The Simplest Equation by Nicky Drayden

Fractals of love.

Queer love, aliens and mathematical equations take center stage in this wonderfully poignant short-story. 

Levar Burton does an excellent reading here and even comments afterwards about this story being deeply personal for him because his daughter identifies as queer. The struggle for acceptance and feeling marginalized in this heteronormative society, especially as a black queer woman, hits close to home for him. He was even crying while speaking on the subject and I found this all to be quite moving.

The first-person narrator is a young black woman unsure of herself, trying to find their passion and sense of place in the world. She is a top-notch math student although remains uncertain if this field of study is the right career path for them. She also has a crush on the new classmate who happens to be of the non-human species variety. Paradoxically, the black "other" is normalized and the alien takes on this role. We are never provided any historical background information about this new race although they look similar to humans despite a few extra limbs and teeth. They are intelligent beings, with a proclivity for mathematics. The idea of mathematical equations--more specifically, fractals--as being another form of storytelling is brilliantly conceived. The story's crescendo with the protagonist's expression of love through fractals is beautiful, heartwarming and bittersweet.

The author effectively juxtaposes the familiar and unfamiliar, creating a sense of cognitive estrangement. Yet, irrespective of these science-fiction genre tropes of "otherness", this coming-of-age story remains deeply rooted in universal human experiences. 

It is always exciting for me to discover new authors working within the aesthetic movement of black speculative fiction. The term "Afrofuturism" is often thrown around haphazardly to describe any work by a black artist that depicts black people in a futuristic setting. Within a literary context, black representation is only one aspect of a much larger and complex aesthetic that is constantly being redefined, evolving and pushing the boundaries of genre fiction through a racialized lens. 

Gotcha! by Ray Bradbury

Honey, do you want to play a game?

I think it is time to take a break from Ray Bradbury and mix it up with some different authors. I have been binge reading his short-stories lately, revisiting old favorites and discovering many hidden gems along the way. Unfortunately, there are plenty of duds in between and others like this Gotcha! that fall somewhere in the middle. My hyper-fixation tends to get the better of me and I would like to avoid burning out. 

Gotcha! is all about metaphors over story. A couple is in the honeymoon phase of their romantic relationship. Check out this sexually implicit opening sentence:

"They were incredibly in love. They said it. They knew it. They lived it. When they weren't staring at each other they were hugging. When they weren't hugging they were kissing. When they weren't kissing they were a dozen scrambled eggs in bed. When they were finished with the amazing omelette they went back to staring and making noises."

Oh Mr. Bradbury, how scandalous! Essentially, this couple can't keep their hands off each other and during another erotic evening, the woman Beth asks the man if he would like to play a game. Of course, he thinks this will inevitably lead to more sexy times but she has a different type of game in mind--one that is a little more sinister in nature. Real or imagined, the story delves into horror and the fantastic. The woman takes the game too far, scaring the man out of his wits. For the first time in this relationship, the blood rushes back to his brain and he begins to wonder if he actually wants to be with this woman. The game itself becomes a poetic metaphor for an unhealthy relationship: breaking trust, disrespecting boundaries and not having open communication. A quick read but often feels contrived and lacks that Bradbury spark. 

Chivalry by Neil Gaiman

The Damsel of the Sanct Grael
by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1874)

I have started listening to the Levar Burton Reads podcast on my morning commute to work, making the travel time far more pleasant. As long as there are no transit delays, I am usually able to finish at least one story by the time I reach my destination. Today, it was Chivalry by Neil Gaiman, which I enjoyed quite a bit. My only exposure to his work is the novel American Gods back in the early 2000's, when it was all the rage. I recall struggling with the bloated narrative that seemed to meander without any purpose and something about the prose just irked me. I eventually abandoned the book and never read anything by Niel Gaiman again. After listening/reading this delightfully whimsical short-story about an old lady who discovers the Holy Grail at a thrift shop (not a spoiler and is revealed in the very first sentence), I am willing to give him a second chance. Similar to Haruki Murakami, I get the feeling that his short-stories will appeal to me more than the novels. 

Elements of the fantastic intertwine with ordinary life creating a captivating sense of magical realism. The Arthurian legend and Galahad's search for the holy grail in a small suburb of England during the 20th century is not only believable but surprisingly moving as well. 

Mrs. Whitaker is a widow, living a quiet and modest life. She enjoys afternoon tea with her friend and tending her small garden. Visiting the local thrift shop and browsing their eclectic wares is a weekly tradition where she usually leaves with one of those paperback harlequin romance novels that can always be found at these kind of stores. After discovering the beautiful chalice hidden amongst some odds and ends, she believes that it would look great on her mantlepiece. Later on, she is surprised to receive a gentleman caller claiming to be Sir Galahad and explains that he is a on noble quest in search of the Holy Grail, which has led him to her. Their budding relationship is tender and sweet, similar to the way a loving grandmother might dote on her grandson. The light-hearted humor is most effective during their interactions. This is an amusing and entertaining story with a well-drawn and empathetic protagonist.

This story got me thinking more about our unhealthy attachment to material things. It's funny, we are born into this world with nothing, struggle to accumulate all these things and then leave this world with nothing. Mrs. Whitaker might be in possession of one of the most sought-after ancient relics in human history, but it's value does not hold the same weight as the picture of her deceased husband located next to it on the mantlepiece. This story provides a gentle reminder that life is short and ephemeral. We can attach meaning to objects to help fill the void but they to are subject to time. 

No Man's Guns by Elmore Leonard

Yee-haw.

Similar to Ray Bradbury, Elmore Leonard was an extremely prolific writer during his lifetime. He has over 30 novels to his name during a career spanning six decades! He is more well-known for his crime fiction, with many of his works being adapted into movies and television shows (Get Shorty, Out of Sight, Rum Punch and Justified to name a few). However, he started off writing Western short-stories for Pulp magazines during the 1950's, including this one, which first appeared in Western Story Roundup in 1955.

Elmore Leonard's concise and pared-down writing style is perfectly suited for short-stories. This is not Hemingway minimalism although he does subscribe to a certain level of brevity. Anything superfluous to the story which detracts from the narrative flow is discarded. He is very selective with his words, avoiding any extraneous details or descriptions. There is no fluff, no filler, no fancy prose. He uses simple and direct language, understanding that readers are likely going to skip over these nonessential details in search of the actual story. This is not to suggest that Leonard's writing is prosaic, reduced to simple entertainments--quite the opposite. The ability to construct a nuanced and compelling narrative within the constraints of the short-story form requires a great deal of creative skill.

No Man's Guns is not your typical action-packed Western adventure with cowboys and wild shootouts. In fact, not even a single gun is fired in the entire story. This is more of a psychological character study, examining the internal struggle of accepting death due to unfortunate circumstances. In a case of mistaken identity, an ex-soldier crosses paths with some bandits and rounded up by some hired guns for execution. Building intrigue through omission is quintessential Elmore Leonard. The brisk pacing creates a forward momentum, continually increasing the suspense with some unexpected twists and turns.

The Wonderful Ice-Cream Suit by Ray Bradbury

Cheesy 90's movie marketing at it's best.

It pains me to say it but this is by far my least favorite Ray Bradbury short-story. Five Mexican friends from the poor working-class decide to pitch in $10 each in order to buy a fancy white suit for them to all share over the course of an evening. Let the comedic hijinks begin. They believe this magical suit will raise their social status and attract beautiful women. The story is a screwball comedy filled with cornball humor that completely misses the mark. It relies on racial stereotypes and the gimmick becomes tiresome very quickly. 

I was even shocked to discover that this story was adapted into a feature-length movie in the 90's starring a young Edward James Olmos and Joe Mantegna! It is bound to be atrocious but a small part of me is somewhat curious to seek it out.

All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury

Kids can be so cruel.

In Bradbury's imagined vision of a newly colonized Venus, living on this planet is harsh and depressing. Surrounded by vast jungles, it is always raining and covered in perpetual fog. The sun only comes out briefly once every seven years. Many of the children born here have never experienced sunshine before and giddy with excitement for this auspicious day. The story takes place at an elementary school from the perspective of children and despite the otherworldly setting, Bradbury tackles themes of childhood growing pains associated with socialization and bullying. Margot is ostracized from her classmates for being 'different' since she is a new student from Earth and remembers the beautiful sun. Of course, the others are incredulous. They enjoy teasing and playing pranks on her, which escalates to locking Margot in a closet. 

A pervasive melancholy tone is established throughout the story, further accentuated by the dreary weather and unforgiving landscape. In only a few short pages, Bradbury's economical prose shines and the his depiction of children, especially when speaking, feels authentic. The juxtaposition between childhood innocence and loss is haunting. 

The Night by Ray Bradbury

These hedge-rows, hardly hedge-rows, little lines

Of sportive wood run wild: these pastoral farms,

Green to the very door; and wreaths of smoke

Sent up, in silence, from among the trees!

Ray Bradbury might be remembered more for his science-fiction/fantasy stories but he also wrote a great deal about childhood experiences and small town America. In this story, there are no rocket ships, colonized planets or any elements of the macabre to be found here. Sure, there are a few moments of suspense but this is a tender portrait of a child trying to understand the complexities of death and the natural world. Ultimately, this is a highly condensed bildungsroman, a coming-of-age story that successfully captures a specific time and place: a quiet warm summer evening in a small rural town surrounded by wilderness during the 1920s. 

The second-person narrative voice reflects on an important childhood memory. As a treat, his mother allows him to stay up later than usual on a beautiful summer night to eat chocolate ice-cream. Bradbury effectively capture's childhood innocence and familial love during these opening scenes with the mother. Unfortunately, this tranquil and affectionate moment between mother and son is disrupted when she becomes increasingly worried about the older brother not coming home after playing in the woods with some friends. The young narrator is perceptive, noticing his mother's fears, and it is difficult for him to comprehend since adults are supposed to be tough and never show emotions. 

The mother has reason to believe that he might have gotten lost on the way back home, cutting through a forest trail near the ravine. She decides to bring the young narrator along with her and go out looking for the older brother. The darkness and silence of the rural countryside is terrifying for him. Bradbury's descriptive language of nature and the hostile landscape from the young narrator's perspective  is vividly rendered. Moreover, the retrospective philosophical musings provide insight and articulate the fears of his younger self during this stressful experience. 

The sense of childhood wonder evoked from the second-person narrative view forms the emotional crux of the story. However, despite Bradbury's impeccable writing and poeticism, the overall story felt slightly underwhelming. 

No Particular Night or Morning by Ray Bradbury

In space, no one can hear you scream...

The infinite vastness of space is terrifying. 

For all those brave astronauts exploring distant galaxies on long space voyages, one's conception of reality and time is completely different. What constitutes reality in space if you are a billion miles from Earth? Are you considered dead if you cease to exist only as a memory to those still left on Earth? Without empirical evidence, how do you know something actually exists? Is memory and imagination enough? These are some of the philosophical questions that haunt Hitchcock as he struggles to adjust to his new life aboard a spaceship drifting through the stars. 

He tries explaining to his friend Clemens about the inherent fallacy and paradox of only relying on empirical evidence:

"You see. You have no mental evidence. That's what I want, a mental evidence I can feel. I don't want physical evidence, proof you have to go out and drag in. I want evidence that you can carry in your mind and always touch and smell and feel. But there's no way to do that. In order to believe in a thing you've got to carry it with you. You can't carry the Earth, or a man, in your pocket. I want a way to do that, carry things with me always, so I can believe in them."

The metaphysical discourse between the two astronauts takes precedence over plot. Bradbury's empathetic depiction of Hitchcock's fractured state of mind and dreaded paranoia is convincingly portrayed. Even though it soon becomes clear there is no avoiding his inevitable fate, the ending is still haunting as he takes one final space-walk into the void.

Perchance to Dream by Ray Bradbury

To be or not to be...

Of course, any title with a direct reference to Shakespeare's Hamlet will automatically pique my interest. Ray Bradbury is fascinated with the myth of space travel, especially exploring distant planets such as Mars (The Martian Chronicles being the most famous collection on the subject). Astronauts in Bradbury's stories are pioneers of the future and their missions are often treacherous, filled with imminent danger as well as strange encounters of the unknown. 

In this story, Bradbury returns to the theme of the castaway, a lone astronaut stranded on an deserted planet after his spaceship crashes. Andy Weir's The Martian immediately comes to mind and owes a great deal of credit to Bradbury's influence. 

The protagonist manages to send a distress signal to the rescue party but they will not arrive for another six days, giving him plenty of leisure time to relax. He has no shortage of food, cigarettes and even Tolstoy's War and Peace to help pass the time. Unfortunately for him, it is not all fun and games on this planet. After falling asleep, his dreams become infiltrated by a series of strange and competing voices. Two warring factions are searching for a human body to host their intergalactic war and this unsuspecting astronaut has conveniently crossed their path...

The psychological horror is the most striking aspect here and Bradbury presents a very creative spin on the survival narrative as the protagonist must fight internally to stay awake or succumb to madness as the voices begin to take over his mind. The nightmarish ending is full of dramatic irony, bringing the story full circle to a satisfying conclusion. Perhaps not as memorable as some of Bradbury's other planet exploration stories, this is still an entertaining, suspenseful and quick read by Bradbury that accomplishes so much in only a few pages.