(Historical Fantasy) In the old west, in a terrible drought, the narrator seeks vengeance with a pistol and two very special silver bullets. (7,188 words; Time: 23m)
Rating: ★★★☆☆ Average
"Forgive Us Our Trespasses," by Bennett North [bio] (edited by Scott H. Andrews), appeared in Beneath Ceaseless Skies issue 237, published on October 19, 2017.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: She completes her mission without having to kill the man herself, and she submits to the judgment of God (thanks to being shot with a silver bullet) but is found worthy to continue living, albeit with a reminder of what she's done.
On the first night, the narrator is unable to kill Frontera in the presence of his child, and that’s doubtless why she survives the bullet. It proves that she’s not a monster. Not yet.
Nice touch that she remembers you can eat locusts. Comes of reading her Bible before she had to burn the pages. The “plague” of locusts looks to have been sent to help her, not hurt her.
Con: It’s a pretty simple revenge story, and the bad guy is a cardboard villain.
Also, except for the magical silver, it wouldn’t be speculative at all.
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Bennett North Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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On the first night, the narrator is unable to kill Frontera in the presence of his child, and that’s doubtless why she survives the bullet. It proves that she’s not a monster. Not yet.
Nice touch that she remembers you can eat locusts. Comes of reading her Bible before she had to burn the pages. The “plague” of locusts looks to have been sent to help her, not hurt her.
Con: It’s a pretty simple revenge story, and the bad guy is a cardboard villain.
Also, except for the magical silver, it wouldn’t be speculative at all.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 237)
Bennett North Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
Nice gritty Western -- glad to see another story from this author.
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