Today on SF Signal I have a review/discussion of Hugo, Nebula, Locus and World Fantasy Award winner Ken Liu’s new work of original short fiction, “The Clockwork Soldier“.
Alex is a bounty hunter on her way back through hyperspace to deliver her prey, a young man named Ryder whose father hired Alex to bring him home. Alex doesn’t get to know those she captures, they are her source of income, not companionship. On this trip, however, Alex unwittingly becomes aware of Ryder’s story when she sits down an begins playing an old-fashioned text adventure game that Ryder has written called “The Clockwork Soldier”.
Liu’s story uses an interesting device, telling the ending of the story first. This gives away less than you would think, instead inspiring the reader to discover why Alex is taking a particular action with Ryder and what her cryptic parting words mean.
Ken Liu is one of the best of the new crop of short story authors working today. His stories are often innovative while remaining satisfying and accessible. This story holds true. It has a clever story-within-a-story element that reveals much about Ryder’s character.
Over on SF Signal I give the link to the print and audio version of the story followed by a more spoiler-filled discussion of the story. I would encourage you to head over there, give the story a read or listen, and join in on the discussion.
“The Clockwork Soldier” is one of three new works of fiction featured in the January 2014 issue of Clarkesworld.
Oh, thanks for the link! Not often I can read a review, then jump over and read the actual story. And I often miss out on short fiction because a whole anthology of it is just too much.
One of the reasons I really enjoy the monthly outings of Clarkesworld and Lightspeed is that you get 3-4 original works of science fiction or fantasy and they all end up on their website at or shortly after release for free. Each has reprint fiction and great nonfiction as well, but if you want to just sample a story or two and not feel overwhelmed, this is the way to go.
I really like the cover art! In fact I like it better than most of the January art covers you put up last post.
It is a great cover. It sort of has an old 60’s feel to it with the auto and plane design and also the way it is rendered.
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