I don't remember this story from The Martian Chronicles but it does have that dragging, inevitable, melancholy feel of the era's SF. I love how Rodney's drugged state IS the narrative voice; the action's all swirls & intimations & half-familiar voices almost heard. Then the final scene with Dr. Lucienne, the other mysterious female, reveals that she brought as much light to Rodney's mental darkness as she could, & will probably be exiled back to her people for it. Very darkly ironic, & also typical of SF of the period. Woot, great job with this eerie fic! It leaves one wondering but sympathizing with the characters: just like the rescue party, we'll never really know exactly what happened, just the echoes of how it affected those who were there but can't express what happened. And I love the title too!
Good stuff. Thanks very much for writing & sharing this.
no subject
I don't remember this story from The Martian Chronicles but it does have that dragging, inevitable, melancholy feel of the era's SF. I love how Rodney's drugged state IS the narrative voice; the action's all swirls & intimations & half-familiar voices almost heard. Then the final scene with Dr. Lucienne, the other mysterious female, reveals that she brought as much light to Rodney's mental darkness as she could, & will probably be exiled back to her people for it. Very darkly ironic, & also typical of SF of the period. Woot, great job with this eerie fic! It leaves one wondering but sympathizing with the characters: just like the rescue party, we'll never really know exactly what happened, just the echoes of how it affected those who were there but can't express what happened. And I love the title too!
Good stuff. Thanks very much for writing & sharing this.