Monday, October 30, 2017

Attachments, by Kate Wilhelm

Find this issue
(Modern Fantasy) On a visit to England to try to forget about her abusive ex-boyfriend, Drew accidentally picks up a couple of ghosts, who follow her home. (10,948 words; Time: 36m)

Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average

"Attachments," by (edited by C.C. Finlay), appeared in issue 11-12|17, published on by .

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

Pro: Drew just wants to get rid of the ghosts, and she accomplishes that by doing what they want—creatively, in Major Fitzpatrick’s case. Robert simply wants to be reunited with Alice, which was what she wanted too. And the Major wanted to set all the ghosts free, which Drew manages to do for him, thanks to tricks she learned during their acquaintance. All these threads are tied up neatly.

As a side benefit, Drew has acquired a small fortune.

Con: There are lots of loose ends. The curse is still on the castle, so it’ll still trap more ghosts. And Larry is still out there, so he’s still a threat as well.

A higher-level complaint is that the ghosts are too powerful. The major’s ability to neutralize interfering dogs and people drains all the tension out of several scenes.

Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 11-12|17)
Kate Wilhelm Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline

Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.

1 comment (may contain spoilers):

  1. Entertaining, but I was a bit irked that the bullying ghosts were too much like Drew's ex-husband. Hopefully, her and Mr. Phelps can figure out how to lift the curse when she finally confesses what she was doing with his cows. And maybe the ghostly attack will drive Larry away for good.

    ReplyDelete