EP747: Flash from the Vault

[divs]

Escape Pod 747: Flash from the Vault

Authors: Richard K. Lyon, Kitty Myers, and Scott Janssens
Narrators: Frank Key, Paul S. Jenkins, and Mur Lafferty
Hosts: S.B. Divya, Serah Eley, and Rachel Swirsky
Audio Producers: Adam Pracht, Serah Eley, and Rachel Swirsky

Standards first appeared on Escape Pod on December 29, 2008.Paradox first appeared on Escape Pod on July 18, 2005.Stuck In An Elevator With Mandy Patinkin first appeared on Escape Pod on July 3, 2006.

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Hi there and welcome to the third and final term of Escape Pod’s Summer School, where we post some of our favorite flash fiction from the vault with a new perspective. I’m Divya, co-editor of the pod, and your instructor for this class. This episode also concludes our Summer Flashback series. We’ll be back next week with the best in original and reprint science fiction.

Today, I bring you three flash episodes from long, long ago. First up is “Standards,” by Richard K. Lyon, then we have “Paradox,” by Scott Janssens, and finally, “Stuck In An Elevator With Mandy Patinkin,” by Kitty Myers.


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[Languorous Lass]

I was utterly tickled by Stuck in an Elevator With Mandy Patinkin.  Just the sound of the title makes me smile.  The ending wasn’t a huge surprise, but I liked it anyway.  Wonder if Patinkin knows he’s inspired a work of flash (not slash) fiction?  (Then again, he may very well be the subject of some slash, too.) 

[CryptoMe]

Standards - This is my favourite flash fiction story of all time. I like it so much, I have periodically re-listen to it over the years since it was first posted on EP. It was a joy to listen to it again! The author clearly has a very good understanding of the foibles of scientific journal publishing and it is a pure delight to watch him skewer those with such sarcastic skill!

Paradox - Perfect! Nice little story about a concept that should be obvious, but that somehow people very easily forget.

Stuck In An Elevator With Mandy Patinkin - Despite the fact that I really like Mandy Patinkin and that I really like the ending to this story (even though it was telegraphed quite strongly beforehand), I never enjoyed this story, because it leans sooooo heavily on knowing one very particular (and not very lasting) snippet of pop-culture. And this is from a person, who is fully knowledgeable of that snippet. I can only imagine what people who are not in the know feel.