Asimov's Science Fiction: December 2006
Asimov's Science Fiction: December 2006
I bought this issue solely for one story, and that's the one by Paolo Bacigalupi, who I just discovered this year and already have a fierce adoration for. But as I'm not going to read just one story and let the rest go the waste, here's the reviews:
"Yellow Card Man"
by Paolo Bacigalupi
This piece is set in the same world as his “Calorie Man,” which makes sense, given the title of this piece. Fortunately for any readers who haven’t read “Calorie Man,” this story features an entirely different character in an entirely different part of the world. Oh, the science is the same, in terms of how people are living and why, and having read “Calorie Man” helps, but I’m foggy on the details. But, having said that, I had no problem with this piece, so readers new to this world shouldn’t have much of a problem getting into this.
The world is rich. It’s harsh. You do not want to be the protagonist of this piece. I thoroughly enjoy Bacigalupi’s examination of food in the world and what’s become of humanity. It’s striking and haunting. Writing-wise, Bacigalupi’s style never fails to impress, and his use of present tense works here. I had a bit of trouble getting into the story initially, but I got grounded quick enough. I also question the title, because even though it links to the other story set in the same world, the reference isn’t so much a driving force in the story. But, that’s me nitpicking. The end is very good, surprising, and circles back to the beginning quite nicely. I wouldn’t want to live in this world, and I wouldn’t want to be this protagonist either. Still, you can’t help but feel sorry for him.
"Plausible"
by Robert Reed
Certainly imaginative and detailed, this is a fun, quaint tale with little meat on the bones in terms of story, which basically focuses on a little boy having the luckiest day in his life, ever, and how wonderful life can be. I think what grabbed my interest the most in this story, but couldn’t sort out, were all the different species. I gathered that some of them were actual aliens, but some felt like they were removed from the human race, and I got the impression the narrator wasn’t even human at first, so I was jarred later. But there were some nice details, especially the use of the masks, which brought to mind Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles. Some things were very difficult for me to visualize simply because there was so much detail, but that's me.
"Immunity"
by Susan Forest
For the most part, this is a solid story. The character of Trine was very well-drawn and developed, and her conflict was real. However, I had a few hiccups: the beginning tripped me up and I wasn't sure whose perspective I was in. Also, the age restriction threw me for a minute. I know why Trine upped it, too little too late, but when I read it, I read it as "three and under" so when the daughter got sick, I assumed she was eligible for meds. Obviously not. This is a minor detail, but in cases like this, it's important that your writing cannot be misinterpreted. This isn't a major issue for the enjoyment of the story, but I kept going back.
A bit too much telling, but I understand why. I really liked the description of the disease, especially the scales.
"Safe!"
by Brian W. Aldiss
I could do without the exclamation in the title (baseball, anyone?) but I like the irony of the title. The story kept me on guard, because I wasn't quite sure if it was serious, comedic, or both. I've decided on both. Well told, and I love the theory Darnley comes up with. Very fascinating, and it makes me wonder : if one can learn the exact moment and place of their death, can they not change it? That's another story though, and chances are, trying to change your death will only lead you to it, based on what I understand of the theory.
Little hiccups of wondering why these men were sent to Ganymede to begin with, and why not a larger team? And at the beginning, I thought the partner knew he was a sacrificial lamb or something, but clearly not. Still an enjoyable story, but I had my questions.
"A Dying Fall"
by Christopher Priest
I feel utterly manipulated and man-handled by this story. Despite the fact that the writing is well done and there's a confidence to the voice that I always appreciate in a writer, I feel jerked and manipulated and ultimately let down.
This story builds on this one moment, a memory, in Belgium. And it starts talking about death, how it happens so quickly, and yet the story takes its dear sweet time talking about all of the ways that Birch COULD have died, and then after a couple of pages when you're ready to throw something, it gets back on track, tells you how Birch got into his situation, and explains the memory of Belgium. It makes sense, but unfortunately, the way the narrative is broken between real time and memory, I feel like the writer contradicts himself. When Birch first falls, I thought he landed on the rail and was watching the speed train come at him (looking over that moment, I think he's in the moment of tumbling, but still, my brain went to the conclusion, not the slow-mo fall, which is so hard to capture in print). Then we get the memory, its importance, and then we go back to Birch FALLING, where he uses the instructions learned in that memory to fall properly. He's hit by the train, where we think, this is it, right? Particularly when the writer says, "There it ended for him."
No, after ALL THE TALK about dying and death and how THIS WAS IT, the man survived. How he survived is beyond me, except that after all this build-up about him dying and his last memory, I feel cheated. Sure, his last memory helped him fall in such a way that most likely saved his life, but one has to ask: who would REALLY want to survive getting run over by a subway train? Given all the injuries you end up with? Yeah, I wouldn't. I'd probably find the closest means of suicide and be done with it.
Anyway, there's certainly some nice moments in the story, and Priest is certainly a confident writer with a strong voice, though the constant use of "you" and "we" wore thin to this reader, and I still feel utterly cheated. Everything about this story, including the title, points to one ending. And instead, we get another.
"The Golden Record"
by Ian Creasey
Now this is a fun tale. Far-future, with a World Polity running the government and the US is in exile in Hawaii, a man pursuing his doctorate on the history of space exploration salvages Voyager 2 (after outwitting a scavenger ship). Only after his triumph, ownership to the probe is contested by the United States of America in exile, who claim the World Polity is ignoring the future in space exploration, and the US wishes to claim what's theirs and continue to pursue a future among the stars. Only, conspiracy theorists think the Golden Record contains a hidden formula of energy secretly planted there by Sagan, a formula that would allow the US to take over the world.
It's a really fun little piece. Light with some serious considerations in world-building, and the end is a great touch. Each story line wraps up as it should, and while the conspiracy theorists are a bit stereotypical, it's all in good fun.
"Lord Weary's Empire"
by Michael Swanwick
This story features a continuing character from previously published stories, but alas, I have read none of them. The end was hard to get into: I didn't know why Will was running and I didn't care. However, as the story progresses, we get the necessary background info, so I don't feel too much in the dark, which is good.
What's not so good is the fact that this story is a cheat. Maybe I'm supposed to be taken by Lord Weary's creation, maybe I'm supposed to feel sorry for him. Indeed, he is his name. But I'm not: any ounce of character development I'm robbed of, and the story ends where it starts. Sure, Will remembers the people who populated his life, but then we get some strange moment with the dragon-within, and frankly, nothing in the story prepares me for this or reveals the significance.
Instead, this is a story very much like those that are dreams or hallucinations. We could've gotten a rich, realized setting with a plot that mattered, a plot that had weight, but everything Swanwick puts into making this real as possible is yanked away with the illusion. That, and there's the moments, before the illusion is revealed, where the reader is warned that things aren't as they should be, but it's not done in such a flawless way that it disturbs you. Instead, it feels off-kilter and out of character. The dialogue was stilted, and Will's reaction those that around him, including his mindless devotion to Weary and sudden love of the horse, felt melodramatic and unrealistic.
Total verdict for this issue: 4/7 pieces. Bacigalupi's is not one to be missed, and the stories by Forest, Aldiss, and Creasey also have wonderful moments. The writing in the Priest story is fabulous, had I not felt so jerked around by the author himself. Overall, not a bad issue.