★★★☆☆
(Alien SF) A race of intelligent lizards prepares their conquest of the Solar System, but one of them is a dissenter with a plan. (3,983 words; Time: 13m)
"Keeping the Peace," by Elisabeth R. Adams [bio] (edited by Trevor Quachri), appeared in Analog Science Fiction and Fact issue 07-08|20, published on June 18, 2020 by Penny Publications.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2020.340 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: I like the way the initial confusion of the story gradually clears up as we read more and more. Eventually it’s clear that the Clan has plants to occupy neighboring star systems, but it only wants ones it can conquer—it’s not excited about straight-up colonization. Key leaders are named after the target star systems. And probes were sent, long ago, to nearby stars, but all were disappointments. Then a manned ship arrived from Earth, and when they captured it, they found their target. Today, they’re launching their invasion fleet, but not if Sol has anything to do with it.
Con: It’s hard to believe that a society so primitive that it passes power via simple murder would ever get advanced enough to reach the stars.
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Elisabeth R. Adams Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Pro: I like the way the initial confusion of the story gradually clears up as we read more and more. Eventually it’s clear that the Clan has plants to occupy neighboring star systems, but it only wants ones it can conquer—it’s not excited about straight-up colonization. Key leaders are named after the target star systems. And probes were sent, long ago, to nearby stars, but all were disappointments. Then a manned ship arrived from Earth, and when they captured it, they found their target. Today, they’re launching their invasion fleet, but not if Sol has anything to do with it.
Con: It’s hard to believe that a society so primitive that it passes power via simple murder would ever get advanced enough to reach the stars.
Other Reviews: Search Web
Elisabeth R. Adams Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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