★★★☆☆
(Lovecraftian Pastiche) Unearthly creatures destroyed the Earth, but captain Moore aims to set things right through a mission that targets the maelstrom of Azathoth. (5,936 words; Time: 19m)
A deep familiarity with the works of H.P. Lovecraft is essential to appreciate this story.
"Into the Eye," by S.L. Harris [bio] (edited by Vanessa Rose Phin), appeared in Strange Horizons issue 12/09/19, published on December 9, 2019.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2019.690 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: Cthulhu creatures in a future with interstellar travel. The half-mad heroes aim to change the past with a crazy mission to visit Azathoth, the mindless entity who controls all of space and time.
The most effective passage was the narrator’s description of what it was like watching the Earth die and seeing the destruction of the colony ships that were meant to guarantee at least some survivors.
Lovecraft refences abound, of course, too many to list. I’ve read all of Lovecraft’s works, and this story even has some of the feel of a Lovecraft story.
Beyond that, it’s cute that Anastasis means “resurrection.”
Con: I suppose one can’t expect a Lovecraftian story to have a happy ending, and one definitely shouldn’t get attached to any of the characters. Also like Lovecraft, this story has long rather dull description passages. Ultimately it was an interesting journey, but not all that exciting.
Other Reviews: Search Web
S.L. Harris Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
Pro: Cthulhu creatures in a future with interstellar travel. The half-mad heroes aim to change the past with a crazy mission to visit Azathoth, the mindless entity who controls all of space and time.
The most effective passage was the narrator’s description of what it was like watching the Earth die and seeing the destruction of the colony ships that were meant to guarantee at least some survivors.
Lovecraft refences abound, of course, too many to list. I’ve read all of Lovecraft’s works, and this story even has some of the feel of a Lovecraft story.
Beyond that, it’s cute that Anastasis means “resurrection.”
Con: I suppose one can’t expect a Lovecraftian story to have a happy ending, and one definitely shouldn’t get attached to any of the characters. Also like Lovecraft, this story has long rather dull description passages. Ultimately it was an interesting journey, but not all that exciting.
Other Reviews: Search Web
S.L. Harris Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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