Monday, January 4, 2016

Extraction Request, by Rich Larson

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(Military SF Horror) Elliot's squad of convict-soldiers crash-lands in the middle of a swamp far away from help. Extracting them doesn't seem to be a priority, but something seems to be wrong with the swamp. (8,870 words; Time: 29m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average
Recommended By: GDozois:4 NClarke

"," by (edited by Neil Clarke), appeared in issue 112, published on .

Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)

Pro: The escalation of horror is well-managed. From one, to a few, to an overwhelming number. Hope doesn't entirely fade until the very end.

The technologies all seem reasonable.

Con: It's a simple, linear story with no big "aha" moments. It's also impossible to really care about any of the characters, given their backgrounds.

Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 112)
Rich Larson Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline

2 comments (may contain spoilers):

  1. Well-written, but incredibly bleak.

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    Replies
    1. Not just bleak, but it lacks the tragic quality that can make a bleak story great.

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