(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"Sparks Fly," by Rich Larson [bio] (edited by John Joseph Adams), appeared in Lightspeed Magazine issue 70, published on March 1, 2016.
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
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
This was so sweet and fun! It does a great job capturing the excitement and uncertainty of a brand new relationship.
ReplyDeleteArthur 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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