(Hard SF) The narrator struggles to get plants to grow on Mars, and in the process she falls in love with a colleague. (2,316 words; Time: 07m)
Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average
"Seven Ways to Fall in Love with an Astronaut," by Dominica Phetteplace [bio] (edited by Trevor Quachri), appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact issue 05-06|17, published on April 20, 2017 by Penny Publications.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: The narrator solves (partially) her problem by finding a Martian bacterium (descended from Earth life) and using it to make soil her plants could tolerate. A clever, hard SF solution. Also, she gets to be with the man she loves.
Con: It’s told almost entirely in narration, which reduces both characters to cyphers.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 05-06|17)
Dominica Phetteplace Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Con: It’s told almost entirely in narration, which reduces both characters to cyphers.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 05-06|17)
Dominica Phetteplace Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
Reprinted online at Lightspeed 126 (Nov 2020): https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/seven-ways-to-fall-in-love-with-an-astronaut/
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