OBIR: Occasional Biased and Ignorant Reviews reflecting this reader’s opinion.
FUSION FRAGMENT MAGAZINE #23 – November 2024.
Publisher: Fusion Fragment, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Editor: Cavan Terrill
Cover Art: by Caitlin Fowler
The Little Black Wand for Every Occasion – by Emry Jordal
Premise:
What if you could solve social awkwardness by pressing a button?
Review:
To be specific, no matter what your problem, be it losing a debate, asking out a girl, or facing an intruder, what if you could go back six minutes in time at the push of a button and try a different tact? For a small fortune you can buy a Serendipity Wand which will do just that.
The only problem is you’re actually switching to an alternate universe where your second choice is actually your first choice. If that doesn’t work, press the button again. Just keep repeating the same six minutes, albeit with a different choice every time. Eventually you’ll get the result you want and carry on till you feel the need to use the wand again. In theory, according to the marketing campaign, you’ll lead the perfect life you’ve always dreamed about.
But what happens to all the alternate universes you’ve skipped through to get the reality you desire? What happens to everyone, including that universe’s version of you, after you’ve left? Consider the butterfly effect. Possibly you and the other customers are killing swarms of butterflies. Even worse, maybe each universe comes to an end once your “soul” leaves. Who can say.
The concept of an infinite number of universes existing in parallel, a hypothetical construct allegedly “proven” by quantum mathematics or some such, has become a science fiction cliché. Many people take it for granted as an underpinning of reality. Not me. I think it’s bunk. Admittedly a fun fantasy concept for writers to play around with, but no more real than “We live in a computer game,” or “We only think we exist,” “When the alien wakes up and stops dreaming, we’ll disappear,” “The universe is a simulation in a supercomputer” and other craptastic feats of the imagination. I love playing the game of “What if?” which is why I’m attracted to science fiction, but I know imagining something in logical detail doesn’t automatically make it real. Garbage in, garbage out, no matter how much fun it is. Hypotheticals are not hard evidence.
But what if I’m wrong? What if wealthy, selfish people get their hands on a gizmo like the Serendipity device? Obviously, they will use it. Frequently. What are the probable consequences? This story goes into incredible depth exploring all the implications and potential ramifications. We all know getting reality to treat you the way you want is a difficult, ongoing struggle. And we all know it’s a deeply competitive struggle since other people’s desires conflict with yours. So, what do you think will happen if everybody, including you, warps reality to their advantage. The best of heavens? Or the worst of hells?
One thing’s for sure, after reading this story you won’t be quite so keen on the concept.
Stone Test – by Catherine Forrest
Premise:
Does throwing a stone at someone always hurt them?
Review:
Quite the test indeed. From a very early age Peter has occasionally thrown stones at Monica. They always ricochet off her righteous innocence and never strike her. It’s his way of showing trust. Eventually they get married. What happens if a stone finally connects?
In one sense the metaphor within this story has to do with abuse. But it is far more subtle than an open and shut case. It explores all the twists and turns in relationships that are dictated by myriad factors such as parental training, societal expectations, complacency, excessive optimism, paranoia, second-guessing, maternal instincts, favouritism, shame, revenge, and everything else which earns big bucks for psychologists and psychiatrists. Along the way potential solutions are examined, discarded and sometimes experimented with. What’s the answer? Up to the reader to decide.
A fantasy concept, a hidden shield maintained by virtue, is the basis for an intelligent and penetrating analysis of what it means to be married. Statistically, the modern trend is to avoid marriage. I figure this story, if included in a high school anthology, would be a useful tool for youth to consider the merits and dangers of marriage relationships. Precisely the sort of thing they should be thinking about as they evolve into adults.
The Very Long Death of Katherine Ainsley – by Marlan K. Smith
Premise:
There are many ways to conquer death. Which one would you choose?
Review:
Charles Beasley is hired by the widow Ainsley to tutor her in still painting. She dwells in an ancient country mansion left to her by her dead husband Harold, who was something of inventor. Intent on perfecting indoor heating, apparently, as the house is a maze of steam pipes, some of which are beginning to fall into disrepair. Local workmen don’t know what to do. Katherine decides to contact her husband through a séance to ask him how to fix the complicated piping. The result is most unexpected.
I gather the tale takes place in the 19th century. It has a Dickensian, Lovecraftian, steam-punkish ambience which I quite enjoy. A pastiche, yes, but very well done. In particular, the ending took me by surprise and is pleasingly creepy. And appropriate, given the pseudoscience of the era. The trouble with most Lovecraft pastiches, good or bad, as they are not often sufficiently original. This one is very original, and faithful and consistent to its premise.
Granted the writing style is suitably old-fashioned, though not excessively so. It adds enough gravitas to the proceedings to render them credible within the context of the period. The pacing is dignified yet spritely enough to maintain interest in the growing sense of dread. Not even Lovecraft could always pull off his endings, but I think he would have been very pleased with the conclusion of this tale. Oddly enough, given a certain contemporary controversy, this story has relevance for our modern times. Far too many Harolds mucking about, if you ask me.
To sum up, this story is great good fun to read. Providing you have a Lovecraftian turn of mind.
Cages – by Thomas Ha
Premise:
When your wife is caged, you’ve got to do something about it, but what?
Review:
First of all, Addy and Endo, husband and wife, are trapped in a green house. Worse, Addy has stumbled into a cage and can’t get out. If you think of the green house is normal-sized, then the human couple are smaller than mice, and fear all other creatures, be they cats or beetles. These humans are perfectly normal, perhaps the last of a drying breed, and all other life forms, especially the tall ones living in the house next to the green house, are constructs produced by past experiments which got out of hand.
One can interpret this as a warning unbridled technology will eventually produce a fairytale reality no more to be envied than being sucked into the world of the Brothers Grimm. Our quest to force ourselves to evolve to the next stage, perhaps to become immortal, through hyper-advanced genetic manipulation, would appear to be Dr. Moreau’s wet dream. Not a good idea at all, at all. The story reads like pure fantasy but has hard science at its core. Perhaps this is a way of saying practical efforts to “improve” reality will surely destroy our dreams, reducing everything to nightmare.
On the other hand, the story implies human emotions and relations will remain human no matter how weird and hostile we transform the world into being. Deep down inside, no matter how stressful and dangerous life becomes, we remain fundamentally sane, as if we lack the imagination to become inhuman. I don’t know if this message is true, but it is certainly optimistic and something to cling to as we “progress.” Maybe super-duper technology won’t kill us after all. It is pleasant to think we can cope no matter what happens. Foolish and delusional, perhaps, but nice to contemplate.
Cicero famously said, “Where there is life there is hope.” That his head wound up nailed to the Rostra in the forum doesn’t negate the concept, since he was dead when it happened. So, irrelevant. While yet alive, we can and will always hope. In fact, it is inevitable. I think that’s what the story is saying. Be nice if it were true.
All the Songs – by Caitlin Sweet
Premise:
Life in the post-apocalypse era isn’t what it cracked up to be.
Review:
You can make a decent living detailing humanity struggling to survive. Think of the “Walking Dead” franchise, or the “Mad Max” series. Certainly, there are more movies and books and TV series in this sub-genre than I can remember. Recently I came across an online ad for a newly translated version of a French movie guide originally published in the VHS era. Titled “After the World Ends,” it describes more than 100 post-apocalypse movies available back then. Lately I sometimes get the impression there are that many being released every month these days. (Of course I exaggerate, I’m a critic.)
Even more astonishing, unlike sub-genres such as alien invasions or time travel, there is a real-life variant of the post-apocalypse scenario earning millions of dollars annually. I refer to businesses supplying survivalist preppers. As I understand the concept, one that I normally ignore, the idea is to have a personal fortress-bunker (even if it is just a shack) somewhere off the beaten track that is fully stocked with a two-year supply of everything you need, plus plenty of ammo for your shotgun or AK47 or whatever.
I’ve often wondered, what’s supposed to happen when the supplies run out? Normal life and economy totally restored by a resurgent, functioning, Federal government, so back to the suburbs? I think not. Let’s say the apocalypse consisted of a worst-case scenario all-out nuclear war. How long will the recovery period be? Simple. There won’t be one. The US government has known since the 1950s virtually the entire human race will be wiped out, as well as most of the flora and fauna on the planet. Don’t believe me? I suggest you read “Nuclear War: A Scenario” by the Pulitzer Prize finalist Annie Jacobsen. It’s full of meticulously researched information never previously released. As the blurb on the back puts it, “takes the reader up to the razor’s edge of what can legally be known” because US Government plans on how to cope (or not) with the consequences are still classified and not available to interested parties. It’s a sobering read.
Mind you, the cause of the apocalypse in the story is not specified. There is a war of some kind, aircraft dropping bombs, lots of shooting, and bizarre diseases, so it could be a little bit of everything.
In any case, in the real world the preppers won’t last long because, in my opinion, every “fortress” will be treated as a gift basket by roving gangs armed with overwhelming firepower. These gangs will not consist of desperate office clerks. They will consist of already organized criminal gangs existing in our contemporary world, swollen with military veterans and professional mercenaries, all working in groups dedicated to their own survival and treating everyone else as prey. Hordes of fictional media hint at this. The reality will be even worse.
So, what is the significance of the plethora of doomsday scenarios available for our viewing pleasure? The main point? That it is extremely unlikely anyone can come up with an original take on the subject. Surely it’s all been done to death, drowned in clichés?
I’m happy to report Caitlin Sweet has accomplished a near-miracle, a post-apocalypse tale with fresh lessons. She is able to do this because the story is a mini-epic spread over the entire lifetime of a young girl born and raised in an abandoned shopping mall converted into an ad hoc shelter for a village-like community of 32 people. For Katu, the abnormal is normal. She takes for granted all the men will take turns trying to get her pregnant once she is past puberty because the future of the human race may depend on her fecundity. Her future “job,” as it were.
As is typical of the genre, most of the community members see themselves as guardians of ancient knowledge they need to pass on to the next generation so that someday civilization will be reborn. Trouble is, not everyone is keen on the concept. Some of the older children believe what they are being taught is useless and irrelevant. They don’t instinctively see the big picture as they have no memory of what used to be, they just want to survive. For instance, since many of the stores in the mall retain their contents in stasis, so to speak, because the elders forbid anyone to break in, wanting to preserve said goods for future generations, it’s no wonder Katu fantasizes about smashing windows and looting. She’s growing into a rebel tired of restrictions and rules. She wants to break free.
The idea that self-sufficient communities can function as seed kernels for a human renaissance in a post-apocalypse era is shown to be in danger of collapsing under something as simple as teenage rebellion and a generation gap. I mean, heck, it was a disgruntled student who opened one of the postern gates of ancient Alexandria to Arab conquerors. The fate of the human race doesn’t compare to teenage angst. Resentful, sulking, self-obsessed 14-year-olds are capable of astonishingly stupid behaviour. I know, I used to be one.
Of course, in writing the above I’m being self-indulgent. One of the many human traits capable of sabotaging best laid plans. Caitlin’s story reveals our own human nature is potentially our worst enemy in terms of long-term planning.
And then there’s short-term decisive action to worry about. The story explores the dynamic of contrasting fear of “outside” with “out there being the solution to all our problems.” Paranoia vs lust for an assumed utopia. The 1976 movie “Logan’s Run” explored that concept, as did the 1933 film “Deluge.” It’s a hoary meme. But in this story, we grow alongside Katu as her views evolve with her developing maturity and understanding that even her limited world is far more complex than she first believed. This allows for many subtle touches normally absent in treatments of this sub-genre.
Believe it or not, I have left out a great deal. This is a powerful story, totally absorbing, yet far bleaker than the previous story. The same Circero concept applies, “Where there’s life there is hope,” but with the need for it greatly amplified. Immediately prior to World War I, many young intellectuals advocated war as a means of cleansing society of decadence and hypocrisy. Most of them died in that war already knowing how wrong they were. If you’re the type who dreams of an apocalypse in order to alleviate your boredom, as a means of escaping a dull life, this story will reveal just how insane you actually are.
For that reason, a very useful story.
The 1st Interspecies Solidarity Fair and Parade – by Bogi Takács
Premise:
Never mind the first alien invasion. What about the third?
Review:
The first alien invasion was disturbingly destructive. Nevertheless, we managed to beat them off. The second set of invaders came merely to scavenge the wreckage of the first invasion, which, of course, was what we were trying to do. So, we sent them packing, too. Finally, a variety of alien species arrived, claiming to be victims of the first set, and offering to be our friends. Like we believe them.
The setting is the devastated country of Hungary trying to rebuild. The protagonist is a disabled girl conducting a door-to-door survey in search of people willing to function as liaison with the aliens. Nobody is willing. They’re far too busy trying to survive. And maybe the alien named Lukrécia floating in a metal sphere beside her, a constant companion, is a bit of a put-off. Lukrécia speaks perfect Hungarian but doesn’t seem to “get” idiom. Communication is clear yet unclear. This renders it difficult to acquire volunteers interested in communicating with the aliens. Frustrating.
Even more frustrating, all the people she interviews don’t want to deal with each other, so great is their level of paranoia. This has a dampening effect on the local economy. Human society is disintegrating. What can be done?
The surveyor meets a young trans lad named LaLa who inspires the surveyor to propose something not done in years. Why not a combined Pride Parade and trade fair in the nearby ruined city of Győr? The aliens are intrigued and want to participate. What could possibly go wrong?
This post-apocalypse tale is a trifle bleak, but leavened with wry, cynical humour. That, too, can be a source of hope. If our doings retain our ability to be amused and bemused, perhaps doomsday isn’t so comprehensive after all. By the standards of the other stories in this issue, this is a curiously optimistic vision of our future failure.
CONCLUSION:
Lots to contemplate in this issue of Fusion Fragment. Some of the most difficult conundrums we face in our daily lives are dissected and exposed in unusual ways, forcing us to reinterpret our thinking about ourselves, our goals, and our likely fates. This is the power of good fiction.
Check it out at: < Fusion Fragment #23 >
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