Escape Artists
Escape Pod => Episode Comments => Topic started by: Russell Nash on December 25, 2007, 02:13:54 PM
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EP138: In the Late December (http://escapepod.org/?p=260)
Nebula Award Nominee!
By Greg van Eekhout (http://www.sff.net/people/greg/).
Read by Stephen Eley
Closing Music: “Chiron Beta Prime” by Jonathan Coulton (http://www.jonathancoulton.com/).
First appeared in Strange Horizons (http://www.strangehorizons.com/2003/20031222/december.shtml), December 2003.
They come to a cloud of silver mist, and there Santa finds a little boy made of molten silver with liquid silver eyes and sweeping silver delta wings. His wrists are ringed with missile launchers, and a rounded cone emerges from a cavity in his chest. Once there were many silver boys, fleets of them, protecting the outermost parts of inhabited space against things that came from outside inhabited space. But now, there is only the silver boy.
“You, sir,” the silver boy says, “are a tiresome consciousness cluster. Your binary value system remains as laughable as it is irrelevant. How you manage to remain cohesive is beyond me.”
“My value system is hardly binary,” Santa says. “In between naughty and nice I’ve made room for you: grumpy but fundamentally sound. Do you want a toy or not?”
Rated PG. Contains some dark Santa-related imagery, and the heat death of the universe
(http://escapepod.org/wp-images/podcast-mini4.gif)
Listen to this week’s Escape Pod! (http://cdn.libsyn.com/escapepod/EP138_InTheLateDecember.mp3)
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The one bad thing about Escape Pod on Tuesday is that it gives one less reason to look forward to Thursday.
I really enjoyed this story. I think it was entirely carried by the quality of the writing and Steve's reading - the premise, while clever, was not enough on its own, and there are some pretty big holes in the plot (if Santa had a long list, how did he happen to visit the last little boy and girl first?) - but the writing made me look past all that and just flat out enjoy the tale.
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The story was... ummm well, okay. Kind of a interesting end of the universe story. I have a problem with end of the universe stories because who is left to tell it to? Also the idea of the universe just slowing dieing out as the matter expands so much that it can no longer hold together and every thing cools to absolute 0 just is a sad idea to me. No, I don't plan to be here for that but... Well back to the subject. Odd that Santa would be the last one around, and IMHO there were too many things things left unsaid. For example, did the others just disappear because they didn't believe they existed any more? I think there for I am? The idea of "the beacon" (there must be some reason he is nameless so he will remain so) becoming a delta wing bomber, [pauses] with a red nose. I guess all in all I was unimpressed. But, since my mother taught to only use nice words; I do think it was well written, what of it there was. A nice Christmas gift from Steve.
What pulled the whole thing out though was "Chiron Beta Prime." I had never heard that before and I laughed out loud while listening to it. Thanks for the smile.
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"The Beacon" is unnamed because... "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" is not public domain. An author could get in trouble for using that character, same as Superman or Mickey Mouse. Santa Claus and the rest of the crew are either "folklore" or from older stories and poems that are firmly public domain, so anybody can use those. I dearly wish congress would stop extending the lengths of copyrights, and let some of these old characters go into the public domain as was intended - but that's a whole 'nother topic.
As to the story, it was alright. While I was listening, a housemate walked past my room. "What the hell are you listening to?!?" He stood there listening for another 30 seconds, then declared succinctly "Santa Claus vs. the Heat Death of the Universe - right", and wandered off. And for that high concept, it was fun.
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Behind Asimov's "The Last Question", this is the most optimistic version I've heard of the end of everything.
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I very much liked this one. I like the way the detail about the talcum powder was first introduced - as a secret about Santa that sounded disappointing as far as secrets go, but with the statement that details are important. That whetted my appetite and helped prepare me for the ending. I also like the way it inverted the idea that Santa Claus exists becauase little boys and girls believe in him. Now little boys and girls exist because Santa believes in them. The ending was sweet and sad, but honest. It was, after all, late December. The year would be ending soon, but that doesn't mean that those who are left can't celebrate one last Christmas - or something - while they hold the darkness off for just a little bit more. Nice choice.
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MORE GREG!
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"The Beacon" is unnamed because... "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" is not public domain. An author could get in trouble for using that character, same as Superman or Mickey Mouse. Santa Claus and the rest of the crew are either "folklore" or from older stories and poems that are firmly public domain, so anybody can use those. I dearly wish congress would stop extending the lengths of copyrights, and let some of these old characters go into the public domain as was intended - but that's a whole 'nother topic.
Thanks, I had not thought of that as being the reason.
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Hi there, just got into Escape Pod around Ep. 130 and finally got around to registering on the forums.
I for one really liked this story, especially the anthropomorphizing-tendencies of Santa Claus. At the end of the Universe, where mankind is a long-forgotten echo of a memory, Santa still refers to the other tiny remaining consciousness clusters as "little boys and girls", even though that "little girl" is actually kind of like a squid, and the "little boy" some sort of angelic Silver Surfer.
Also the little girl cephalopod was completely adorable.
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I'm very unwell.
I was listening to this story as I went out of the door to leave for work.
I realised I started 2 hours later and I could have had another 2 hours sleep.
I listened to this story while laying on my bed in the dark.
I smiled.
I loved the story. I liked it more than the Heartbreakers from last year (which I also loved).
Escape pod always impresses me in that every month my expectations get higher and higher for it. I can't say if in the long run this will always be a good thing (though its been over a year and a half for me... thats fairly long term in itself); but I always enjoy it. This story just raised the bar again for me.
I agree with the previous comment that it is good to see positive end of the universe stories. I love the idea that Santa keep the universe alive and when he'd have to start expanding his definition of who he gives gifts to.
So thank you steve for consistantly coming up with awesome content and interesting ideas. Also for giving me my new fav Xmas song.
*walks away singing to lay in bed ill*
"Where we're working in a mine... for our robot overlords... did I say overlords... I meant protectors"
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I quite liked the story. Somehow combining something as familiar (and trite) as Santa and Rudolph (sorry, the Beacon) with Cartesian dualism and the end of the universe just felt really fresh. I agree the plot could've used a bit more even pacing, but that didn't spoil it for me.
Also, was anyone else shocked to find out that Santa had sacrificed Mrs. Clause way before he even considered getting rid of, say, his mittens....?
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Also, was anyone else shocked to find out that Santa had sacrificed Mrs. Clause way before he even considered getting rid of, say, his mittens....?
I assumed that Mrs. Claus was much more complicated and therefore used much more energy than something like the mittens. There was a sweet, sad touch early on where Santa waved good-bye but there was nobody there to wave back to him.
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I really enjoyed this, although it took me 3/4 of forever to figure out what was going on. You don't have to hit me over the head with a brick but four or five times, boy, to get the point across. :)
For some reason I can't really explain, this story brought tears to my eyes several times. I guess it's just the gut-wrenching sadness of...well, the end of everything.
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I also like the way it inverted the idea that Santa Claus exists because little boys and girls believe in him. Now little boys and girls exist because Santa believes in them.
That was my favorite part of the story. Good choice, Steve.
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Whoa that was deferent. I liked it more please
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I liked the story -- SANTA CLAUS WINS, FATALITY!!! -- and would put it among my top ten favorite Christmas stories list (and this from a non-Jew).
However, I thought that the climax -- the "I am my details!" thing -- didn't really lend itself to audio that well. I also think that when Rudolph disappeared to go find the Silver Surfer's nephew or whatever he was, the despair wasn't played up enough -- like, okay, Rudolph stood up for Santa wanting to destroy the Big Empty, but then he disappeared? And yet I didn't feel quite so affected by that. Like, I KNEW he was going to come back, like the author didn't really try to build suspense there.
Overall, though, good story and very cool premise, along the lines of Pratchett's interpretation of the power and existence of gods and anthropomorphic personifications.
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I had to register in order to say that this was my favorite Escape Pod ever, more than any other story this felt like Pure Science Fiction.
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Pretty much a perfect Christmas story in my book. Thanks, Greg and Steve!
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Great Christmas story for sci-fi heads. I join Simon in saying "more Greg".
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Really well written, but sheesh. That has to be the saddest Christmas story I've ever heard/read.
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I've been listening to Escape Pod for several months, and this story prompted me to register for the forums just so I could express my appreciation.
I actually followed the link to Strange Horizons and read it before I listened to it. It's definitely one for revisiting: a beautifully evocative existential meditation.
Thanks, Escape Pod, for picking it out!
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That was a fun story, the whole thing about it being set at the end of the universe went right over my head, though I am unwell at the moment.
I'm getting better though.
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I thought this was a good choice for Christmas.
A bizarre mix of sci-fi and Santa. Yet it still worked.
Good choice.
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Behind Asimov's "The Last Question", this is the most optimistic version I've heard of the end of everything.
Really well written, but sheesh. That has to be the saddest Christmas story I've ever heard/read.
Now that are two interesting quotes about the same story ;-)
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This story was amazing. Personally I was playing "Eye of The Tiger" by Survivor in my head as good 'Ole Nick battled it out with the Big Black. The idea that Santa was the only *thing* left after we had long gone was most pleasing - no god of an Abrahamic faith, no capitalism, devil or angel etc, just the jolly fat guy with presents for all the sci-fi children left.
I thought this would have been a decent sequel to The Neverending Story as well. :) They were battling the Nothing, which seems to be a good description of the main power that the Big Black wields.
However, I have to say that the MOST enjoyable part of this episode was Merry Christmas from Chiron Beta Prime by Jonathan Coulton - that was so funny I am still laughing to myself after the fifth listening!
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Behind Asimov's "The Last Question", this is the most optimistic version I've heard of the end of everything.
Really well written, but sheesh. That has to be the saddest Christmas story I've ever heard/read.
Now that are two interesting quotes about the same story ;-)
I don't know. I guess I can see the upside. Santa wins, right? But damn, no Mrs. Claus? No north pole, no reindeer, no sleigh, just Gundam the Red-Noseconed War Deer, a little female Cthulu in a puddle of slime on a burned out star, and Santa Claus. That is the sum total of reality at the very end. How is that not sad?
Joking aside, what made it sad was watching our hero give up so much, just to hang on a little longer, and knowing that the Big Empty would take even more next time. And the time after that. And again after that. The sad part was knowing that Santa had won, but at great cost, and only for a little while, and that defeat was eminent. That, IMHO, made it the saddest Christmas story ever.
(still, great writing!)
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Now this was good stuff -- if combining Christmas with the heat death of the universe isn't an awsome SF idea, I don't know what is. And as many posters mentioned, the writing was excellent.
As for the inevitable loss to entropy being sad -- I don't know about you, but that's the life I'm living, and I admire anyone who can put up a good fight and inspire me to do the same.
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I may be forgetting a story somewhere, but In the Late December wins my award for most depressing Escape Pod story EVER.
I find little enjoyment in a story where it's pretty much understood from the start that everything that happens in it is of little consequence because everyone will give up sooner or later and disolve into nothingness anyway...
The nicest thing I can say about this story is I'm glad it wasn't the only christmass story on EP this year.
This is my first post here but I've listened a long time now, and I find EPs ratio of positive to negative stories to be worrying at times.
Stoffern
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That's interesting. I thought this was actually a relatively optimistic story, albeit a sad one.
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That's interesting. I thought this was actually a relatively optimistic story, albeit a sad one.
I agree with this - sad yet optimistic. I was wondering idly if a) that was really the end of the Big Black and 2) if Santa has the will to start creating a new world?
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That's interesting. I thought this was actually a relatively optimistic story, albeit a sad one.
I agree with this - sad yet optimistic. I was wondering idly if a) that was really the end of the Big Black and 2) if Santa has the will to start creating a new world?
I thought it just meant that Santa made it through this year, but he'd lose next year or the year after.
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One thought I had in the end is that maybe Santa was planning to give what remained of himself to the little girl. Let her survive a while longer.
I think Big Empty was completely destroyed, though - I think he was an actual entity that was cannibalizing his peers, hastening their demise, not just an abstraction. Though the story did obscure those boundries so who knows...
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One thought I had in the end is that maybe Santa was planning to give what remained of himself to the little girl. Let her survive a while longer.
I think Big Empty was completely destroyed, though - I think he was an actual entity that was cannibalizing his peers, hastening their demise, not just an abstraction. Though the story did obscure those boundries so who knows...
That's not quite how I read it. I saw the Big Empty as something beyond Santa's ability to completely eradicate; remember that he DID sacrifice Mrs. Claus in the previous battle without quite winning the war. I also don't think Santa's quite ready to give himself up; he and the last little girl will enjoy a few moments together before the inevitable end of anything. When they lose it won't be without having fought and it won't be without having experienced just a tiny bit more.
Part of the key to why I read it like that lies in the title and the closing line; it's late December. The days are short, it's getting cold, and the year is soon to end. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but soon.
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This had everything I could want from a Christmas episode: a Santa with a reason for giving gifts, little boys and girls who deserved to receive them, fundamental truths about the nature of the universe dramatized in mythic terms, an epic battle in space and the chill atmosphere of a classic Christmas ghost story. If you'd asked me to combine all those elements in one package I wouldn't have known where to start.
And a Jonathan Coulton song. Perfect.
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I find little enjoyment in a story where it's pretty much understood from the start that everything that happens in it is of little consequence because everyone will give up sooner or later and dissolve into nothingness anyway...
Yeah! Isn't that "reality"? You know, the thing we come here to Escape from? In our... um, Pod... and stuff?
Thing is, being Late December implies an Early January to come; after the Big [dead] Empty of winter, we're allowed to hope for the Big Bang of spring, aren't we?
(Sometimes you just have to make up your own happy little ending, don't you find?)
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This made me want to believe in Santa again.
Beautiful.
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I find little enjoyment in a story where it's pretty much understood from the start that everything that happens in it is of little consequence because everyone will give up sooner or later and dissolve into nothingness anyway...
Yeah! Isn't that "reality"? You know, the thing we come here to Escape from? In our... um, Pod... and stuff?
Thing is, being Late December implies an Early January to come; after the Big [dead] Empty of winter, we're allowed to hope for the Big Bang of spring, aren't we?
(Sometimes you just have to make up your own happy little ending, don't you find?)
I like your Optimism. You don't see a happy ending. Make one up! I think we all need that.
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I loved this story. It's depressing and optimistic all at once in very heartfelt ways. Maybe the actual story wasn't quite all the way there, but it got more than far enough for me to make the leap on my own. And although I'm listening to it late, it was exactly what I needed to hear today.
Re: Mrs. Claus -- If she disappeared when Santa let go of her in order to have more strength, she would have disappeared when he did anyway, along with the reindeer, his workshop, and the North Pole; unlike, it seemed, the Silver Boy and Little Orphan Cephalopod. The other consciousness-clusters derived some staying power from Santa, but they seemed to have their own power and could survive or disappear largely on their own.
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I wanted to chime in and say that I really enjoyed this story, depressing ending and all. I cared for all characters and appreciated the gradual uncovering of the details (I noted when Santa waived to no one at the beginning of the story that Mrs. Claus was gone, I never dreamed that it was Mr. Claus that "off'd her")
Steve, I have three words for you: "More Jonathan Coulton!"
Oh, and Happy New Year!
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Steve, I have three words for you: "More Jonathan Coulton!"
Oh yeah! I forgot about the song. That was definitely win. I heard "I Feel Fantastic" on Subknit (http://subknit.livejournal.com/) and couldn't stop laughing at that one either.
EDIT: Indeed, looking for "I Feel Fantastic," I found a contest (http://popsci.typepad.com/popsci/2007/06/announcing_the_.html) run by Popular Science (http://www.popsci.com/) to make a music video for the song. The winner and runners-up are pretty funny if you can listen to the song six times in a row.
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I loved this story - trimphant and sad, grand and personal - I was impressed.
And I agree - More Jonathan Coulton!
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I saw this, and thought of y'all:
(http://www.uclick.com/feature/07/12/22/red071222.gif)
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A couple of people have posted wondering whether or not there was any point to Santa's defeat of Big Empty, and whether or not he'd just have to do it again next year.
I had another listen to this last week, and remember Santa telling the reindeer that it was time to finish this once and for all. So as far as Santa was concerned, Big Empty was destroyed, and there were just enough details left to make Santa's victory more than Pyrrhic.
I wonder what the future held. If Santa can create toys for every child in the universe, I wonder if he can create universe? Is it just a matter of filling in the details?
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I'm afraid this story ended up in my "bottom ten" episodes, just barely above Ep106: The House Beyond your Sky, for pretty much similar reasons (http://forum.escapeartists.info/index.php?topic=834.msg12542#msg12542).
It might have been okay as a flash piece.
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Wow, I loved this story. I know, Christmas is the last thing on anyone's mind, but this was so much more than a Christmas story. (... and although I had decided not to post comments on older stories, given that I am working my way backwards through them, I wanted to add a few praises to this one, since it really cheered me up on my way to work, YES, it CHEERED me up!).
For one, I have to say I love the combination of familiar 'details' with a science fiction setting. I always find that refreshing and enjoy reinterpreting familiar concepts by looking at them from a different perspective.
It really reminded me of The Neverending Story (Michael Ende, 1979) and I love The-End-of-the-World stories in general, it brings out the best and the worst in people/'conscience clusters' and gives so much food for thought/literature...
I enjoyed the idea that details reinforce one's coherence, ... äh consciousness, which makes me think that listening to these stories should make me more coherent, ... so thanks SFEly, you are contributing to saving all of us from the 'Big Empty' every week, and I for one am extremely grateful for it. ;)
And the notion that 'the sum (synergy) of 2 things' can be so much more than '1+1'. I loved that one.
So, gotta go find my Christmas stocking now, I don't think I even checked it last year, maybe I've got one of those 'silver guns' or 'sparkly lights' in it. Always eager to add details....
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I liked it overall. It took me a while to get grounded in the story universe, but that's to be expected in something as bizarre as this. The villain reminded me of a deity which I read about in Tad Williams' Otherland series, which I believe was rooted in African Aboriginal mythology--something like the All-Eater (or some similar name). Ah, I need to go back and read that series again--one of my favorites!
Anyway, I liked how Santa's belief in little boys and girls kept them intact, and how he kept on doing what he was doing even though there wasn't much of a universe left.
"In the Late December", at first glance , seems to imply dark times and lack of hope, but after Dec. 21 the days start getting longer again, so for me that's one of the exciting days of the year when the daylight hours expand! So I suppose at the end, with the defeat of the one responsible for consuming the universe, that can be seen as the hopeful moment when the days start getting longer again. (In the story it seemed to imply that the enemy was an actually entity who could be defeated, so now Santa can try to rebuild).