(SF Mystery) Jane wakes up in a strange place. Did her professor drug her? And why is she suddenly 18 years older? (3,845 words; Time: 12m)
Rating: ★★★★☆ Engaging, Thrilling, Satisfying
"Welcome to Astuna," by Pip Coen [bio] (edited by Jason Sizemore), appeared in Apex Magazine issue 97, published on June 6, 2017.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: All the pieces fit marvelously. Just to pick a few:
Astuna is a Basque word meaning "heavy," but, when applied to a person, it can also mean "stupid." It might just be a coincidence, but it seems to apply very well to the typical customers of such a place.
Con: There are no likable characters in the story. Jane herself is a jerk—and older-Jane is an assassin.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 97)
Pip Coen Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
- Young Jane admires her scar—we can see how she ended up in espionage.
- She respects how athletic older Jane’s body is—it has to be, for the fighting she has to do.
- The deleted memories that let Jane pass the scanner.
- The encryption that keeps Thirsk from examining those stolen memories
Astuna is a Basque word meaning "heavy," but, when applied to a person, it can also mean "stupid." It might just be a coincidence, but it seems to apply very well to the typical customers of such a place.
Con: There are no likable characters in the story. Jane herself is a jerk—and older-Jane is an assassin.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 97)
Pip Coen Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
I felt like this was just getting started when it was over.
ReplyDeleteGrin. You wanted to read about Jane's further adventures, eh? I can sympathize. But this mission was clearly complete.
Delete