Discussion -- 75 Word Challenge -- July

[Scott R. Forshaw]

Yeah, so hurry up and pull your finger out, Perp. Talk about slacking...

You're doing a marvellous job, really, and you deserve all the praise you get.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Thanks Hex, Johnnyjet and Phoenixthewriter for the shortlistings.

 

[Ursa major]

Thanks for the shortlisting, Scott R. Forshaw.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I'm behind in the 300 by a page and a third -- but that's not reviews, that's the actual writing of the thing. A full 300-word story, handwritten, is umm ... a page and a third, for me.

Oh, wait -- I wrote the first sentence last night, so I'm not quite that far behind now!

Must read the 75s tonight and vote.

 

[Parson]

I'm walking on air! After months with no votes I have 2!

Many thanks to Perpetual Man and LilmizflashythangI am so grateful that you found something to like in my story!

 

[Parson]

Sorry about the double post:

I am sure that there were a lot of stories I did not get. If this forum has taught me anything it is that I don't know mythology well at all.


Short List:

Hex --- A new Arthurian legend that I like a lot.
Parnoid Marvin --- For one awful pun.
Vertigo --- Fukata is how Yoda should have been written.
Aun Doorback --- For an even worse pun.
Lilmizflashythang --- A perfect understanding of justice.
Scott R. Forshaw --- Who knew Robin Hood was a gourmet?
The Judge --- A "proverb"ial justice is seen.


Littlemizfashythang get my vote. How can perfect justice not win a story contest about justice?!

 

[Sapheron]

Counting shortlistings, I'm doing well (even if I don't have any actual votes), so thanks to all who liked it!

My own reading and voting shall occur later today.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

Oh, a vote

Thanks, Scott, lovely to wake up to.

 

[Highlander]

Thanks Stormcrow for the short listing and to Perp Man for the shorter listing.

Cheered my up no end!

Getting closer....

 

[Lilmizflashythang]

Thanks for the vote Parson. Went great with coffee.

 

[Parson]

Thanks for the vote Parson. Went great with coffee.

I've got one sitting on my desk as I postpone the morning work. The vote was deserved.

 

[Abernovo]

Thank you for the mention, Lilmiz.

 

[Phyrebrat]

Two stories just jumped right out as favourites relatively early in this month’s contest. The first is Stormcrow’s Consumed by greed. I love a good monster (and having just recently watched the wonderfully funny Last Lovecraft: Relic of Cthulhu, I was into kraken-y stuff!) yarn and I love the atmosphere that he has spun. Naming the lookout Crowe was fun, and the image of the eyes as cartwheels is nicely in line with the time period.

From my frequent ramblings on here about African culture and folklore, you can guess the human cargo element appeals to me (in a dreadful way) and their death along with the crew is tragic. It’s all so very atmospheric with so many appropriately negative pictures (tarry, moonless night, stench, black ocean) and gave me such a clear image of the scene in indigo, black, greys, and the nasty yellow of the eyes.

The second was Kylara’s The Game of the Gods. The verse format lends so much gravity to what sounds more like a prophecy than a report of what had happened, and I like the suggestion of a fleet (collective noun?) of meteorites crashing to Earth like the tumbling of dice. And thank the gods there was a hole!

The verse reminded me of something I love from something I am pretty obsessed with: the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica where one of the Hybrids states in typically Logorrhoea fashion, ‘The missing three will give you the five who come from the home of the thirteenth.’ Writing in such riddles gives me a real sense of mythology linking into some overarching plan with references to a loch and its monster and what I take to be Arthurian legend. I'm not sure what the thousand eyed shepherd relates to but it is consistent with what precedes, and is something I’d be interested in finding out if you’ll indulge me when voting closes.

Then TJ posted First Among Equals which again reminded me of African and Native American folklore traditions where preternatural animals abound. It is an incredibly tidy and economic tale and the simplicity of it belies what I imagine was a very complex concept and thought process. In other words I am savagely envious that I can’t think up something like this.

My fourth big hitter was High 8’s Tarnished Soul. I like urban myths, even if they are sometimes daft as a brush (the couple who slept in a motel room and found a desiccated corpse under bed the following morning being one such daft example), and I love, love, loooove a ghost story but this is the first one where the ghost is a bike. And okay, maybe it’s just cursed instead, but the supernatural element reeks of haunting, and hauntings always suggests spirits…right? (Or naughty pubescent kids from North London.)

I thought that was going to be my lot until Mosaix came up with You Can’t Take It With You. I liked this one a lot because the entire idea is expertly conveyed by dialogue and is humorous. I must admit to feeling a little sorry for Mr Banniken though. He put me in mind of Erich Von Daniken, Jose Chung, and Bob Lazar all kind of rolled into one. It also put me in mind of our current political and economical experiences with the investment banks.

In the end I have to go with the kraken story because of all of them, it really transported me elsewhere.

So, thanks for such wonderful tales (and apologies if I put meanings into them that weren’t there); my vote goes to Stormcrow.

pH

 

[Scott R. Forshaw]

Thank you very much for the short listing, Parson.

And, Springs, you're more than welcome. I thought your story was a joy to read.

 

[Starbeast]

First Runner Up
_____________________________________________
Alchemist - Gruff Justice​

Second Runner Up
____________________________________________
Perpetual Man - The Mortal Balance​

Third Runner Up & First Post
____________________________________________
Gary Compton -
Justice will come from the Heavens and be carried by an Angel...​

Short List
____________________________________________________________________​

Karn Maeshalanadae
Reiver33
RcGrant
Grimbear
Stevietee
Hex
Paranoid Marvin
David Evil Overlord
Crystal Haven
R J Dando
Vertigo
Abernovo
Glen
Sapheron
Stormcrow
Scott R. Forshaw
HareBrain
Frugel Meister
Icyphoenix
Chrispenycate
Moonbat
Mosaix​

 

[Kylara]

Thank you Phyrebrat! That's wonderful, I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I'll be happy to explain the thousand eyed shepherd once voting closes. That has really made my day!

 

[stormcrow]

Phyrebrat - Thanks so much for your vote and such a neat summary - there's not much I can add to that! I'm glad you enjoyed my piece!!

Starbeast - Thanks to you also for the 'listing!

 

[nixie]

Shortlist, Teresa, Alchemist, Boneman, Mosaix.


Was hard to choice but that last line Justice Fingers, decided me in the end.

 

[r_j_dando]

Thank you for the short listing, Starbeast

 

[Mouse]

Hell's bells there are a lot of entries!! Is this a record? I've not read very many at all yet so I've got some catching up to do. I'll try to get a vote in.