Author Topic: Pseudopod 117: Deep Red  (Read 13229 times)

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  • Sir Postsalot
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Reply #25 on: October 31, 2009, 10:43:59 PM
And I'd give a try at a blurb--ARCs are a good thing, in my book.   ;D



Millenium_King

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Reply #26 on: June 29, 2010, 07:28:33 PM
Eh.  Another lukewarm response on this one.  It all felt waaaay too coincidental and unbelievable to me.  Anyone who has ever lived with someone knows that it's easy to tell if they are in the bathroom.  In such a heightened state, I doubt he would have missed the little noises someone makes in the tub.  The coincidental perfume also put it over the top.  Too much camp in the events and not enough camp in the telling made this story seem like a Tales From the Crypt episode trying to be serious.

The language, also, was a little dull.  Not interesting on its own.

Great narration by Ben; GREAT outro on the nature of horror by Al.

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Reply #27 on: June 30, 2010, 01:26:10 PM
Eh.  Another lukewarm response on this one.  It all felt waaaay too coincidental and unbelievable to me.  Anyone who has ever lived with someone knows that it's easy to tell if they are in the bathroom.  In such a heightened state, I doubt he would have missed the little noises someone makes in the tub.  The coincidental perfume also put it over the top.  Too much camp in the events and not enough camp in the telling made this story seem like a Tales From the Crypt episode trying to be serious.

The language, also, was a little dull.  Not interesting on its own.

Great narration by Ben; GREAT outro on the nature of horror by Al.

Now we fight!  :)  But seriously, I think all of that made sense in the context.  The coincidence of the perfume is the only real stretch, and I think any story is entitled to one coincidence.  If you can buy the presence of the perfume, everything else makes sense--it's well documented that smell has the strongest connection to memory and he has a stronger connection than most.  When he smelled that, it transported him to a different time, a different place.  Have you noticed that when you're spooked your senses may be heightened, but you're also apt to misinterpret sounds and things you see, and I'd think it would only be stronger in a case apt to induce PTSD like this one.



Millenium_King

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Reply #28 on: June 30, 2010, 05:26:09 PM
Now we fight!  :)  But seriously, I think all of that made sense in the context.  The coincidence of the perfume is the only real stretch, and I think any story is entitled to one coincidence.  If you can buy the presence of the perfume, everything else makes sense--it's well documented that smell has the strongest connection to memory and he has a stronger connection than most.  When he smelled that, it transported him to a different time, a different place.  Have you noticed that when you're spooked your senses may be heightened, but you're also apt to misinterpret sounds and things you see, and I'd think it would only be stronger in a case apt to induce PTSD like this one.

Haha - yeah, we're usually on the same side of the fence.

I just couldn't buy it; there have been cases of mistaken identity resulting in accidental murder (especially with firearms) - but I find it very difficult to believe that he would have failed to notice the usual signs of his girlfriend come to visit him (sounds of the tub running, her car in the driveway, keys on the table, purse and clothes left out somewhere).  Also, if she visits frequently, it seems likely he might have considered the possibility it was her.  I just don't know: I am married and I just really doubt it would have been possible for me to notice my wife was not home.  I realize this is not the same thing as a girlfriend who is in the habit of letting herself in, but it seemed like too big a stretch to me.

Visit my blog atop the black ziggurat of Ankor Sabat, including my list of Top 10 Pseudopod episodes.


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Reply #29 on: June 24, 2014, 07:21:36 PM
I placed this story as my #15 favorite podcast fiction of all time:
http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2014/06/the-best-podcast-fiction-of-all-time-11-20/