Saturday, January 22, 2011

Wind From a Dying Star

Short Story by David D. Levine
Read for Escape Pod by Meg Westfox

Old John is the last remnant of humanity, in a post-human society where he has left his old body behind and become an energy being. Humans have become a race of hunter-gatherer energy beings, roaming space, feeding on zero-point energy and the like. He hears that Sol is dying soon, and wants to go back for one last visit before he dies. But the tribe may not be able to survive such a journey.

It's an interesting bit of far-future speculation with two memorable characters: Old John and Gunai, the tribe's leader. Their relationship is well realized, as conversations between energy beings go. The conclusion is sad-yet-hopeful-yet-heat-death-of-the-universe-is-coming-anyway. Basically this is "Clan of the Cave Bear"... IN SPACCCEEEEE.

4 energy-wolves out of 5.

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