Tor.com, March 2013

Reviewed by Jared L. Mills

“Terrain”  by Genevieve Valentine

A Shoshone woman in Wyoming relates the struggle of her and her associates’ struggles with the inevitable expansion of a trans-American railroad. They were all escapees from a Mormon school, but that part of the story is only hinted, as most of the story is a dance around anything concrete. They are messengers that ride “dogs,” mechanical vehicles that are a cross between a motorcycle and a horse, but their land and way of life are threatened by the railroad. Valentine’s writing is wispy and mercurial, never giving away enough to satisfy the reader. What could be mystery and alluring in moderation is made a slog. It’s hard to get caught up in the story when hints about the nature of the characters is hinted at, but never revealed, in a story that is only several hundred words long.

“The Hanging Game” by Helen Marshall

A modern fable about a group of children who play a dangerous game with a noose that gives them visions of their futures. In this modern fable it’s not long before something goes terribly wrong, though it’s unclear what lasting repercussions this game will have. There is great imagery and texture to this story from the tall pine trees holding up the sky to the pungent stench of bear piss.  It’s a haunting story that disturbs with its simplicity, similar to the best stories from authors like Flannery O’ Connor and Shirley Jackson. 

“Running of the Bulls” by Harry Turtledove

A Hemingway homage about the titular activity as experienced by our unusual protagonist who is unusual because he’s a dinosaur. It’s alternate history that really has very little to do with science fiction other than humans are dinosaurs in form only, not psyche making the whole thing a little redundant. Turtledove crafts some truly lovely scenes and interesting characters, but the science fiction part is a silly distraction from what could have been a fine short story in and of itself. This story needed more Frederik Pohl and less Hemingway.