★☆☆☆☆ Needs Improvement
(Post-Apocalypse) Centuries after a nuclear war left Earth uninhabitable, a former hacker in an underground city sees her life turned upside down when her ex-boyfriend unexpectedly turns up asking for her help. (11,280 words; Time: 37m)
"To Fly Like a Fallen Angel," by Qi Yue (translated by Elizabeth Hanlon, edited by Neil Clarke), appeared in Clarkesworld issue 142, published on July 1, 2018.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Pro: : The plot twist, where we learn the city isn’t on Earth after all and that it's real purpose is to seed human colonies in remote star systems, makes for a good surprise. Yaya’s accomplishments along the way definitely establish that she’s resourceful.
Con: The wooden dialogue, intrusive narration, and bad science make it impossible to recommend the story. Most of this is unlikely to be the product of translation. I really didn’t see anything wrong that I could pin on the translator.
For example, Jupiter has higher gravity than Earth does, and stars are not the same thing as galaxies.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 142)
Qi Yue Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Con: The wooden dialogue, intrusive narration, and bad science make it impossible to recommend the story. Most of this is unlikely to be the product of translation. I really didn’t see anything wrong that I could pin on the translator.
For example, Jupiter has higher gravity than Earth does, and stars are not the same thing as galaxies.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 142)
Qi Yue Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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