Review: Not much for someone who hasn't read the novels.
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 05 23, 2014
This is another Tor.com backstory/side-story/introduction to a more substantial book.  Sometimes this format works pretty well by enticing the reader into investing time and money into the longer format book set in the same fictional world.  Sometimes the short story is better than the book itself.This one didn't work for me, although it appears to work for people who have read the original longer work.  I haven't read the longer "Enclave" stories, so I was reading this one "cold." That is to say, I don't know who these people are or why their (apparently) epic love story matters or if there is an epic love story that grows out of all the blushing and coy hand-holding.Bad things are happening in the world. There seem to be all kinds of chemical and biological attacks on civilian populations that are driving people into secure underground bunkers.  There is something called the "Metanoia Virus" which is obviously causing people to change, although what they change into is not mentioned. 13 year old Robin Schiller and his family take refuge in a bunker where Robin meets 14 year old F. Austin Shelley.  Robin is going to be an artist; Austin is going to be a designer.  Robin bats eyes at Austin; Austin blushes; Robin holds hands with Austin. They keep their interactions from their parents.  Things happen and Robin and Austin end up at the "enclave" populated by street people and hippies.  The ending refers to Robin's epic love for Austin and how words need to be remembered.I have not a clue to what was going on or why I should care.  I think that the story gestures toward a gay couple, but even there I am not clear about that because it wasn't clear what gender Robin was.  Whatever the sexual orientation, the eye-bating, face-blushing, accidental hand-holding was annoying because I - the ignorant reader - don't know yet that this will be an epic love affair, or not, and I don't care, yet.This may be a wonderful story for someone who knows the story of these characters, but for someone coming on to this story cold, I would give it a miss, even though it is only 99 cents and about 10 minutes of time.