★★★★☆ A moving tale with interesting characters in a cool setting.
(African Fantasy) In a magical sub-Saharan Africa, two girls sneak into the sanctum of their gods to loot it for gold when the guardians are supposed to be absent. But one of them is still there. (6,885 words; Time: 22m)
"Breath of the Sahara," by Inegbenoise O. Osagie (edited by Scott H. Andrews), appeared in Beneath Ceaseless Skies issue 305, published on May 28, 2020.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2020.308 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: Strictly speaking, Obehi is fascinated by the gold, even if she’s worried about the wrath of the gods. Esohe has a much bigger concern—she thinks she may be turning into one of the Zephyrs, and she’s not thrilled with the idea of shriveling up and having to devote her life to service to the gods. She makes excuses not to go to the Sanctum, where they could prolong her life, but it seems clear that the real truth is that she wants to get this over with—life as a Zephyr isn’t what she wants.
A key event during Esohe’s decline is when she reports to Obehi that the Zephyrs are pleased with what she’s doing and wish they had a way to pay her back.
It seems so clear that Obehi will stand trial for Esohe’s murder, so it’s almost comical when we find her charge with the burglary—especially since Esohe was the perpetrator. It’s very moving when the Zephyr testifies on her behalf, especially when she wonders if Esohe had some involvement in it from her place in the wind.
And the Zephyr really didn’t lie to save her. Whatever Obehi’s shortcomings might be, she truly is a believer, and she carries her faith through the rest of her life.
Con: Obehi is a bit too passive to be a completely satisfying protagonist. This is really Esohe’s story, not hers.
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Pro: Strictly speaking, Obehi is fascinated by the gold, even if she’s worried about the wrath of the gods. Esohe has a much bigger concern—she thinks she may be turning into one of the Zephyrs, and she’s not thrilled with the idea of shriveling up and having to devote her life to service to the gods. She makes excuses not to go to the Sanctum, where they could prolong her life, but it seems clear that the real truth is that she wants to get this over with—life as a Zephyr isn’t what she wants.
A key event during Esohe’s decline is when she reports to Obehi that the Zephyrs are pleased with what she’s doing and wish they had a way to pay her back.
It seems so clear that Obehi will stand trial for Esohe’s murder, so it’s almost comical when we find her charge with the burglary—especially since Esohe was the perpetrator. It’s very moving when the Zephyr testifies on her behalf, especially when she wonders if Esohe had some involvement in it from her place in the wind.
And the Zephyr really didn’t lie to save her. Whatever Obehi’s shortcomings might be, she truly is a believer, and she carries her faith through the rest of her life.
Con: Obehi is a bit too passive to be a completely satisfying protagonist. This is really Esohe’s story, not hers.
Other Reviews: Search Web
Inegbenoise O. Osagie Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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