Challenge 517

If All the Men Were Transported

1. In Nabeela M. Rehman’s “Love and Pestilence,” who is the narrator or who are the narrators of the blockquoted interior monologues?

2. In Traci Winston’s “Renee,” might the narrator be envying a real woman or a fantasy?

3. In Sam Bellotto Jr.’s “Today’s Special” list all the works of science fiction and other aspects of popular cultural that are satirized. Minimum: ten.

4. In Heather Frederick’s “The Talk”:

   1. What are Mauri’s and Louise’s chronological ages? What are their equivalent ages in terms of normal development?
   2. What does the social status of men appear to be?

5. In Terry Hamel’s “Spirit of Orion”:

   1. Parsee’s father breaks two rules: one against hunting out of season and one against sound-shooting, i.e. firing blind. What would probably have happened if Parsee had obeyed his father’s order to shoot?
   2. Is Parsee’s guilt earned or unearned?

6. In Martin Kerharo’s The Dohani War, chapter 12 “Progression”:

   1. What accounts for the speed with which Jane communicates by means of her portable voice recognition and synthesizing device?
   2. Is it realistic even nowadays that Jane’s device would have a cold and somewhat mechanical voice?
   3. Jane explains that the Dohani use sound for sonar, to see through things. While true enough, is the explanation entirely accurate? Do Jane’s vision and hearing not resemble the human senses at all?
   4. When Jane and Dexter exchange childhood memories, what questions does Dexter seem to leave unasked?

7. What popular song does the Challenge title quote? Which work in the Challenge prompts the title?

Responses welcome!

Copyright © 2013 by Bewildering Stories
What is a Bewildering Stories Challenge?