Tuesday, January 10, 2017

There Used to Be Olive Trees, by Rich Larson

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(Post-Apocalypse) Valentin’s implant should let him talk to the machine gods, but he’s failed the test three times, and he decides to run away before facing it again. Of course things outside the town are even worse. (8,144 words; Time: 27m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

"There Used to Be Olive Trees," by (edited by C.C. Finlay), appeared in issue 01-02|17, published on by .

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

Pro: The plot is straightforward: Valentin wants to find a better life. He ends up learning the truth about the “gods” and even finds a boyfriend. The best thing about the story, though, is the cool description of how the nanoshadow works.

Con: Their situation looks absolutely hopeless. The machines will quit responding to Valentin, Pepe's tribe will refuse to accept them, and the cull will kill all of them very soon.

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2 comments (may contain spoilers):

  1. This was interesting enough, but I feel like I got the setup and then it stopped.

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  2. Yup, pretty good, but it feels like the first chapter of something longer. And I agree that the situation seems pretty insurmountable.

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