Cosmic Roots & Eldritch Shores, November 2018

“Spicer’s Modest Success” by Jared VanDyke

Reviewed by Tara Grímravn

This month, the editor at Cosmic Roots & Eldritch Shores brings a brand new science fiction story to November’s table. Written by Jared VanDyke, “Spicer’s Modest Success” is the story of Dr. Benson Spicer, who hosts a radio show about the psychology of romance alongside his mechanical co-host Copper. After the station changes out their old satellite dish for a salvaged military unit, Dr. Benson finds himself broadcasting to a new, and very different, audience. When the mate of one of his new listeners pays him a visit for interfering with his relationship, the good doctor has to figure out how to fix the situation.

This was really quite an enjoyable and very imaginative story. Copper provides a bit of comic relief to the more serious and formal Dr. Benson, who appears to have traded in his career in academia for one in radio. The scenario that the duo face is really entertaining, a bit like the television show Frasier, only with aliens.