sign read: "PERMANENTLY CLOSED." The lock on the door was busted.

September 24, 2021 10:24 AM

Two short, bittersweet scifi stories about people changing their journeys. "Personal Trainer" by Meg Elison has a new way to exercise and a new kind of hammock to relax in. "Wait Calculation" by Derrick Boden has political intrigue aboard a generation ship.
posted by brainwane (6 comments total)

Wonderful! Thank you. Meg Elison is a certified bad-ass and I have loved absolutely everything she's ever published. That story is brilliant and terrifying and ruthlessly concise.
posted by Baby_Balrog at 10:56 AM on September 24, 2021 [2 favorites]

I really enjoyed both of these, thank you!
posted by stillnocturnal at 11:45 AM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

Yeah, these are both terrific. Elison's story in particular took me by surprise--I'd never considered that kind of twist, even though the central idea isn't uncommon in sf. I'll have to look up more of her certified bad-ass-itude.
posted by col_pogo at 1:12 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

Another Elison story on kind of a related theme: "Good Days". "How much did you get for your Sweet Sixteen?"
posted by brainwane at 1:57 PM on September 24, 2021 [2 favorites]

I've only read "Personal Trainer" so far but it was great. (Maybe I'll get to "Wait Calculation" tomorrow?)

"nobody had prepared her for the grief" leading into a different source of grief than I expected was maybe the first indication for me how Elison can astonish, very deftly, by subverting the expected plot.

Thank you for posting these, brainwane! I'm looking forward to checking out more of Elison's work after I read the Boden!
posted by kristi at 2:02 PM on September 24, 2021 [1 favorite]

These are fantastic.
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:57 PM on September 24, 2021