Review: Short Story-Stand and Deliver
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 11 19, 2012
The whole problem with this wonderfully written short story is that if you haven't read the full series of stories or the books you won't have any clue what is going on. If you going to sell a short story, (I'm sorry to say this) but it needs to stand all by itself and deliver an understandable character and plot in a familiar setting. If set within a strange world then the world needs explanation. Most peculiarly was the writer's use of ["Oh what is this?"]for quotations. This will confuse readers. (The author explained to me that words within these things[ ] show that the characters were speaking the language spoken on the planet. Another way to handle the issue would be to apply the Star Trek rule: English goes where no man has gone before). I didn't read the whole series and should have, guilty as charged. I'm guessing these strange creatures read minds and didn't speak and thus: ["I don't like things not explained clearly."]. If I'm wrong it's the writer's fault. If you want a story to set a mood or tone, this is a very good story. But if you need explanations, purchase the entire series of books from this writer because he is very good at his craft. This short story needs more exposition, however if it is to be sold as a short story that is supposed to stand on its own.