★★★☆☆
(SF Thriller) In a world where water is very precious, “Tommy” hides in the Caribbean from people who want to punish him for his role in the catastrophe. (6,420 words; Time: 21m)
"The Last Water Baron," by Hollis Joel Henry [bio] (edited by Sheila Williams), appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction issue 07-08|20, published on June 18, 2020 by Penny Publications.
Mini-Review (click to view--possible spoilers)
Review: 2020.347 (A Word for Authors)
Pro: There’s plenty of suspense just by the nature of the story. Jules worries about everyone he and Augustine interact with, and we’re expecting something to happen at any moment.
I learned there really is such a thing as “powdered alcohol.”
Con: Jules isn’t a particularly sympathetic character, which make him hard to root for. Once we learn he’s got no remorse over the 17 million people who died, it’s hard to care what happens to him.
It’s a little hard to see how we could ever have that kind of water shortage when desalinated water is just double the average price of water today.
Other Reviews: Search Web
Hollis Joel Henry Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
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Pro: There’s plenty of suspense just by the nature of the story. Jules worries about everyone he and Augustine interact with, and we’re expecting something to happen at any moment.
I learned there really is such a thing as “powdered alcohol.”
Con: Jules isn’t a particularly sympathetic character, which make him hard to root for. Once we learn he’s got no remorse over the 17 million people who died, it’s hard to care what happens to him.
It’s a little hard to see how we could ever have that kind of water shortage when desalinated water is just double the average price of water today.
Other Reviews: Search Web
Hollis Joel Henry Info: Interviews, Websites, ISFDB, FreeSFOnline
Follow RSR on Twitter, Facebook, RSS, or E-mail.
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