★★★★☆ The Best Giant-Alien-Spider Love Story You’ll Ever Read
(SF Adventure) After watching a make eat her mother, Malatina isn’t sure she wants one anywhere near her web, but she’s lonely, and so she responds to a very unusual arachnipede who seems to be lonely too. (14,145 words; Time: 47m)
"A Mate not a Meal," by Sarina Dorie [bio] (edited by Trevor Quachri), appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact issue 03-04|19, published on February 15, 2019 by Penny Publications.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2019.108 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: Malatina is essentially a scaled-up Earth spider, but she has real feelings and a real conscience. We feel her pain, and we’re sorry for her loneliness.
Sophia must be a linguist, and a very brave one too, although she doesn’t seem to grasp the fact that Malatina isn’t always in complete control of herself.
Sophia’s "mate" is pretty brave too, particularly since he can’t talk with Malatina and has no reason to even think of her as intelligent.
The big showdown with the iridescent male is very dramatic, and it’s very satisfying when Malatina sinks her fangs into him. It’s deeply moving the way Malatina saves Sofia and the way the humans endeavor to get Malatina home despite the risks.
There’s a good bit of humor too. My favorite was, “it was time to have the talk about the pedipalps and the eggs,” followed closely by, “if anyone gets to eat him someday, it will be me.”
Con: Malatina is anthropomorphized too much. For example, her language shouldn’t contain a word for “friend,” since her species has no use for such a concept.
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Sarina Dorie Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Pro: Malatina is essentially a scaled-up Earth spider, but she has real feelings and a real conscience. We feel her pain, and we’re sorry for her loneliness.
Sophia must be a linguist, and a very brave one too, although she doesn’t seem to grasp the fact that Malatina isn’t always in complete control of herself.
Sophia’s "mate" is pretty brave too, particularly since he can’t talk with Malatina and has no reason to even think of her as intelligent.
The big showdown with the iridescent male is very dramatic, and it’s very satisfying when Malatina sinks her fangs into him. It’s deeply moving the way Malatina saves Sofia and the way the humans endeavor to get Malatina home despite the risks.
There’s a good bit of humor too. My favorite was, “it was time to have the talk about the pedipalps and the eggs,” followed closely by, “if anyone gets to eat him someday, it will be me.”
Con: Malatina is anthropomorphized too much. For example, her language shouldn’t contain a word for “friend,” since her species has no use for such a concept.
Other Reviews: Search Web
Sarina Dorie Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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