th quarter

Sergeant Tom Silk is the best damn medic in the army. He waits underground until he is called, surfacing through the rocky ground to retrieve the gravely injured. The sergeant is a hardass. He is rude, doesn’t want to hear a ‘thanks’ from the soldiers he saves, and is anything but respectful of the officers above him. He just wants to go home. Save five more lives and home is where he will be headed.

Silk wants to get home to his fiancÃ’ e waiting for him on Germonium. She is a colonist. The military is wary of all colonists and stand in his way to marry her. Denied, he does the unthinkable to the man who tells him no. Threatened with imprisonment, Silk’s skill as a lifesaver grants him a second chance with a choice that most would consider a prison sentence, save 1000 lives and he can go home.

“Medic!” is the story of a man filled with resentments. He is angry at a military that denied him a marriage with his love. Angry at the conscripts who have loved ones and flaunt it. Angry that his girl hasn’t written to him in years. Tom has lost his compassion. He views wounded soldiers as currency for his ticket out of the war and officers as nothing but easy marks on the poker table to him.

There is something to like about Tom Silk. He is a jerk of the first degree. I found his sarcasm funny and his look on the military amusing. However, a protagonist who starts off a loveable jerk ends up turning into dangerous man with issues. Tom proves to be a man who has lost much of his humanity. Any compassion I had for him went out the airlock halfway through.

“Medic!” is a story that would have fit well in many of the short science fiction stories I fell in love written in the 70’s. I found it a paradox that I would like such an unlikable main character.

Grade A-

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“Vector Victoria” by D. A. D’AmicoÂÂ 2nd place, 1st quarter

Victoria dances and mingles on the receiving pellet platform to Las Vegas. She greets arriving passengers with friendly kisses and wet willies. Forward, but it’s how she prefers to save the world. What better way to spread the viruses to counteract the government’s clandestine inoculation directive?

Victoria is a vector. A longtime activist for many protest movements, she has hitched up with Shamus. Shamus has been self-infected with a gene-tailored virus and has recruited the noble Victoria to help him. Together, they infect the populace, canceling out the FIT agency’s inoculation efforts. Shamus has been telling her the government wants to control the populace with their bug. Spreading the virus is the only thing that will stop them. She believes him, and always has, until a man enters the platform spreading his own set of germs that cancel out the virus.

“Vector Victoria” is the story of an ideological girl who wishes to do good. Victoria has been operating on the belief that the people in power are out for themselves, and are against the common man and helpless planet. Shamus is a man who she always believed in. He talks to her like a person rather than a bimbo. Although she doesn’t understand what the virus does, she believes what she is doing is saving lives. Until Artie appears.

Artie works for the government. Through their enhanced vision, Victoria and Shamus can see the germs he spreads. Artie knows all about Shamus. He has a different story on what kind of man he is. For the first time, Victoria doubts her hero. She must decide for herself if she has been playing the role of world saver, or has been used as an unwitting pawn for something sinister.

“Vector” takes the angle of a naÃ’ ve girl. Victoria is a good soldier, who discovers she may have been fighting on the wrong side all along. The story starts off with a great perspective of an activist happy that she is living in the knowledge she is fighting against a tyrant, while protecting the average man. She is a modern day Robin Hood. The story follows this angle for the first third of the tale. The entrance of Artie adds a new twist. Victoria finds herself in the middle of a conflict and she isn’t sure who is the bad guy any longer. The story is great up to this point and then it took a turn no work of fiction should take; it became a debate.

Victoria becomes confused on what to do, and as a reader, I became just as confused as she did. It was no longer clear what was happening, and finding out what the virus was doing no one knew, but not knowing wasn’t going to stop Victoria from deciding what to do. The solid premise got soft at this point. Victoria goes from principled, to naÃ’ ve, to informed, to confused, and back again.

A clear and exciting story became murky in a futuristic political debate. The strong first half forced me to stick through it to the end. The second half wasn’t bad, but didn’t live up the compelling first half.

Grade B-

 

“The Sundial” by John ArkwrightÂÂ published finalist

A wounded Yankee has stumbled upon Hept’s farm and has taken refuge in her stable. He is pursued by one of Colonel Mosby’s men. Bess, her slave servant, begs her master to hole up into the house with her, but Hept creeps out to help the man. Masked in a spell, she can hear the man’s words and concludes he is the Creator of Paths. She attempts to intervene, and is shot in the head.

A bullet wound through your forehead would be a final bad day for almost anyone, but for Hept, it is just another tragic event in her millennium old life. She had intervened to save Moses’ life in ancient Egypt and was awarded with immortality by the One God. Hept has tired of her everlasting existence. A way out for her can be achieved if she kills the deserter Yankee, Ammon. It is an offer she would have jumped on before but Ammon is a good and noble man. She has fallen for him like she hasn’t done for another since the age of the Pharaohs.

John Arkwright is the odd man in, with his finalist story. The editors of WotF published “The Sundial” to fill out its pages. Good for John because he still has a shot of repeating Carl Fredrick’s feat of appearing in two anthologies. “The Sundial” is the tale of woman whose desire for death is superseded by her love for Ammon. Hept has a “Highlander” type of physiology that grants her instant healing, even from the most grave of injuries.

Hept has a stone sundial on her grounds. It cast a shadow even when there is no sun. The dial has revealed an hour of her death, a sign that Ammon is her way out. But Ammon’s arrival spurs a new will to live for her. She must flee with the man before Mosby’s men find him. Hept has learned there is more than one way to cheat death, and she aims to use every trick she knows to deny Osiris Ammon’s soul.

I would categorize “The Sundial” as a fantasy romance. The story zeros in on Hept’s infatuation with Ammon. Bess serves as her sidekick companion with an ownership tag to her. She has little concept of freedom, vowing to remain a servant even when she believed Hept was dead. The romantic quality of the piece supplanted the fantasy aspect. It may be the reason why the story seemed to develop slowly to me. The tale dragged, too much contemplation on what the characters should be doing, instead of taking the action needed, dominated the center of the piece. It didn’t help when Hept repeated her backstory to both supporting characters. I found it unnecessary, and wished the author would have attempted to avoid the redundancy.

“The Sundial” is the lone entry that didn’t work for me. I might have preferred it, if it had a quicker pace.

Grade C

 

 

The Unknown Prerequisite

Last year I noted the overabundance of stories based on a single theme; robots. Two thirds of the stories in WOTF Vol 26, used artificial intelligences as a centerpiece for their plots. How many this year? Zero. Not a one. Curious, considering I couldn’t recall an anthology where at least one robot like story won a spot in the book. A bummer if you wrote a robot piece, believing you spotted a trend. Apparently, that trend was short lived. This year had a trend of its own, one that was far subtler.

This year’s anthology was filled with strong writing. If you read my reviews of the last three anthologies, you might have noticed I collectively graded these stories the highest of the four. This year’s authors had excellent tales with vivid settings, a great group of writers. However, if I were to give the entire book one grade it would have been a B minus.

It was about the fifth story when I began to notice a redundancy in the plots. A forum on the net confirmed what was nagging me. Amateurs, still attempting to crack into the anthology, were insisting protagonists must have an inner turmoil, if the writer was expecting their entry to become a finalist. If you were to use this collection of short stories as a guide, you would have drawn the same conclusion.

I found, with the exception of one story, each winning entry followed a variation of the same basic blueprint. Protagonist is confronted with a problem, protagonist reveals a deep psychological obstacle making it difficult for them to solve the problem, problem was resolved and everyone lives happily ever after. It was this, damaging past event in the main character’s life, that made the entire collection – filled with wonderful tales spread across a variety of themes in speculative fiction , have a droning sameness about it. If last years anthology could have been called “I, Robot” – because of the prevailing theme – this years would have earned the title, “We shall overcome”.

By the time I was halfway through the collection, I found myself looking for ‘the thing’ that would tag the protagonist as one messed up dude – or chick. The subplot in every story was so prevalent you could have identified each piece by the inner turmoil the main character had with a mix-and-match game. See for yourself.
-Widower who witnessed his wife’s murder.
-Child who overachieves to impress stepparents who ignore her.
-Old reporter falsely accused with misconduct.
-Ex-husband whose wife walked out on him.
-Man who has repressed his feelings his entire life.
-Widower who witnessed his wife’s murder.
-Former addict who isn’t fully recovered.
-A whole bunch of stuff.
-None.
-Woman who saw her partner die.
-Soldier kept from his fiancÃ’ e (real anger issues).
-Easily influenced girl searching for her purpose in life.
-Immortal living with millennia of guilt.

It made me wonder, when did it become a requirement that a protagonist must battle with an inner demon, while they are dealing with the external threat that is central to the plot? I don’t recall past classics burdening its characters with this extra-dimensional depth. Did Harry Seldom need to overcome a rough childhood while constructing a mathematical formula to avoid an upcoming galactic dark age? Did Louis Wu have to deal with abandonment issues before he joined an expedition to a ringed-world? And what was Frodo’s inner conflict? An over-the-top desire to impress the girl who shunned him at the festival? Or was it the Napoleonic complex a short person would have, living in a world where even the Dwarves look down on you? These main characters faced overwhelming external obstacles. An inner conflict was never needed to further their story. To insert one, would have cheapened their tale.

I am not saying an inner conflict has no place in speculative fiction, but I can make a case that an over use of them will lend to a copying effect for the reader. This WotF anthology read as if every author followed the same piece of advice. I’m not to saying this tactic in story telling didn’t work for all of these tales, but I thought a couple of them didn’t need to add the extra depth to their characters psychology. For a pair of examples on how it worked for one, and how it burdened another, let me use the two tales that had characters with the same tragic past; wives who were murdered.

In “The Unreachable Voices of Ghosts”, Mr Lyman’s used his main character’s past tragic event to explain why he chose to exit humanity. His reasons were different than the other characters who sailed to the far ends of the solar system in a likely one-way voyage. The protagonist’s inner demons helped to further the tale and added an inflexion to the plots later stages. The inner conflict fit well with his external problem. But in Mr Hughes “The Dualist”, the main character’s past tragic event was an obstacle. It clashed with the external problem the protagonist faced. I submit, if Mr Hughes removed the protagonist’s past tragedy, it would have changed nothing in the plot, except maybe improve it. Then again, Mr Hughes might have been in the outside looking in if he did, just like the majority of us do now.

I could go on. I will instead assume this trend, like the last, was a collection of coincidences. The inclusion of “Sailing the Sky Sea”, the only story in the anthology where the characters were not challenged by inner demons, supports that this was indeed the case. Individually, all these tales stand on their own. If I were to read them in a copy of Analog, Asimov, F&SF – or one of the many outstanding publications out there – I would have never been bothered by the overabundance of inner conflict sidebars, but strung together, the repeating subplots stuck out like a neon sign in a dark night. If I would have read the anthology for pleasure alone, I would have likely set it down a few stories in, expecting to get to it later (but perhaps not), never recognizing why it fell out of favor for me, despite the strong writing within it.

 

I would like to acknowledge Diabolical Plots contributor Joey Jordan for her illustration victory in this years WotF anthology. Her rendition of “Sailing the Sky Sea” was sharp. She’s a good friend, and she contributed the mad scientist art that graces the pages of Diabolical Plots. Congratulations to her!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This marks the fourth year in which I am reviewing the Writers of the Future contest. As a long time reader (I bought Volume I when it came out), and frequent submitter of the past few years, I have come to appreciate the work K D Wentworth and her predecessors have done putting this mammoth endeavor together every year. In the past, I’ve read issues and thought I can do better than that. It wasn’t until I started writing did I realize it wasn’t as easy as it looked. When I started reviewing, I had begun to marvel the work the authors put into each story.

Sale! “Mysterious Ways” to Uncle John’s

written by David Steffen

Woo hoo! I just got an acceptance last night from Uncle John’s for their Flush Fiction Anthology for my flash story “Mysterious Ways”. Yes, Uncle John’s of Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader. I am very excited about this one. Uncle John’s has a very wide readership, and this will be the first time I’ve been published in something that has a wide bookstore distribution. Exciting!

 

Daily Science Fiction: August Review

written by Frank Dutkiewicz

This marks the end of Daily Science Fiction‘s first year run. We have managed to read and review every story for you. It saddens me that no one else has bothered to do that (at least none who I am aware of), but a lack of reviews hardly is an indication of a publications success. More on that laterâ€

 

The Stories

“Hints of the Apocalypse” by K.G. Jewell (debut 8/1 and reviewed by James Hanzelka)

Three people are discussing love, life and the end of the world, just minutes before the end of the world as they know it. It’s not a discussion in the traditional sense of the word, but a series of flash fiction vignettes dealing with the subject.

This story reminded me of an old Twilight Zone episode where a demented man brings together three people who he believes has wronged him before the world is destroyed. In the twilight zone episode, however, it’s all in his mind. In this story the end is know up front, only how we get there is unknown. Nice story, cleverly crafted.

 

“Trails” by James Bloomer (debut 8/2 and reviewed by James Hanzelka)

Clarke meets Anna at a Trails art party, a party to appreciate the artistry created by the tracking devices everyone uses. It turns out however it’s really a party to eliminate the tracking devices controlling everyone’s lives. When the authorities show up to arrest everyone “going off the Grid.” Will Clarke and Anna be thrown into camps or can they save themselves?

This story is very similar to one which won a “Writers of the Future” contest a few years back. A cautionary tale of how technology, which is supposed to help us, is controlling our lives. In both stories it is a trail back to less technology that is the key to survival. Good story, pretty well crafted.

 

When I was asked to review “Exit Interview” by Patrick Johanneson (debut 8/3 and reviewed by Anonymous), I was pleased as I clearly remembered reading it the day it arrived in my inbox–always a good sign. I enjoyed it as much reading it a second time. I just love the opening paragraph:

Stella Laine, deputy head of Human Resources, tented her fingers, looked me in the eye, and said, “Your time on Earth is nearly up, Benjamin.”

For a couple seconds I couldn’t stop blinking. Finally I got my eyelids back under conscious control, and, with what I thought was a heroic lack of quaver to my voice, I said, “Do you really have that kind of power?”

As you may suspect the story is an interview–albeit a rather surreal one–between an employee and a human resources officer.

I really enjoyed the story. I thought it was well written, interesting, with good dialogue and humour sprinkled throughout. In fact I have nothing negative to say. A simple idea, well executed.

Recommended

 

The son of a woodworker is drawn toward a strange girl wearing a wooden dress in “The Girl in the Wooden Dress” by Angela Rydell (debut 8/4). Emmett spots the girl standing at the edge of the forest. Her dress is lovelier than any stick of furniture he ever laid eyes on. The lovely girl in the form fitting dress tells a tale of the forest taking her in and protecting her in her time of need. But now that she has grown, the forest won’t let her leave. She must shed her dress but needs the young woodworkers help.

“The Girl in the Wooden Dress” is too short. I was completely taken in by this electric tale. I thought the writing was great and the story exciting. How I wish it were longer.

Recommended

 

“The Last Librarian: Or a Short Account of the End of the World” by Edoardo Albert (debut 8/5) is the tale of a keeper of a library of rare books. The protagonist is a friend of the librarian. When an unknown copy of a T.E. Lawrence is rediscovered on its shelves, the previously empty library gets a sudden influx of researchers.

“The Last Librarian” is the tale of a curator who values books above his fellow man. In fact, he judges men based on how they treat their books. This futuristic society has little need for books. However, the librarian’s stores have a value of its own. Disrespect the sum of what makes man unique and you have worn out your usefulness.

This tale pulled me but had a twist that was more of a cheat as far as I was concerned. I did not appreciate the ending but did like how the story unfolded.

 

“The Recruiter” by John Robert Spry (debut 8/8 and reviewed by Anonymous).

A man in a coffee shop tells an attractive woman about the process of alienation that lead to him becoming an actual alien. In his opinion, some children become aliens via a process of continual childhood disappointments and tragedy, resulting in people who look human, but are no longer human. He seems to relish the fact she is listening to his story and his presentation of himself as an dangerous alien. Of course, things are not as simple as they appear and her offer to continue their discussion the next day may not be exactly what he had in mind…

This story was well written, and carried me along but didn’t wow me. The premise of people being manipulated into becoming assassins isn’t new (The Manchurian Candidate), but this does deliver a speculative fiction twist that is quite nicely and subtly done.

It does play along some well-trodden paths in terms of references (JFK), giving the story, albeit briefly, a grander stage–an easy way to do that. In terms of a cost benefit analysis, I would have avoided that.

 

The author’s comment in “Killer Pot” by James Dorr (debut 8/9 and reviewed by Dustin Adams), “Cast as a conversation between two once-lovers…” helps to see the story in a different light. Perhaps imagining it as a scene from a play.

In this case, being a story, it’s difficult to latch on to what is happening. Because it’s a conversation, there’s no plot per se. Instead, there’s a few ideas mashed together in dialog.

There’s killer pot, the point of which I missed, and considering it’s the title of the story, I probably should have gotten it. There’s the vampire feel, which doesn’t go anywhere, and is befuddled by the mention of going outside, but covering up. Then there’s the interesting idea of someone being “bronzed” while alive, only with silver, not bronze, and smoking pot first, and taking an anesthetic…

I wanted to rate the story higher than one rocket, but I let my emotions get the better of me, which is to say how I felt about the story, and that is: ho-hum.

 

“The Box That Eats Memories” by Ken Liu (debut 8/10 and reviewed by Dustin Adams). I’ve heard said that when judging a story, there are those who don’t take the title into consideration. That the story should stand on its own. This is bunk.

The title of this story is what gets it started, and each word edges us closer toward a conclusion that is both harsh and justified.

Ken Liu brings us a strong idea, a far out concept, and delivers on it in short fashion. The box that eats memories, keeps the bad ones locked away, stored, and hopefully forgotten. Oh, but they are simply waiting.

I rated this story 5 of 7 rockets.

 

“A Gentlewoman’s Guide to Time Travel” by Alice M. Roelke (debut 8/11) is written as a warning to those in our past who are traveling to our now.

This cute tale is a reverse time traveler story. I found it fun.

 

The title explains it all in “How Amraphel, the Assistant to Dream, Became a Thief, Lost His Job, and Found His Way” by Scott Edelman (debut 8/12). Amraphel steals the dreams of mortals for his master, Lord of Dream. He waits by the bedside of the resting, waiting for REM sleep to arrive. He links with the unsuspecting and rides within in their dreams, seizing what he has experienced for his master.

Riding on the backs of a dreamer while they dream is an exhilarating experience. Amraphel is left empty when it is over. To pass the time between assignments, he sits a top of a barstool at his favorite tavern talking shop with his two friends, assistants to the Lord of Love and the Lord of Luck respectfully. Amraphel has often told of the richness of the dream experience while his friends speak of love and luck. Eager to share with his friend’s gifts, Amraphel conceives a plan, one that breaks every rule and has dire consequence if they are caught.

The premise to “How Amraphel” centers around three people who are not quite human. What they exactly were was never explained to my satisfaction, but they all appear to have jobs that determine the fate of mankind. The gifts they dish out are beyond their immortal souls to manufacture. Only when they ‘bless’ a human with their gift do they get a glimpse of what mortals experience. The three assistants only get a taste of their own assigned gifts, so conspire to experience each others’ talents.

I found it odd how beings who couldn’t dream, feel love, or grasp the concept of luck could act so human. How could they be absent of the basic components of what makes us human yet are able to form a novelty concept like friendship? Why even bother going to a tavern to get drunk? It would seem these assistants – who lack dreams, love, and luck – would be incapable of the aspirations to be able to conspire to better themselves, or even would be willing to get loaded as a way of dealing with their problems.

Despite my personal conflict with the plot, I found the opening scene to be a very sharp hook. Solid writing indeed. Too bad the rest couldn’t have pulled me in like it did.

 

In “Spoons” by Joseph Zieja (debut 8/15 and reviewed by James Hanzelka), Maela obsesses over which spoon to use for breakfast. The variety of spoons is in contrast to the rest of her life, be it food or relationships. But today is an eventful day, her first time joining. Can that add more dimension to her life?

This story was a little slow and definitely not for everyone. It uses the every day to give us a glimpse into a possible future where life is as bland as the white porridge Maela has for breakfast every day. It is also a treatise on how even the mundane would appear novel to us.

 

“Our Drunken Tjeng” by Nicky Drayden (debut 8/16 and reviewed by James Hanzelka).

Li and Kae are caretakers performing maintenance on the body of the Fathership. It is exacting work and the Fathership is like us, caught up in our pleasures and comforts at the expense of its body. The caretakers have a full time job to prevent the Fathership killing himself.

This story is not for everyone. It is highly stylized and fairly graphic. It is an interesting take on perspective. It also can be interpreted in several ways. Taken straight up as a story about the caretakers, or as a metaphor for life itself.

 

When Jacob arrives at the scene of a recent suicide by a Hollywood actress in “True Hollywood Story” by Ryan Gutierrez (debut 8/17 and reviewed by Dustin Adams), he is reluctantly granted access to the body. Carrying only a bag, we don’t yet know what he’s there to do. Hints are given that memory is lost after a short time, and a shot to the head really makes things difficult for him.

I won’t ruin the surprise, but Jacob is indeed there to link to, and work directly with, the memories of the deceased. This is his job.

Great story, written well, nifty idea, and fun/unexpected twist at the end made this offering a pleasure to read.

I rated this story 6 of 7 rockets.

 

In “Reading Time” by Beth Cato (debut 8/18 and reviewed by Dustin Adams), A longer than expected nuclear winter has an ordinary family of four huddled within a library. They’ve burned every scrap of furniture, all that’s left are the books.

This is the last straw for the family’s patriarch. Among other reasons, the children having more food being one of them, he fashions a noose, and stands ready.

Although I felt his action a little extreme, the situation made it believable, and the reasons to continue, provided by the matriarch, were just as convincing a reason to stay as the solution the daughter (main character) provides.

Reading Time is a well drawn short story, and as all post-nuclear stories, frightening in it’s possibilities.

I rated this story 4 of 7 rockets.

 

“What Never Happened to Kolay” by Patricia Russo (debut 8/19) is tale of a life and of the opportunities never pursued. Signs of things to come shroud young Kolay when the flowers of Grannie Brian’s garden shun him alone while they hug the other children who play within their rows. As years pass, paths of destiny open to Kolay; paths he fails to pursue. Life passes him by, until his own people shun him, just like the flowers of his youth.

“What Never Happened” is the tale of a non-starter. Kolay is a person everyone knows. The quiet guy who sits alone, keeps to themself, does their job, and goes home. Never interacting with their colleagues. Never maintaining relationships. The fellow who is as unassuming as the bland wallpaper around them. In this speculative tale, real opportunities are offered. Relationships aren’t pursued. Ailments that inflict him later in life are ignored instead of cured. Kolay chooses to never make a choice.

Judging by the way this tale ended, I believe Ms Russo intended a climactic moment to be a commentary of how the pariahs of society have a purpose. After all, even the scary hermit down the road may be useful as the watchful eyes of the neighborhood. The author, I think, aimed to tweak our sympathetic nature and have pity on poor Kolay. Pity is what we can give, but loners like Kolay build their own dens of solitude. We feel sorry for the path they took, but it is their path so we comply by avoiding to tread on it, just as the characters did in this tale.

“What Never Happened to Kolay” is a story of emptiness. Read it, have pity, and live your life knowing you’ll never suffer Kolay’s fate.

 

What a fun story! In “Alpha & Omega: A Co-creative Tale of Collaborative Reality” by Joshua Ramney-Renk (debut 8/22 and reviewed by Anonymous) we have the monkeys and the typewriters premise, but instead of Shakespeare they write something else. I usually summarise stories when I review them, but this one is exceedingly short and I think I’ve said enough.

I thought this was a witty, sharply done piece. I liked the authorial commentary that threaded throughout the story and the simplicity of the story itself. Not the freshest premise, but superbly executed.

Recommended.

 

Elian returns to the place of birth in “The Standing Stones of Erelong” by Simon Kewin (debut 8/23). Her foster mother, Mayve, brings Elian to the spot where she last saw Elian’s family. The stones stand in a circle. Elian knows them as her mother made Mayve sing Elian a nursery rhyme, a riddle, of the strange artifact. Elian stands among the stones, contemplating what the mysterious rhyme meant.

“The Standing Stones” starts off with Mayve retelling the day Elian was born. Her brave family holding off deadly Marauders while her mother gives birth. Mayve and the newborn Elian are the only ones to escape. Now a young woman, Elian wishes to reconnect with her family, touching the cold stones while contemplating of their meaning. Suddenly, with the touch of an out of place stone, coupled with memories of the nursery rhyme, all becomes clear.

I am going to be blunt with my assessment. This tale was excellent.

Recommended.

 

In “Passage” by Lavie Tidhar (debut 8/24 and reviewed by Anonymous) we follow a young American teacher who lives on the Island of Vanatu teaching English to the islanders. While he is there he hears about an infection spreading across America turning average people into mindless drones hungry for human flesh–zombies, although the word is never mentioned (which is odd). The story is really about the young man coming to terms with the news and finding a new place for himself in the world.

Zombie stories are a notoriously hard sell–a bit like vampire stories; so many are written that stories really have to stand out to sell, especially to pro-markets. I can’t say this was a standout zombie story for me. The only thing that stood out was that it was written by a Name Writer. I have read some of Lavie Tidhar’s work and loved it (“Spider’s Moon” springs to mind). That said, the prose was tight and the story meandered to the end with little snippets of insight into the character’s personality. Aspects of it–description–were well done. Nothing really happens apart from the passage of time and the guy dealing with the news.

In the end it was like processed cheese–okay, bland, formulaic but I’ve had better.

 

Love is paper thin in “Heart on Green Paper” by Gra Linnaea (debut 8/25). The two people in this tale are a couple who share a life together. He loves her. She can’t live with him or without him. She leaves him and constructs a living paper origami replica of him; a crude facsimile that fades faster than real love.

“Heart” is a weird story. I believe Mr Linnaea wrote it that way but its oddness made it difficult for me to get into it. The murky/ill-defined relationship didn’t help it. But I did find the magical solution for a dysfunctional woman to deal with her dysfunctional relationship oddly appealing, and like most relationships like this, life goes on even when events turn so strangely.

 

“Inside Things” by Melissa Mead (debut 8/26 and reviewed by Dustin Adams) is a complex tale given its relatively short length. Each word counts in this lovely tale of an autonomous protector who wants to know and be more.

The eternal guardian, like the dragons of lore, protects her mistress from any who would seek to do her harm, or steal her treasures. Yet one young girl passes through the illusions and deadly traps to confront the guardian.

A deep desire to know more than the physical, and to learn, encourages the guardian to allow the girl safe passage to the mistress. The mistress, whose physical body has expired, is in need of a new one. But there is a problem… The body, that of the girl, has been poisoned – by the guardian herself.

I rated this story seven out of seven rocket dragons.

 

“Distilled Spirits” by Andrew Kaye (debut 8/29 and reviewed by Dustin Adams) give us, in short fashion, the delicious idea that after we’re gone, our soul manifests in a manor fit to drink, and that traditionally, family members drinketh from the cup.

At Great Aunt Abigail’s funeral, young Kate must drink for the first time. Having had a difficult life, Abigail’s soul tastes fairly rancid. However, it is imagined that of her son Reed, the family troublemaker, would taste even worse.

Short and original, Distilled Spirits is worth a read. It even comes with a nifty punchline to send us off smiling.

I rated this story seven out of seven rocket dragons.

 

Warning: “Rules for Living in a Simulation” by Aubrey Hirsch (debut 8/30 and reviewed by Anonymous) is not a storyâ€

It’s true–it’s more a set of rules and extrapolations based on the premise that we live in a simulated universe. It is, as the title suggests exactly.

I quite like what the author has done here, and there are moments that make you smile and, though it has been handled skillfully, but it isn’t a story, so it had little emotional impact. DSF have published a few similar stories–one about a cocktail menu is on the edge of my memory–and though I often enjoy the prose and skill, I am left unsatisfied by the lack of story.

 

The devil visits a man who has everything in “What Are You Singing About?” by T.J. Berg (debut 8/31). The devil asks what the protagonist wants. Our man has everything he needs; a happy home life, wonderful family, and perfect health. The devil can offer him nothing, except the one thing not conducive to his wonderful life.

This very brief tale is a set up for a punchline.

Analysis

I have been more than impressed by the wealth of stories I have read on DSF over the past year. The style and genre have varied greatly but the quality has always remained high. Jonathan and Michele have proven to be excellent judges of talent. They have had no shortage of writers willing to contribute, many of whom who have been recognized for their work elsewhere and honored for it in the form of Nebula’s and Hugo’s.

The magazine has had a gradual increase in readership. Word of it has reached every corner of the speculative world (save maybe Tangent Online and Locus), with their recent SFWA qualifications. Most people would call this one-of-a-kind venue a success, but has it made it?

The answer of that question depends on your definition of the term but here is one accomplishment that might help you persuade your opinion. The list of contributing authors to DSF would make a great who’s who list for up and coming talent for speculative fiction, but what the magazine hasn’t had is what the big three routinely get; an icon of the industry, until now.

In a recent Facebook posting, legendary author, Mike Resnick, announced he sold his story, The Scared Trees, to DSF. No one, not Asimov, Clarke, or anyone else, has won , or been nominated , for as many awards in speculative fiction than Mike has. He is a draw in every convention he attends and likely will be a nominee for the next Hugo awards. He is Mr Science Fiction, so it is fitting that he would appear in a magazine that publishes one daily.

Let’s face it, if he would had offered that story to anywhere else, the publishers would have been wise to accept it, sight unseen. ÂThe fact he submitted it to DSF means that he has recognized DSF as a viable outlet to showcase his work. And that is good news to DSF‘s readers everywhere.

My congratulations to Mr Anonymous. He is a very private man, so what the congrats are about is a highly guarded secret. Let’s just say it’s the type of news that could involve miniature baglets in his future.

Pet Cartooning!

written by David Steffen

I wanted to write a post to draw attention to a service that I am offering that I call “pet cartooning”, converting a photograph of an animal into a cartoon image. This could be a fun surprise present for an animal lover, or a loving tribute to your own pet. Here are a couple of examples of the results of this:

Do you think you might be Interested? Generally, here’s what I’m thinking: For $10 paid via PayPal or check, I will take a clear good-quality photograph of one animal, and will use it as a model for creating a cartoon image like those shown above ($15 for two animals). The result will be cartoon style image modeled the original photo that I will deliver via email. Keep in mind:
–So far I have had good results for SHORT-HAIRED animals, with well-defined lines. I have tried this with my own dogs (two poodles and a papillon), and the result did not work well. Feel free to drop me a line anyway if you’re not sure. The animal doesn’t necessarily need to be a dog–I did the same kind of image of a horse to illustrate Drabblecast #67 “Malish” by Mike Resnick. I’m working on improving my technique so that I can handle longer-haired animals.
–The cartoon animal will be in the same position as in the photograph. I can make small alterations like removing red-eye effect, but the photograph will be acting as the model.
–Don’t expect photo-realism. Some details might be lost, but the result is intended to match the dogs image very closely.
–I’ll do my best to get this done as soon as possible, but this will partially depend on the level of demand. If you think you want to do this, especially if you’d like to try to get something for the holidays, it may be best to contact me sooner than later.

The design itself will cost that flat fee. If you’d like to have something with the image printed on it, like a tote bag, a mug, or a t-shirt, I can upload the image to my CafePress store for further products to be purchased. For an example of this, you can see an example set of products here.

If anyone has any comments, questions, suggestions, or if you decide you are interested, please contact me at:

 

Independent Science Fiction

written by Samuel X. Brase

Science fiction often questions the value of success and happiness in the future,usually by contrasting what it means today against unreal alien circumstances. A couple of new short stories offer traditional answers, as well as food for thought when refracted onto the medium of their publication: independent e-magazines.

“Thief of Futures” by D. Thomas Minton demonstrates value in terms of wealth and talent; the story is only concerned with characters who are either rich or possess a very certain innate skill. Everyone else is consigned to the background. “Antiquities and Tangibles” by Tim Pratt examines value through connections and luck; the more social-oriented tools of achieving success and accruing value. Those without connections and luck have no chance of exploring happiness to the extent the main characters do.

On the other hand, the stories themselves have been made available for free on the Internet, by independent publications unrelated to major publishers and the traditional approach to literary success. The medium undercuts the message.

I’ve taken value as one of my main concerns because it opens up discussion to issues that are increasingly relevant within our current political situation. How much do we value corporations and how much leverage should we allow them? The same with political parties, the same with wealthy individuals. Where do we draw these lines, and how do those boundaries influence society?

Independent art reinterprets these questions through guerilla tactics: Free availability of art, approachable artists, new venues. Each tactic challenges formal institutions, such as corporate publishing, by providing alternative means of creating and enjoying art.

Redefining the value of art is important because it helps differentiate literature. Art death occurs when one set of teachers raise generations of students to believe the same lessons and dogma about writing. Established knowledge is not a bad thing, but it is something to be resisted, because progress doesn’t come from the establishment,progress is found on the boundaries, the edge of understanding and form.

Why is progress necessary? Maybe the establishment has it right.

Old forms of art cannot address the issues of contemporary society. Outdated tools are useful, instructional, and entertaining; but they lack the scope our present times demand. Thus, while the establishment may have been “right” when it became entrenched, it has little hope of being “right” now. Is there really any question that literary methods from fifty years ago are able to dig into the issues of our present day?

Independent science fiction can slide into this role. Stories such as “Thief of Futures” and “Antiquities and Tangibles” are the very beginning of the discussion; they speak from the status quo, but are presented through the new medium. Such juxtaposition reveals the demand our present times place on literature. Once the free and immediate nature of the Internet influences stories, twenty-first century fiction will truly begin to find its stride, and will separate itself from what came before. Science fiction is uniquely poised in this regard; as genre writing, it is forced to stand on the outside to begin with,all the better to test form and content. I encourage all writers of independent science fiction to let the medium seep into their writing, to let ideas of free and immediate fiction run wild.

Samuel X. Brase is the editor of Cosmic Vinegar, a monthly e-magazine dedicated to independent science fiction and politics. You can read more about the two stories discussed here in the November 2011 issue, available for free.

Daily Science Fiction: July Review

written by Frank Dutkiewicz

Fall is here but memories of a warm summer resurface when I compiled these reviews from my wonderful friends. The June reviews were ones I reserved for myself but while I worked on them my rock-solid cohorts plugged away at July. Mr Anonymous, Dustin Adams, and James Hanzelka have done their diligence and gave these wonderful works of art the once over. I, of course, couldn’t let them take all the glory so took the time to review a few of them myself. But this review isn’t about the people who do the reviewing, it’s about the storiesâ€.

 

The Stories

“Barnaby: Or, As Luck Would Have It” by K. G. Jewell (debut 7/3 and reviewed by Dustin Adams) is a tale of irony. Or in Barnaby’s case, unfortunate irony. Barnaby travels to an auction in Paris to bid on a simple abacus for his and his family’s collection, but soon finds something much more interesting, a ward of Napoleon, which brings good luck to the wearer.

The ward, however, can only be possessed by someone who is pure of heart, and Barnaby wants it for unselfish means. At first, Barnaby thinks only of himself, and thus cannot own the ward, but eventually, upon rearranging his thinking to that of his sick fiancee, becomes able to steal the ward from its current owner. Only at the last, does he realize his mistake.

I won’t reveal the particulars of the ending, but I will say the clues presented throughout were fairly revealing. Because of this, the story felt long. Once it became obvious there was to be a twist of luck at the end, I found myself anticipating it and growing impatient as the details of Barnaby’s desire and his theft wore on.

Overall, this was a fine story, but it could have been a little shorter.

 

I found “Like the Fourth of July” by John Paolicelli (debut 7/4 and reviewed by Dustin Adams) to be a convenient story for the date it was published, but lacking in being a true yarn.

We focus on a girl renamed Rebekah, who lives among others in a cult ready to cross over on the day of Rapture. Reminiscent of the Heaven’s Gate cult, we’re given a glimpse of what it might have been like.

Rebekah remembers her “before” name and at the last moment, decides not to take her pill and expire with the others, but to go outside and observe the comet which she’s been told will resemble a trillion Fourth of Julys.

This turns out to be quite true as the comet crashes into Earth and presumably extinguishes all life. I’m all for humanity ending stories, as long as that’s the beginning of the story, not the quick end.

 

“UPGRADE” by Allison Starkweather (debut on July 5th 2011 and reviewed by Anonymous).

An old woman’s failing memory is worsened by the fact her implant–digital memory–is failing too. Her grandson arranges for her to have state of the art module to replace the defective unit and so improve her life.

I had a sense of growing annoyance when I read ‘UPGRADE’. To be fair, I always get that sinking feeling when I have a nice mature story idea sitting on my hard drive waiting to be written and then come across something similar already written by someone else. However, this story was well written, and reflected some of the lack of coherence implicit with a failing mind. It was an easy read, but not a standout story. I did think that a little more could be done with the premise, but perhaps that is just me.

 

Is this what the future holds? Is this the extreme of cures in pill form? In “Blink” by Carol Hassler (debut 7/6 and reviewed by Dustin Adams), it is indeed. The pills to eliminate sleep proved to have ill effects, so the next great thing are pills which allow for the reclamation of our blinking time. Seconds a day add up!

I enjoyed this story, and interestingly, DSF broke the story in a place where I felt it had reached its natural conclusion. I then displayed the entire story, but found the additional words didn’t add to the narrative. In fact, they started us in a different direction which was wrapped up quickly, albeit apropos to the story itself.

So, I encourage you to check this story out. Read to the break, or beyond, it’s almost like reading two stories for the price of one. Someone should market this idea. Perhaps there could be a pill…

 

“Off The Shelf” by Gaea Dill-D’Ascoli (debut 7/7 and reviewed by Dustin Adams) represents the idea of purchasing a child. The main character buys a baby boy, after his expiration date, and we spend a few paragraphs reading about her/his second thoughts regarding the purchase. Each time something negative happens in the boy’s life, doubt creeps in regarding the initial purchase.

At 350 words, there isn’t much time to get to know anyone, but the author does a fine job of presenting a problem, and giving us a conclusion.

I found the age of the boy difficult to keep track of. I couldn’t latch on to a linear storyline. I also felt the short word count hurt the story. If it doubled to 700, this story could have easily been twice as satisfying.

Short, and well written, it’s worth a quick read.

 

“Filling up the Void” by Richard E. Gropp (debut 7/8 and reviewed by Dustin Adams) is about an indentured servant who’s paying back a debt to the geneticists that gave him his new wolf body. The repayment is made through filming porno movies with other animal/human hybrids, as well as through individual sexual encounters.

The death of the Big Bad Wolf’s favorite client, The Linguist, creates minor complications to the plot, but major ones to his heart. However, here is where the story diverges.

As it turns out, The Linguist works at a university, “developing computer algorithms to better encode information.” i.e. coding our consciousness into data form. His death – is only the beginning.

This is a love story, told through the eyes of sex, violence, swear words, and blasphemy. (These are the author’s words, not mine.) Certainly this story offers a different fare, but heed the initial warning at the top of this page. If these things aren’t for you, read the following day’s story.

 

“Persistence” by Kurt Newton (debut July 11th 2011 and reviewed by Anonymous)

A pair of brothers have created a machine to bridge the gap between the living and the dead. They try to contact their father to offer him some solace.

This was a brief, well written story with an interesting, but not relatively fresh premise–I am reminded of a similar device proving the existence of Jesus in an another story.

There is a nice twist delivered half-way through the story. Despite being a very short story, it persisted for longer than I expected after the twistâ€

 

“Suspicious” by James Patrick Kelly (debut 7/12 and reviewed by James Hanzelka). After suffering a traumatic end to her marriage and suspecting infidelity Marva Gundersen seeks treatment. Initially agreeing to having a false memory implanted, she now wants it removed, or does she?

This story has an interesting premise and is done fairly well. I was a little let down by the ending because it seemed a little too mundane for the level of expectations built by the story.

 

“Distant Dragon” by L.L. Phelps (debut 7/13 and reviewed by James Hanzelka). Mei Ling is sitting with her grandfather hoping to catch sight of the yearly flight of the dragon. The dragon’s appearance brings the rains that sustained her village, but few are chosen to see him. Mei Ling hopes this will be her year.

This is a nice story about family, faith and the hopes of children. Like Santa, Mei Ling’s dragon is something that transcends the real world, and the author does a good job of transporting us to that mythical realm.

 

“Heart of Gold” by James Valvis (debut 7/14 and reviewed by Anonymous) is a super short story about a man born with a heart of gold, literally. It is written more like a fable. His condition is discussed in the story and compared to other conditions (brass balls!).Then man with a heart of gold meets a man without a heartâ€

I enjoyed this very brief story. It was well written, nicely paced and ends well. Small, but perfectly formed. Recommended.

 

Doll is a new little sister to Jakey, but not a normal little sister in “Still Life” by A.C. Wise (debut 7/15 and reviewed by James Hanzelka). She’s been created to fill the void left by a missing wife and lost daughter. As this family moves through life there are the normal twists and turns, but will the ending be the same?

I found the writing a little uneven in the beginning, but once the story settled in it became better. The story itself has a great deal of depth and touches on a number of different themes. In the end though, it’s a story about a family. The author does a good job of getting you to feel their loss and growth.

 

What if you had a peculiar form of Alzheimer’s? One where you could only remember what happens in the future. How would that affect those around you? Well, in “Deathbed” by Caroline M Yoachim (debut 7/18 and reviewed by James Hanzelka) you are about to find out.

This is a short story with a big impact. Maybe it’s just because I’m getting older, but the sadness and love the author packs into this little tale is touching.

 

“The Wishwriter’s Wife” by Ian McHugh (debut 7/19 and reviewed by James Hanzelka) is the story of a gentle and generous wishwriter and his gentle and generous wife. The wishwriter writes wishes so that people may get what they desire from a single wish, as long as it doesn’t break certain rules. He has his wish, but does his wife?

I’m not a big fantasy fan, but this story was well crafted and carried a nice story. I was a little put off by the repetition of “gentle and generous”, but that is a small quibble. The story has a nice little twist at the end, which I love in a shorter work.

 

“Paying the Tab” by Brain K Lowe (debut 7/20) is the story of Santos and Bernard. Santos is the hunter, Bernard the prey. Stalker and Werewolf meet one last time in a bar where hunter becomes prey, or does he?

I love a good werewolf or vampire story set in modern times. This is one of those with twists and turns throughout its short length. Good fun and a good read.

 

In “Counting Coup” by Kat Otis (debut 7/21 and reviewed by Anonymous), a world where people are divided into ‘daylighters’ (see in the day only) and ‘nightlighters’ (see in the night only), a young girl is able to see in both worlds due her mother catching moonblink during her pregnancy. When a young nightlighter comes silently to steal her belongings to prove his manhood to his clan(?), she spots him in the darkness and they talk for a while…

This story was a nice read and was well written. I found it rather hard to believe that groups of people could ONLY see in the day or ONLY see in the night, but I guess a longer story may explain this condition satisfactorily. That said, I was able to overlook this while reading and enjoyed the story.

 

“Forever Sixteen” by Amy Sundberg (debut 7/22 and reviewed by Frank) is the story of a very old woman who is still a young and vibrant sixteen-year old virgin. Clara is the Sybil, a woman with the gift of prophecy. She has been frozen in the twilight between adolescences and adulthood, the time in which a virgin girl is blessed with foresight, but with the gift of immortality comes isolation. She is a prisoner in a palace, forever locked away from a real life. Clara plans an escape, hoping a champion will rescue her, or at least take her virginity so her gift will be useless. She pins her hope on Eric, a young man seeking advice for his path.

“Forever Sixteen” is a castaway tale for a woman who isn’t alone. Her palace is set in a barren land. Clara is living in regret. She clings to a name she hasn’t spoken of in eons, the last bit of a girl she used to be long ago. Her noble commitment to become the Sybil for the benefit of her family now rings hollow to her. She increasingly seeks escape.

The story turns midway through when a new Sybil is ushered in, her replacement, a young girl who is looking forward to becoming immortal, will allow Clara to leave for good, but exchanging places for this naÃ’ ve girl is more than Clara can bare.

I did like this story. Done from Clara’s perspective, you can envision the poor girl’s imprisonment within her mystique. From afar, she is revered. Imagine if the Pope begged you to help him escape for the Vatican. You might think he was testing your faith.

Although I did enjoy the premise, the sad existence of the character (and sad ending as well) left me more bummed as I read on. I almost feel as if my life would have been richer if I passed it by. Good story, but don’t expected it to brighten your day.

 

“Toad Sister” by Joanna Michal Hoyt (debut 7/25 and reviewed by Dustin Adams) is a tale about the necessity of the negative. Told first person from the perspective of the character who is traditionally vilified, the protagonist, in this case, is shunned until the realization comes that there’s a place for her in the world after all.”

“Toad Sister”‘ suffers mildly in prose due to its brevity, however, it makes up for this with compact storytelling. The story, for the most part is told, not shown, contradicting the modern tendency toward all show and description. Sometimes it’s OK to just tell it like it is, and how it happened. This story agrees.

I gave this story 4 rockets.

 

“Only Backwards” by Kenneth S Kao (debut 7/26 and reviewed by Dustin Adams) is a quaint story about a perfect moment and the time travelers who seek to revisit said moment.

I think.

Kenneth Kao gets a pass because I’ve read numerous quality stories from him. Regarding this one, I can only state that I started it confused, finished it confused, and was confused along the way. I love time travel stories. Big fan. Just not this one.

I rated this story by giving it 1 rocket.

 

The court jester entertains Prince James with a tale of a past employer of his in “The Jester” by Maria Melissa Obedoza (debut 7/27 and reviewed by Frank). The jester is popular in the court. He is loved by all but is clumsy. The jester jests to the prince that he is really a dark mage and shows him a box with puppets joined by a string, claiming they are a princess and her lover.

I found this to be a pleasing tale. The tale is a fable within a story, told well in the short amount of words with a creepy ending. What I didn’t like was the author’s overuse of adverbs, giving the piece false excitement when it wasn’t needed.

Despite my minor complaint, “The Jester” is a tale worth reading.

 

“Blessed are the Sowers” by Robert Lowell Russell (debut July 28th and reviewed by Anonymous)

I read Blessed are the Sowers once on the principle that a story only needs to read once and everything should be clear–I didn’t quote get that. The human race has been pushed to almost extinction by an alien race; Earth has been destroyed and humanity is on the run between the stars, but they haven’t given up. Despite being hunted themselves, human covert military units raid alien owned worlds, wreaking havoc and vengeance. The message they are sending is clearâ€

The story is one big explanation–a summary of events, if you will–delivered by the human commander to a captured alien. There is no action apart from small gestures, holding hands, etc. While the world/situation was interesting I can’t say the story really worked for me on an emotional level.

 

Patricia finds a bowler hat on the ground with a head poking through the soil under it in “The Large People” by Karen Heuler (debut 7/29 and reviewed by Frank). In short time, other heads begin to emerge from the earth, growing like weeds. Men and women, smartly dressed, reading newspapers while drinking coffee as if waiting for the bus, sprout from the ground until they are free from the earth. They are headed to the city, on their way to change it. The retired Patricia – missing her professional life – follows along.

“The Large People” is a uniquely inventive tale. The ‘grown’ people are indeed large, standing at a towering seven feet. They are coming to green up mankind’s sprawling progress. Patricia inserts herself as member of the group. Their leader, the bowler hat wearing man named Roland, is grateful that she is joining on their crusade. She becomes conflicted when she learns of the groups intentions. As the lone real person, she wonders if she is betraying mankind.

The story starts off as a curious fantasy that evolves into a speculative tale of activism. What first appeared as a harmlessly fun story, became a violent one. Roland tells Patricia that they are declaring war; even admitting that some may get hurt. The changing premise did give it a different tone.

Ms. Heuler wrote a splendid story. I could see a reader or two getting turned off by a tale that starts off as harmless fun then turning into something that appears to be making a political statement. “The Large People” does have an environmental activist flavor to it, but I rather liked it. The story does deserve a recommendation but the holes in its premise kept me from giving it one. I found it difficult to accept that no one wanted to detain seven-foot strangers when so much mayhem occurs. Absent that, I found the tale flawless, an excellent tale complete with a subtle moral.

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Analysis

Flash fiction is on the rise. More publications ask for it, are publishing more of it, and are reserving larger amounts of space in their pages for it. Yet, it is treated like the forgotten stepchild, left to walk home alone from school to do the chores while the natural children are driven to their dance recitals and football practice. Novella and Novelette receive all the praise while Flash Fiction child gets the calluses. Well not this time.

On Oct. 10th, Daily Science Fiction brought to all who receive their emailed story attention, the Micro Awards. The award honors the best flash fiction story of the year (flash fiction defined as works of fiction 1000 words and under). The editors of DSF encouraged their readers to nominate their favorite of the year. There is one problem with that, readers aren’t eligible to do the nominating.

As stated in their rulesâ€

An author may submit one story of his or her own; the senior editor of a magazine or anthology, or any staff member designated by him or her, may submit two stories if both are from his or her own publication and neither is self-written.

So we can’t (unless you wrote the story) but Jon and Michele can, and they can pick their own favorite, one apiece.

Although I can’t nominate my favorite, picking the one I think should win is something I can do here. There are several well worth nominating, but picking my favorite here at DSF was easyâ€

”Buy you a Mocking Bird” by Eric James Stone.

â€unfortunately, it debut Dec. 14 of last year (bummer). My second place choice would beâ€

“Y is for Yellow” by the Alphabet Quartet (debut June 22) .

â€but there are several well worth nominating. I hope to see several from DSF in the final round of the Micro awards. I urge all who have submitted to DSF to submit theirs to it.

I would like to congratulate fellow reviewer Dustin Adams for his finalist entry in the 3rd quarter of the 2011 Writers of the Future contest. His story was picked in the top half of the eight finalist; unfortunately, you need to make the top three to win L. Nevertheless, an amazing feat. Expect to see big things from Dustin in the near future. He is that good of a writer.