(Historical Slipstream) Twenty years ago, Jonas rode a Pleesaur back when the frontier was wild. Now he just wants enough money to go home. (5,716 words; Time: 19m)
Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average
"The Last Dinosaur Rider of Benessa County," by Jeremy Sim [bio] (edited by Scott H. Andrews), appeared in Beneath Ceaseless Skies issue 219, published on February 9, 2017.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: Over the course of the story, Jonas becomes a real person to us. Whatever crimes he committed, we believe his repentance is real, and we're eager for him to succeed.
And while he doesn't go "home," he always knew that was an illusion. From the very last sentence, we're pretty sure that he and Miss Carla will make a home together, and that's all that really matters.
Con: This is a standard Western converted to fantasy. Change the pleesaur to a horse, change the ocean to the prairie, turn the vents into a gold or silver mine, etc. and it would be indistinguishable from a Western. The only element that's really fantasy is when Essie kills Jimmy DeRoi. (The cowboy's horse wouldn't have done that.)
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 219)
Jeremy Sim Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
And while he doesn't go "home," he always knew that was an illusion. From the very last sentence, we're pretty sure that he and Miss Carla will make a home together, and that's all that really matters.
Con: This is a standard Western converted to fantasy. Change the pleesaur to a horse, change the ocean to the prairie, turn the vents into a gold or silver mine, etc. and it would be indistinguishable from a Western. The only element that's really fantasy is when Essie kills Jimmy DeRoi. (The cowboy's horse wouldn't have done that.)
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 219)
Jeremy Sim Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Yeah, Western dino world was just a little too far fetched for me.
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