Mysterion, April 2022

“On Charis Station” by D.G.P. Rector

Reviewed by Seraph

This story is a reminder that writing does not need to be overly complex nor aggressive to be enjoyable. Mors is living alone on a very small space station, far into the future of humanity, when his soon-to-end life is overturned by an unexpected group of pirates fleeing bounty hunters. His meager circumstances belie a powerful faith, and a troubled past that the unfortunate pirates almost completely fail to notice. The science fiction elements are easily digested, and the story is quite calmly paced, not trying to be anything that it is not (which is starting to be rare and somewhat refreshing). Rather than being boring or simplistic, much care was taken to express the surroundings and the mind of this lone warden of a nearly abandoned waystation in the great Void. I found it quite enjoyable to read, and meaningful.