Strange Horizons, July 2, 2018

“The Athuran Interpreter’s Flight” by Eleanna Castroianni

Reviewed by Victoria Silverwolf

In “The Athuran Interpreter’s Flight” by Eleanna Castroianni, the brain of an alien is placed in the body of a human child. The combination is used as a translation machine during negotiations between a human and a member of a different alien species. Their business together involves exploiting the aliens from whom the brain was obtained. When a crisis threatens their plans, the translator takes the first steps to becoming a free individual.

This story is very well-written, with vivid descriptions and strong emotional appeal. Its primary flaw is the fact that the antagonists are one-dimensional villains. The exploited aliens are also depicted in a simplistic way as completely virtuous.

Victoria Silverwolf had two dreams about paying for meals at restaurants recently.