Another Good Review of "Sanctuary"

[mabfan]

(Apologies for posting so much this fine morning.)

From the Tangent Online review of the September 2005 Analog:

A Catholic priest assigned to a large space station confronts an ethical dilemma when an alien approaches him seeking sanctuary in the chapel. The female insectoid, an adherent of a fringe religion, has developed a pregnancy that violates her people's mainstream traditions. Seeking to protect her from a forced abortion, the priest grants her request for sanctuary, and diplomatic turmoil results. The situation sours further when the priest learns of the alien's ulterior motives.

"Sanctuary" is a complex and thoughtful piece, well-written and accessible. Burstein’s noble protagonist struggles to answer some serious moral questions, and for that reason, the story is sometimes uncomfortable to read. Readers may find the theme vague, and each person may take away something different from the story's unexpected ending.

(Thank you, britzkrieg.)

Comments

[britzkrieg.livejournal.com]

Have fun writing the sequel! :-)

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Thanks! The sequel's on the back burner for a while, though...

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

I'd be interested in hearing some folks' reactions to the priest's final decision that the only authority he would accept final judgment from was God. (Speaking of uncomfortable.) I know some readers may find that deus ex machina (no pun intended), but I have no small bit of experience with the Catholic Church, and that's hardly an unrealistic answer for a priest to give.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

I think the story would have only been deus ex machina had I brought God in to resolve everything at the end. :-)

So far, the main reaction I've gotten from people had to do with the resolution of Zwaren's situation. I don't want to say anything further publicly because I don't want to post spoilers until I'm sure everyone who wants to has read the story.

[madwriter.livejournal.com]

>>So far, the main reaction I've gotten from people had to do with the
resolution of Zwaren's situation.<<

Which, come to think of it, was what I commented on the first time I posted about the story, too.

[impropaganda.livejournal.com]

That sounds exactly like the kind of SF I love. I'll check it out now.

Grats on the good review by the way.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

Thanks! The September Analog is already being replaced by the October issue on newsstands and bookstores, so look fast...

[http://users.livejournal.com/_opus_/]

Too late. I went to five bookstores/newsstands, and they've all been replaced. What happened to the good old days of putting last month's issue upside down at the back of the stack? Nowadays, they're "required" to send back the old issues before putting out the new ones, according to one of the newsstand people.

Guess I'm going to have to buy a back issue directly from Analog. There's something screwed up about ordering the September back issue on August 10th...

[britzkrieg.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry my review came so late. I really can't blame anyone but myself, but it would help if Analog could send advance copies to Tangent.

If you have trouble getting a back-issue, let me know, and I'll let you borrow my copy.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_opus_/]

Thanks, but if there's any blame to be placed, it has to sit with me. It's not as if MAB didn't mention it over a month ago. I just thought I'd have time to saunter to the newsstand. Hmm, my father-in-law used to have a subscription; I wonder...

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

If you want to buy the ebook version, Fictionwise.com very sensibly sells it until the end of September:

September 2005 Analog

[http://users.livejournal.com/_opus_/]

Woo hoo! Found a copy at Forbidden Planet in NYC.

They have two more, if anyone else needs to find it.

[impropaganda.livejournal.com]

No problem. I feel I should admit that I'm reading it online though. I don't even know if Analog (or indeed ANY non-romance short story magazine) is available in newsagents here in the UK. I do find it amusing, however, that next months issue is being replaced by the month AFTER nexts :P

[magid.livejournal.com]

(No apologies needed.)