★★★☆☆ Good Start
(Portal Fantasy) In a world we can only reach in our dreams, the Stranger rides a train through a dangerous mountain pass while a troupe of bandits plans to attack it. (9,253 words; Time: 30m)
"The Great Train Robbery," by Lavie Tidhar [bio] (edited by Jason Sizemore), appeared in Apex Magazine issue 116, published on January 1, 2019.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2019.045 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: The greatest strength of this story is the evocative imagery. Not just of the snow and the mountains or the onrushing train but also of the mysterious “Shadow Girls” (Pupae Umrarum) fighting the Colossi.
As far as plot goes, the Stranger and the Kid are simply on a journey. Loretta’s part of the robbery attempt, but she’s tired of it and wants out. The robbery disrupts all of their lives, but by the end of it, they’ve all got what they were seeking--one way or another.
Con: It feels like a teaser for a longer, more-complete piece. There's a lot of action here, but little is really accomplished, and we never do get a clue as to what this war is all about, nor do we have any idea what the relationship between this world and our world is.
But I'd definitely be interested in reading the novel if this were an excerpt of one.
Other Reviews: Search Web
Lavie Tidhar Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Pro: The greatest strength of this story is the evocative imagery. Not just of the snow and the mountains or the onrushing train but also of the mysterious “Shadow Girls” (Pupae Umrarum) fighting the Colossi.
As far as plot goes, the Stranger and the Kid are simply on a journey. Loretta’s part of the robbery attempt, but she’s tired of it and wants out. The robbery disrupts all of their lives, but by the end of it, they’ve all got what they were seeking--one way or another.
Con: It feels like a teaser for a longer, more-complete piece. There's a lot of action here, but little is really accomplished, and we never do get a clue as to what this war is all about, nor do we have any idea what the relationship between this world and our world is.
But I'd definitely be interested in reading the novel if this were an excerpt of one.
Other Reviews: Search Web
Lavie Tidhar Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
This definitely seems like the tip of the iceberg. I hope we see more.
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