Draconian Outlaw is now posted.
Six of Six.
Here we say farewell to LeClerc, as he says farewell to the human race. Had your humble author written this tale later in life, he may have made provision for a wife or children to accompany him in his journey, or at least made clear whether the voyage was round trip or one-way.
Watch this space for a new tale of phantasy and wonder next week!
Draconian Outlaw is now posted.
Five of Six.
This is the scene which I first recall when I think on this yarn, and the one that gives the tale whatever character and amusement value it may possess.
Your humble author displays a long-distance emotion related to pride of workmanship of his outer mantle layers (Exclamation!).
Draconian Outlaw is now posted in a tardy fashion.
Four of Six.
Your humble author’s extrapolation of the folly of mankind when driven mad by politics seems, in hindsight, to be extraordinarily conservative and muted. In reality, the human reaction to such a golden age would be much more insane. For example, the text offers no example of feminists or activists objecting to the use by the alien translation machines of the first person singular pronoun in English; and rather comically assumes that, once antimatter warheads were available for mutually assured destruction, nuclear weapons would be retired and reused as starship propellent.
Draconian Outlaw is now posted.
Three of Six.
Your humble author’s attempt to imitate Ayn Rand in the chapter is muted a bit in favor of his attempt to mimic Keith Laumer.
Draconian Outlaw is now posted.
Two of Six.
This story was not written so very long ago, but I already notice the anachronism of age, akin to seeing a mention, for a example, of a steel-nib pen rather than a ballpoint in a story set forty years in the future. In a montage passage of newspaper editorials, the author makes no mention of blogs, podcasts, wall-screen, or brain-radio.
As for the quotes from editorialists, they have a certain tone and point: I am only surprised the author did not specify the newspaper was called The Banner, and give the editor’s name as Gail Wynand.
Draconian Outlaw is now posted.
One of Six.
This is a previously unpublished story, once rejected by the great Gardner Dozois (may he rest in peace) of Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine fame. In those long-ago days, I was pleased to receive rejections where the editor wrote a personal letter to explain the reasoning of his harsh but just condemnation.
My revenge was to sell my first two professional sales thereafter to Asimov’s, to appearing in four anthologies edited by Mr. Dozois, including his “Year’s Best” anthology for 2004 and 2010.
I have rewritten certain passages in hope of improving the story to pass muster with Mr. Dozois, or what I imagine his standards would demand. My readers are the final judge, as ever.
