★★★☆☆ Honorable Mention
(Streampunk Horror) In a heavily polluted alternate London on the brink of revolution, Hester hides her long-lost girlfriend from mysterious, super powerful foes. And then someone starts murdering their friends. (14,022 words; Time: 46m)
All prior installments of the series have appeared in BCS and are free online. It's likely that this story comes across better if you've read the earlier installments first.
"Cold Ink," by Dean Wells [bio] (edited by Scott H. Andrews), appeared in Beneath Ceaseless Skies issue 259, published on August 23, 2018.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2018.476 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: It’s quite a twist when we learn that Verity was the murderer all along.
The creepy, grimy atmosphere (and tension associated) is probably the best aspect of this story.
The various characters are interesting in their own right, and despite their numbers, we still feel for them when they die.
Con: It takes way too long to get going.
The ending it a bit unsatisfying. Hester has helped the revolution and sacrificed Verity, but we’re not even sure if the revolution is a good thing or a bad thing. And Hester has paid a terrible price—many times over—for something that doesn’t seem worth it.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 259)
Dean Wells Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
Pro: It’s quite a twist when we learn that Verity was the murderer all along.
The creepy, grimy atmosphere (and tension associated) is probably the best aspect of this story.
The various characters are interesting in their own right, and despite their numbers, we still feel for them when they die.
Con: It takes way too long to get going.
The ending it a bit unsatisfying. Hester has helped the revolution and sacrificed Verity, but we’re not even sure if the revolution is a good thing or a bad thing. And Hester has paid a terrible price—many times over—for something that doesn’t seem worth it.
Other Reviews: Search Web, Browse Review Sites (Issue 259)
Dean Wells Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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