Voids by Jason Arsenault

Tell us what you thought about our 200th issue, October!

Moderator: Editors

Post Reply
User avatar
Lester Curtis
Long Fiction Editor
Posts: 2736
Joined: January 11, 2010, 12:03:56 AM
Location: by the time you read this, I'll be somewhere else

Voids by Jason Arsenault

Post by Lester Curtis »

I'm surprised I'm the first to comment on a submission this month; usually I'm the last (if I show up at all :oops: ).

Back on topic, though ...

I found a lot to like in this story. Mr. Arsenault has posed a fascinating and novel problem, and offered a very convincing explanation. He also gave us the probably realistic but not very optimistic view of human behavior in a near-extinction scenario. Nothing too rosy here, but we're left with a tiny sliver of hope, which is just the right amount.

I'm going to guess here and say that he thought up the effect first and then back-engineered a plausible cause for it. He did a very good job overall, however it was done; his explanation is quite believable, and he's done quite a good job of constructing the story around the problem. The only part that bothered me was a slight one: I really expect that Julie would have heard that tank coming—and felt it—well before Mark drove it through the front of the building.

I won't spoil it for you. Read it for yourselves; it's worth the time. Science-fiction with believable science; bonus points for believable characters and setting, and good dialog.
I was raised by humans. What's your excuse?
User avatar
Lester Curtis
Long Fiction Editor
Posts: 2736
Joined: January 11, 2010, 12:03:56 AM
Location: by the time you read this, I'll be somewhere else

Re: Voids by Jason Arsenault

Post by Lester Curtis »

Oh, yeah, the Mae West and Joe Louis. Those completely threw me; I just figured they were somebody's local vernacular. That they're some kind of portable snacks is clear enough; job done and on to the next thing.

You accomplished your objective in keeping the explanation a mystery, and did a nice job of keeping the question fresh while dropping little hints that an explanation might be forthcoming. Makes the reader want to keep turning pages, and you provided other dangerous distractions in the meantime. Good pacing; good plotting.

Thanks for joining in; I look forward to more from you.
I was raised by humans. What's your excuse?
Post Reply

Return to “October 2015”