Thank you very much to Victoria, Starbeast, AlcubierreWarp & Perp for their potted reviews. Thanks also for the thought you put behind yours, Perp. It’s so nice of you all to take time to comment on our submissions – it helps, too! Brev, thanks for your mention, too. I am relieved you like merfolk… I’d not given them much thought until I saw The Cabin in the Woods. 
The theme this month was quite hard in that villains or heroes are a big enough concept for a 75 word story, but villains and heroes? That was a push. Well, for me. I like the strictures these challenges place on us, but this month has been a struggle. It did seem to polarise our entries though, with the theme of duality working it’s way through so many stories rather than the straightforward bad guys vs. good.
I would echo what has been said about not understanding a few of the stories, and some not meeting the genre or theme sufficiently for me to shortlist them.
So, speaking of shortlists…here is mine.
Abernovo – Dubious Distinction. The not-quite-so-saved priest… I liked the punch line. I like punch lines and this delivers well. Regardless of what Fra. Nick (in my mind he’s Italian, despite the name) will do, it’s a well crafted story and nails the genre/theme criteria.
Luiglin – High Noon. Confession. I loathe cats… (I'm not a dog person, either, but I prefer them over cats) but this humorous piece is so perfectly observed and delightful it had to make it in to my shortlist. I tire of catophiles going ‘oh he's sooooo rude/sarcastic/cheeky’ and other anthropomorphising statements, but when I read this I can see felines as more than just cats.
Glitch – Reflections. This could be kind of unrelentingly sinister without the end resolve. That phrase says so much whenever it’s used. In this instance I love the way it seems to bring the MC back into the world of mundane things, and even make him seem a little weak. There are so many ways you can take this story: pure humour, weird psychotic episode, comment on soured relationships.
Springs – FINN’S NOT SO MAC’COOL – Loved the idea of a precious and stroppy giant, and as a kid I had a colourful book called ‘The Book of Knowledge’ which had an amazing picture of the causeway which I assumed was the stimulus for this story.
Stormcrow – Pan-Demon-ium. Starting to feel a bit predictable now because your stories usually make my shortlist. I think it’s probably that I really like your voice and style. I have Green Man boss’s and statues all over my flat and I really love that side of pagan mores. I'm sure some would take Pan in your story to be creepy but I see Herne or the Green Man; rather positive role models in my world haha. Anyway, the wordsmithing is a delight and I love the name of the copse.
Barlennan – Night Manoeuvres – This one stayed with me after my first reading, and has remained in my mind ever since. When I saw your first post here – in GD I think – I thought I'm going to enjoy reading barlennan’s posts after a mix of reading what you had said, along with your wonderful avatar. And then you post this marvel. Like Stormcrow’s above, the imagery is very strong and evocative. There is something almost folkloric about it, too. I could take the ‘meaning’ of it in several ways, however the sheer feeling it left me with almost outshines the plot.
TacticalLoco – Reflections on Heroes and Villains – I liked this because it was so tidy and perfectly formed. A lovely free verse of truisms. Is it bad of me that I thought of Darth Vader when I read it?
Brev – What the F- I get my monster fix from Brev this month. Nothing better than a monster or ghost in my opinion. And humour, too. Special mention for Lovecraftish syntax.
In the end it was a scrap between Stormcrow and Barlennan. My
vote goes to Night Manoeuvres for it’s soul-breakingly beautiful feel which just stayed with me all month. Well done to everyone who entered.
pH
The theme this month was quite hard in that villains or heroes are a big enough concept for a 75 word story, but villains and heroes? That was a push. Well, for me. I like the strictures these challenges place on us, but this month has been a struggle. It did seem to polarise our entries though, with the theme of duality working it’s way through so many stories rather than the straightforward bad guys vs. good.
I would echo what has been said about not understanding a few of the stories, and some not meeting the genre or theme sufficiently for me to shortlist them.
So, speaking of shortlists…here is mine.
Abernovo – Dubious Distinction. The not-quite-so-saved priest… I liked the punch line. I like punch lines and this delivers well. Regardless of what Fra. Nick (in my mind he’s Italian, despite the name) will do, it’s a well crafted story and nails the genre/theme criteria.
Luiglin – High Noon. Confession. I loathe cats… (I'm not a dog person, either, but I prefer them over cats) but this humorous piece is so perfectly observed and delightful it had to make it in to my shortlist. I tire of catophiles going ‘oh he's sooooo rude/sarcastic/cheeky’ and other anthropomorphising statements, but when I read this I can see felines as more than just cats.
Glitch – Reflections. This could be kind of unrelentingly sinister without the end resolve. That phrase says so much whenever it’s used. In this instance I love the way it seems to bring the MC back into the world of mundane things, and even make him seem a little weak. There are so many ways you can take this story: pure humour, weird psychotic episode, comment on soured relationships.
Springs – FINN’S NOT SO MAC’COOL – Loved the idea of a precious and stroppy giant, and as a kid I had a colourful book called ‘The Book of Knowledge’ which had an amazing picture of the causeway which I assumed was the stimulus for this story.
Stormcrow – Pan-Demon-ium. Starting to feel a bit predictable now because your stories usually make my shortlist. I think it’s probably that I really like your voice and style. I have Green Man boss’s and statues all over my flat and I really love that side of pagan mores. I'm sure some would take Pan in your story to be creepy but I see Herne or the Green Man; rather positive role models in my world haha. Anyway, the wordsmithing is a delight and I love the name of the copse.
Barlennan – Night Manoeuvres – This one stayed with me after my first reading, and has remained in my mind ever since. When I saw your first post here – in GD I think – I thought I'm going to enjoy reading barlennan’s posts after a mix of reading what you had said, along with your wonderful avatar. And then you post this marvel. Like Stormcrow’s above, the imagery is very strong and evocative. There is something almost folkloric about it, too. I could take the ‘meaning’ of it in several ways, however the sheer feeling it left me with almost outshines the plot.
TacticalLoco – Reflections on Heroes and Villains – I liked this because it was so tidy and perfectly formed. A lovely free verse of truisms. Is it bad of me that I thought of Darth Vader when I read it?
Brev – What the F- I get my monster fix from Brev this month. Nothing better than a monster or ghost in my opinion. And humour, too. Special mention for Lovecraftish syntax.
In the end it was a scrap between Stormcrow and Barlennan. My
vote goes to Night Manoeuvres for it’s soul-breakingly beautiful feel which just stayed with me all month. Well done to everyone who entered.
pH
