Review: Play the Odds on This Lottery: It's Really Good 91/100
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 1, 2014
No, Chris Martinez's "The Lottery" does not resemble that chilling short story of the same name by Shirley Jackson. This is a world of worker drones at the service of automated systems, where reality has given way to facsimile, and the working class lives in fears of making mistakes that cost them dearly. This sort of set-up, with its lobotomized labor monotony and huge class divide is an overly familiar one (if not a touch derivative), but it's one that seems plausible more and more every day. Well-written, sharply-paced, and with just enough character and setting detail to create lasting impressions, this short is a real winner. Self-contained and intelligent, with a vague conclusion that doesn't spell it all out (I have a theory, but I'm not entirely sure I got it, to be honest). Strongly recommended, even by those who aren't fans of the genre.