Escape Artists
Escape Pod => Episode Comments => Topic started by: eytanz on May 21, 2018, 07:50:08 PM
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Escape Pod 627: Humans Die, Stars Fade (http://escapepod.org/2018/05/10/escape-pod-627-humans-die-stars-fade/)
AUTHOR : Charles Payseur (http://escapepod.org/people/charles-payseur/)
NARRATOR : Veronica Giguere (http://escapepod.org/people/veronica-giguere/)
HOST: Mur Lafferty (http://escapepod.org/people/mur-lafferty/)
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They come to study. Not me. Not really. No, they come for Aerik—what he’s become. What I suppose we both will become when the slow swell of time and gravity finally draw us together wholly. After everything, all the years with only the brush of winds, then this slow draining death, it’s almost something to look forward to. Even if he’s not there anymore.
But the aliens. The humans. The UEF Intrepid. They’re here to study, ship space-worn and eager, scanning like a bird poking at a pool of water with its bill, unaware of what might lurk beneath. They don’t know the gravitational anomalies of the area, the way that Aerik sometimes surges as if reaching for me, as if he can jump back from the annihilation that claimed our planets, his life, and our love. There is little I can do for them. For anyone.
(http://escapepod.org/wp-images/podcast-mini4.gif) Listen to this week’s Escape Pod! (http://traffic.libsyn.com/escapepod/Escape_Pod_627_Humans_Die_Stars_Fade.mp3)
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I like this story. The expression of the loneliness of the star was well done. Her desperation to communicate with the humans was profound. well done.
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I liked this one a lot. The loneliness really came through. I enjoyed the generational aspect, and the yay-research affirmation.
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Fantastic. The lifespan difference between elves and humans is nothing compared to this. The immensity and depth of the star's emotions is both well written and well read.
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I also liked this one. At first, I didn't understand why the star didn't warn the humans right away, but then I realized that the star "was in an abusive relationship" and was traumatized by this. The star had to discover their own sense of agency before they could act. It was fun watching the star grow this way.
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It's a small thing, but I appreciate the polyamory representation in the offhand mention of a triple marriage.
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I didn't really like this one. The stars were so anthropomorphic there didn't seem to be anything different in their personalities from humans. The sci-fi was smothered by the story of getting over an abusive ex. I also thought the last batch of scientists were pretty brash in how they addressed an ancient-super-powerful being that they know almost nothing about.
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.... were pretty brash in how they addressed an ancient-super-powerful being that they know almost nothing about.
LOL! I think you just described humanity in a nutshell. ;D ;D
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The title does a good job subverting expectations and we are delivered a surprisingly optimistic bit of space opera. Nicely done!