DISCUSSION -- OCTOBER 2018 300-word Writing Challenge (#31)

Big Fish, Little Fish. @mosaix - This story could serve as both a warning and an allegory about a specific human fault - conceit. When someone in the know warns you of something, rather than considering where everyone stands in the pecking order, perhaps you should listen? I know of one group of humans who would've been far better off if they had...

The Worst Punishment
@Calliopenjo - He is sent off to man the worst duty station in existence. He thought that was his punishment for the havoc and damage he'd caused. Then he met his travelling companion. I bet the decades he spent at Dragon Sealock weren't nearly as bad as the four-week trip to it!
 
Careful What You Fish For @Peter V - The desperate do foolish things. The foolishly desperate make for good stories! This cautionary tale will most likely be ignored by those fools. They, too, will be fishing for things best left alone.
 
Careful What You Fish For @Peter V - The desperate do foolish things. The foolishly desperate make for good stories! This cautionary tale will most likely be ignored by those fools. They, too, will be fishing for things best left alone.

Thanks for the review Cathbad.
 
Forgotten Harvest @Heijan Xavier - Harvesters search a lagoon for that which they cannot remember. Yet, so important is the search, that even those who would benefit most from the find are dealt with most severely. This is one of the most frightening and thought-provoking stories I've read in the 300!
 
Wine and reeds @SaitamXVII - A father's expectations can be rough on a son. And when the father comes from a long line of men successful in the same field, those expectations can be seriously stressful. We see in this story, one such father - who also happens to be quite unforgiving. What a life his poor son must have led! One can understand if he chooses to imbibe, on occasion, too much wine.
 
Thank you for the review, @Cathbad .
Being new to these writing challenges, I was pleasantly surprised at this tradition of members posting mini reviews. They are so well thought out and considered, I know it is not an easy task. I am getting as much enjoyment from reading the reviews as from the stories themselves.
 
A question of timescale...
Is there a reason why we only get one month to write the 300 worder, even though it only happens every three months?
Why not two months to write and one month to vote? (or some variation giving more time)

I only ask because I seem to have accidentally written an epic trilogy and am having a devil of a time distilling it down to 300 words :(
 
A question of timescale...
Is there a reason why we only get one month to write the 300 worder, even though it only happens every three months?
Why not two months to write and one month to vote? (or some variation giving more time)

I only ask because I seem to have accidentally written an epic trilogy and am having a devil of a time distilling it down to 300 words :(

Practice at meeting a deadline? Maybe.
Hey! You can always pm one book of your trilogy on to me. I'll change the names etc. :whistle:
 
elvet: This deceptively quiet tale of escape creates another world through the use of subtle clues. By taking the reader into the mind of the narrator, the author creates a fine sense of suspense.

Harliebunny: A new version of an ancient myth comes to life in this moody and evocative tale. By mixing elements of the modern and the traditional, a vivid portrait of the otherworldly setting is created.

Cathbad: This action-packed adventure story makes use of plausible technological advances to provide a believable portrait of the near future. The reader is sure to cheer on the hero through a series of death-defying feats.

Cat's Cradle: A complex and richly detailed far future emerges in this tragic story of loss and remembrance. The contrast between the setting and the intimate interior world of the narrator adds to the story's emotional power.

Rafellin: The author explores the nature of legends and traditions in this imaginative tale. By revealing an unsuspected truth, the story's conclusion allows the reader to ponder the mysteries of what we believe.

dannymcg: This apocalyptic fantasy provides a thrilling account of a monstrous invasion. By relating events through the eyes of the attacker, the helplessness of mere humans against such a thing is powerfully conveyed.

Dan Jones: Comic delights fill this madcap collection of frenetic hi-jinks. By allowing imagination to run unfettered, the author ensures that the reader will be taken by surprise by every twist and turn in the wild plot.

Luiglin: The mysterious nature of the cataclysm described in this eerie tale of space exploration intrigues the reader. The story's final revelation is sure to inspire awe and wonder.

Appello: This story of entrapment and hope denied has a strong effect on the reader's emotions. By narrating events from the point of view of something other than human, the story teaches an important lesson about empathy.

mosaix: A sense of impending disaster creates much tension in this account of contact between people and the inhabitants of an alien world. The realistic style of the narration strengthens the impact of the shocking climax.

Calliopenjo: A unique fantasy world is depicted in this tale of crime and punishment. The seemingly mundane nature of the narrator's complaint, by way of contrast, makes the magical aspects of the story more real.

Peter V: An exotic sense of strangeness fills this account of a unearthly world and its peculiar dangers. By giving a science fiction story the feeling of a fantasy story, the author combines the best of both worlds.

Heijan Xavier: This surreal horror story makes use of bizarre images to create a mood of uneasiness. Through the use of incongruous elements, the mysterious setting in which these weird events occur haunts the reader's mind.

SaitamXVII: This slice-of-life from a distant time and place makes its imaginary setting seem as familiar as one's own home. By telling a tale of small events against a large background, the author makes the vast expanse of the universe very real.
 
Noncombatants @Victoria Silverwolf

In times of war, innocents are used, often to spare soldiers the danger. Even our most friendly animal companions are not immune from such travesties. It is good to see there are still, even in this dystopian future, good, kind-hearted people out there.
 

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