Excellent stuff. I've always thought that way about science fiction, though I disagree about the "Star Wars" reference. Yes, it is about rescuing the damsel in distress but it does have a bunch of "what ifs." What if someone used cloning technology to build an army? What if that technology was used for evil instead of good? What limits are there to this technology? If Man can build nuclear weapons and desired ways to put laser beams and killer satellites in space, then why not something like a Death Star?
Nothing in "Star Wars" makes it total fantasy as the worlds explored are alien.
Other than that, this was an excellent article. Science fiction must have plot, themes and solid characters. Science can't carry the whole thing. Otherwise, you get "The Matrix." Even in movies, the best can get it wrong while the low budgets can get it right. My example is "It Conquered the World." Yeah, the special effects Venusian monster was cheap but the characters were strong (especially Peter Graves, Lee Van Cleef and Beverly Garland) and the themes were timely. Basically, what would society do if someone promised the world, but only delivered misery? When this movie came out, the world was not far removed from Hitler's madness and, yet, America was going down that road with the Red Scare.
At its heart, I've always believed that science fiction is an outlet. You can comment on politics and other serious issues in the guise of fiction, much like the original "Star Trek" mirrored the political realities of the 1960's. "Stranger in a Strange Land" challenged repressed sexual mores while "The Time Machine" took a swipe at war. George Schuyler challenged institutionalized racism in "The Black Empire" while the cause of the handicapped was boosted by "Flowers for Algernon." And I won't even start on the whole anti-nuclear theme.
Robert Waltz presents a very thorough article, replete with sources and quotes to back up his words.
Doesn't sound too good for the narrator, but the description is vivid and does come alive as a firsthand account of street life among the homeless. It does sound like the author has firsthand knowledge of this.
On a grammatical note, it should be "vixens" and "beggars." Also, in the second to last line, it should be "perfume."
Tense and scary. From a long, sullen trudge through the overly damp greenery of the Pacific Northwest (I'm guessing) to a near fatal encounter, this story manages to convey wonder and horror at the same time. The descriptions are vivid and the action tense.
This story is more along the lines of "curiosity killed the cat" and it works. What exactly was at the end of that rope? Human nature? Curiosity?
I would have rated it higher save for a few questions. The description of the first two paragraphs seemed a little over the top. I was able to deduce that it was overcast and too wet to really do any real hiking after a few lines. The rest of the second paragraph seemed like overkill (something I've been guilty of in my early writing).
Also, I couldn't quite understand why the hikers kept holding on to the rope after the first yank pulled them along. Yes, I realized it was like a fisherman hooking a trout but I would think humans had more sense than a fish. Still, it did make a bit of sense and I'm glad someone collected his wits and warned the others away.
A nice, short narrative but one that tells a much bigger story. I like how the stranger invokes Biblical overtones, especially with the fishing pole, a la Jesus teaching a man to fish so that he might eat for a lifetime. I also liked how Asok was sent by more benevolent powers and only taught each village one trait so that they might have to work together with other villages.
It's nice to see an entire story told in so few words.
I love this narrative. Private Bloom could be any private for just about any army that has ever walked the Earth -- America in Vietnam; Israel in Gaza; Russia in Chechnya or Afghanistan; China in Vietnam, etc.
The author makes the world of 2066 seem completely plausible, though how the religions actually resolve their differences (differences that have been violently kept up for almost a millenia) probably needs more clarification. Also, is Europe a country or a power bloc (I can't imagine Russia joining Europe as a single entity)?
Other than that, the way the "terrorists" are portrayed could explain many parts of the world and exemplifies the old adage that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter.
How Bloom grows as a human being and finds his meaning in life is expertly handled. I like how his travails and the travails of the Army of the World and the Patriots parallel today's world -- sounds a lot like George H.W. Bush's called for "One World Order."
Great introduction. Though there are a few grammatical mistakes, the introduction to the conflict is explained well. The author takes the time to give a brief, but thorough description of Myril and then lets the readers know about ANT and the Ulysan Empire in definitive detail.
The author also lays down a solid foundation for the conflict, utilizing many of the same reasons that have plagued mankind for eons -- pride and greed.
Though the end of the prologue is easy to guess, it still seems like there will be war. The author, however, leaves the reader wanting more because the answer to ANT's proposal is unknown, though we may have an inkling.
Thoughtful and a great twist on a classic theme. The author has managed to pull off an incredible feat of reducing "1984" to poetic form. The rhymes work well and the story of Winston is presented thoroughly, with the love of Julia and treachery of O'Brien thrown in for suspense. It makes me wonder if this could pass for Cliff notes.
Interesting narrative. I was caught off-guard by how short the parts were, but I did like how the rhythm flowed. I was able to easily follow the story line. I'm intrigued by the girl's plight and what Jason and his friend are going to do to help her. The ending with Jason lined up to be dinner for the werewolf has more than enough suspense to keep me wanting more.
Ouch. This hit a little too close to the bone. No more fiction, eh? This is a finely delivered story. I was able to believe it and follow it with no problems. The material was presented thoughtfully and vividly. I could almost imagine I was in that dream at the beginning. And the last remaining publisher sounds like someone I could work for -- not.
Ironically, the story mentions that in the future, all fiction works are retreads of the past. The author then mentions Ray Bradbury as one of the first authors to have his books burned. It's ironic because this story reads like "Fahrenheit 451." I'm not sure if it was intentional but I liked the notion.
Beware a government that would stifle creativity and beware those who would blindly support it.
Fantastic! Heartfelt, descriptive, believable, tearjerking, this one has it all. Great descriptions of Kuala Lumpur and nice build-up of tension over Bastien's fear of heights and how his love for Simone overcomes it. The earthquake was handled brilliantly, as was Simone's passing with Bastien telling her of the house they planned to build.
Bastien's ordeal in the dark was scary. Were those rats or spiders or something completely different stripping away the flesh of Simone and Bastien? Where did they come from? Have they always been there, disposing of the thousands who have died in SE Asia's many earthquakes?
Wow, what a complex subject. The author presents a detailed case study of Asian culture based on his own experiences. He gives plenty of examples to flesh out his theory and makes a definitive case.
On the other hand, we never learn what Asian culture he is from. He blends all Asians -- Chinese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, etc. -- into one big pot and his argument of Asians being money-hungry power seekers sounds somewhat like a stereotype. He might not recognize that the biggest stereotypes come from within an ethnicity itself.
Overall, as a story taken from the author's point of view, it seems as if his entire world is run by strict parents desperate to fit in with the proverbial Joneses while accruing wealth. Some of his words do ring true in that I've rarely heard Asian immigrants say they came to America for freedom (except for Vietnamese, especially those who fled Vietnam).
It would be interesting if the author added some narratives concerning specific cultures (which culture does the child swapping mentioned by Gabriel?) or added views from other Asians. Also, a large paragraph that talks about other ethnicities in California throws the narrative off near the beginning.
Right on the mark. The rhymes work and the message hits home oh so clearly. It's a fun ditty than keeps one's attention from start to finish. I especially like the P.S. at the end.
Ouch! Shows how much power a person can have to be used in the wrong way. The story is tight and makes its point very quickly -- the situation, the consequences of her actions, the confusion of the victim and then, shockingly, the reason for his trial.
I rarely see prose that can make so sharp and pointed a conclusion in so few words. Truly, you have a rare gift.
Oh, so true. A short poem, but emotionally powerful nonetheless. The author gets it right explaining how twins can grow apart as the grow up. I'm a twin and I've experienced it with my identical twin brother.
The flow of the prose is excellent and is easy to follow.
Excellent set-up, this sounds like a H.P. Lovecraft tale (my personal favorite being "The Colour Out of Space" which became a horribly lame movie called "Die, Monster, Die"). Anyway, the opening paragraph lets us know the story has an ominous overtone.
The descriptions were vivid, adding to the sense of believability. The only problem I had was following the conversations. The format on WDC crammed the dialogue together, I suspect, making it difficult to know where the author began and Dr. Prichard ended.
In true Lovecraftian form, I like how the last paragraph sets up for something more dire, with the description of the winged monster with the head of the octopus. Let's hope the author doesn't take to copying Lovecraft's use of my native New England.
Interesting narrative about greed and blindness of a sort. I can understand the Devil and his desire for souls, but I can't fathom how the owner of a store can sell the souls of his customers without their consent.
Great prose. Although it's a lament, bit does speak volumes about the author's heart and state of mind. She reminds us that we all have dreams, yet many of us (if not most) must live them out in our heads. This poem should remind us, though, to keep our dreams alive because, one day, they might come true.
A great theme paper. The grammar is excellent and the article flows without bogging down in awkwardness.
I liked the examples given, especially of the Stonewall Inn incident in 1969. I don't agree that the BGTL are the most influential group in American history. Being black, I've seen and read the injustices to my people that has occurred for more than 400 years -- slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, poll taxes, the KKK, lynchings. Yet, blacks have fought in every war in American history and have had to prove themselves over and over again, culminating in an African-American president-elect. Blacks have influenced business with major inventions, politics with the Civil Rights bill that inspired Indians and Hispanics like Cesar Chavez and many other areas.
I could cite the Women's Suffrage movement for given women the right to vote. I could also cite the American male for how much he had changed the course of history rightly and wrongly.
Still, I thought the article was well-researched, but I don't think it was conclusive enough. It needed more examples or a better explanation of how BGLT is influencing America. The examples given don't show how it could possibly be the most influential group in American history.
Ah, an exquisite description of the joy of foreplay. And, after all those stories about shrinking and weight gain, this prose is very welcome, a breath of fresh air.
The rhyme scheme flows easily and the meaning and images are conveyed vividly. A very good poem that makes one remember the erotic thoughts of the past.
Ah, the innocence of youth. Great story, with good flow. It kept me riveted to see what happened next and invoked some fond memories of my own from my awkward early teens.
Tasha seems like the quintessential bad girl and a great choice for a first time experience.
An interesting narrative, to say the least. I admit to not quite getting the gist, but the style is great. I had no trouble following the flow and it seemed to convey the message it intended, though I'm not quite sure what it was.
It would seem to be about being dark-skinned, as if we were selling out by hunting down our own, so to speak. But, I rather liked it. I like poems and prose that make me think.
Again, a good atmosphere is created here and the description of the club is certainly vivid enough. We get to see more of the human side of Livia, though Martin seems to be a stick-in-the-mud (which might be good considering Livia's volatile personality).
I wanted to rank this higher, but I think I was expecting something a little more solid, such as another disappearance or an entrance by a suspect or something. After a promising start in chapter one, chapter two sort of bogged down.
Good tension between the suspect and the detective. I like the female detective and how she sticks to her guns. Of course, I'm wondering how Sorin Dechevney (wow, how'd you come up with that name?) could be so calm and make the detective crack.
Save a for awkward sentences in the beginning, this story has promise. It will be interesting to read subsequent chapters.
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