Tor.com, July 2021
“Now We Paint Worlds” by Matthew Kressel
“Black Leg” by Glen Hirshberg
“Skin Deep” by Alan Brennert
Reviewed by Tara Grímravn
This month, Tor.com brings readers three original stories. They run the genre gamut, from horror to SF with a little fantasy thrown in. Readers are sure to find something they like in this month’s offerings.
“Now We Paint Worlds” by Matthew Kressel
Orna has been sent by her superiors at the Free Trade Union to the planet Yasimir, located on the outer arm of the galaxy, to find out why several recently colonized planets have disappeared. The villagers in Melisianda directed her to this small stone house, and now she finds herself conversing with a frail-looking old man named Adair who claims to be the reason the planets have gone missing. Later that evening, she sends a report back to her employers and the Court of Sents and, by morning, receives baffling instructions to keep a close eye on the old man until a relief team arrives. Orna plans to follow orders, but something about this whole affair just doesn’t feel right.
Kressel’s story is an enjoyable blend of SF and fantasy. It does drag a bit in a few places, but for the most part, it keeps one engaged to the end (which turns out to be quite satisfying).
“Black Leg” by Glen Hirshberg
A paranormal documentary filmmaker has been selected to sit on the jury for a teen offender up on a “driving without a license” charge. On the first day at lunch, he is approached by another juror, Bulan, who starts to tell him about some paranormal experiences he’s had at his place of work. Unable to muster any form of genuine interest, the filmer excuses himself because the lunch break is almost over, and they need to return to the courtroom. Later, Bulan is dismissed as a juror, but something about the man sticks with the filmer. A few weeks later, he decides he needs to find him.
I usually love tales focused on international folklore, but for a ghost story, this was incredibly boring—even the “exciting” bits. The first half is written in a confusing, almost non-sensical manner. I’m sure this is intended to ramp up the tension and put us in the protagonist’s shoes due to the drudgery that we all tend to associate with jury duty, but it only succeeds in dragging down the narrative. Sadly, it doesn’t get much better further in. Even over halfway into the story, there’s no real action to keep one’s interest. It’s just the same rambling, muddled narrative as the protagonist drives to find a man to whom he was rude during jury duty. I realize that it’s meant to add ambience and an eerie atmosphere, but it just doesn’t work. The bits that are meant to be a jump scare, like the crying woman wearing a beetle necklace, simply aren’t. Part of this is because the protagonist barely reacts, and what slight reaction he does have isn’t described in a way that makes the reader feel it. For a story that is centered on human connection (and the presence or lack thereof), this one just didn’t connect with me.
“Skin Deep” by Alan Brennert
One fateful day in 1946, sixteen-year-old Trina lost her parents to the Wild Card virus. Within 24 hours, she, too, had been affected. Unlike her parents, however, Trina survived, but her face had become deformed. Her once pretty face was now swollen. Her eyes had become sunken, and her nose turned upwards into a pig-like snout. After managing to hide in her family home for a few weeks thanks to kindly neighbors, she was eventually discovered by others and driven out. Now, for the last 14 years, she’s lived in Jokertown at the Santa Monica pier. Nothing much has changed for Trina in that time—that is, until today. Today, a famous “natural” paid a visit to the pier and has offered Trina the opportunity of a lifetime.
I’ve enjoyed stories coming out of the Wild Cards universe for years, so it was a pleasant surprise to see a new addition with Brennert’s story. And what an excellent addition it is! The crossover from real-world pop culture is great, although to avoid spoilers, I won’t say what it entails—readers will recognize it easily enough once it’s introduced. Both the climax and ending provide a nice juxtaposition to the horror and tragedy that is the Wild Card virus and to the conditions in which many jokers are forced to live. I highly recommend this story!