Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Sparks Fly, by Rich Larson

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(Slipstream) Electricity does strange things around Arthur, especially when he gets excited. He's excited about Christina, so their first date is going to be a real adventure. (3,500 words; Time: 11m)

Rating: ★★★★☆ Recommended
Recommended By: GDozois:4 RHorton:4

"," by (edited by John Joseph Adams), appeared in issue 70, published on .

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

Pro: Arthur's "condition" and his attempts to hide it make for laughs and tension in equal measure, helped along by Christina's efforts to rationalize everything. And it even has a happy ending.

The scene with the homeless person packs a punch, and we realize how lucky Arthur is to have a friend who looks out for him. We stop thinking so highly of Christina. But she redeems herself 100% with the note she sends the next morning.

Con: You'd think Arthur might benefit from a grounding wire.

Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 70)
Rich Larson Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline

2 comments (may contain spoilers):

  1. This was so sweet and fun! It does a great job capturing the excitement and uncertainty of a brand new relationship.

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    Replies
    1. Arthur is such a nice guy and he's trying so hard he just about maxes out the sympathetic-character meter. (Or shorts it out.) It's about as feel-good a story as you can get.

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