Tuesday, January 10, 2017

A Gathering on Gravity's Shore, by Gregor Hartmann

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(Far-Future SF; Franden) When Franden’s upper-class friend asks him to speak at his ascension party, he knows he’ll be out of place, but the opportunity to meet the “Upheld” in their own environment is too good to pass up. (4,614 words; Time: 15m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

Although this is the third Franden story, no familiarity with the first two is required.

"A Gathering on Gravity's Shore," by (edited by C.C. Finlay), appeared in issue 01-02|17, published on by .

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

Pro: Franden makes a valuable connection at the party, but, more important, he makes a big step in his own growth. He picks a side in the revolution, and he finds the strength to deliver an honest testimonial for his friend..

Con: It feels like the start of a longer work that might explore these interesting characters and their interesting society in detail.

Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 01-02|17)
Gregor Hartmann Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline

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6 comments (may contain spoilers):

  1. This one's like an excerpt teaser from the middle of something longer. You briefly hear of their past but don't actually meet Franden's friend. You see Franden get invited to another important party, but don't learn exactly who the woman who invited him is.

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    Replies
    1. If you click on the "Franden" link at the very top, you can find info about the other stories.

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    2. Yes, thanks for that. I don't think I'd have realized I'd already read one of the previous stories otherwise.

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    3. Eric is the one who added that feature. Whenever we can determine that a story is part of a series, we try to make links for it.

      I rather like Franden for some reason. All the stories are individually so-so, but I like the character enough that I look forward to new installments. I realize this doesn't fit into my recommendation system at all . . .

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  2. I've been struggling to rate this one for a while now because I have a hard time explaining why I like it so much. Admittedly, my rating is highly subjective, as it comes down to the fact that this story really suits my tastes. It reminds me of Bujold, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers and other favorite authors of mine. The world and the characters seem comfortable and familiar, and they come to life on the page. After finishing the story, I looked up the author and was disappointed to see that he is not at all prolific. Too bad, because I wouldn't mind reading a Franden novel.

    5/5

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  3. I like Franden too. This is the fourth Franden story, as far as I know. I agree that it would probably work better at novel length.

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