Gwendolyn Clare. Holding the Ghosts. (Asimovs March 2015)
A story which whizzes along, covering ground that could have taken up a novel, or an entire TV mini-series!
Reviewing short SF since 2000
A story which whizzes along, covering ground that could have taken up a novel, or an entire TV mini-series!
A young human girl is trying to find her sister, and also, herself, amongst the race of shape-shifting hemaphroditic Shukar, with only her wits and help from Phaakoh.
A small alien artefact/metaphor provides an increasingly large backdrop to a young scientist’s relationship and outlook on life.
The third story I’ve read by Clare, and she still hasn’t quite hit the mark for me. This is an ok story, but I do expect a bit more in Asimovs than simply ok.
..more of an Analog-type story, where the implications of an interesting scientific issue/condition are explored.
It’s not SF by any means, and doesn’t really convince in its setting, with little colour or texture to make the reader feel that the story is set in India