Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: happy
  • Music: Hem, "Waltz."

Can you hear the bells?

They hold my trial in absentia; an empty gesture intended only to placate the screaming public. The growing silence outside the courthouse walls only serves to illustrate the pointlessness of the proceedings. It takes three days to present the evidence: the charts, the lab results, the videos. It would take longer, but after the fourth prosecutor fails to return from recess, the court decides to pass judgment on the case as it stands. There is enough—more than enough—to convict.

—from "The Tolling of Pavlov's Bells," available to read now at Apex Magazine.

The January issue of Apex is now available for all to read! (Prior to this, you had to actually buy the issue. A worthy investment. Seriously.) And in the spirit of this availability, have a few reviews of my story:

Carl at The Portal says "Alternating between moments before and after the key event in her story, McGuire tells a tale of biological terrorism and cold, calculating vengeance that is frightening in its reality." Also: "'The Tolling of Pavlov's Bells' brought to mind films like 28 Days Later and the various incarnations of Resident Evil, stripped of all their implausibilities so that all that remains is the sheer horror of a very real threat to mankind." Dude. I win at creepy.

Terry at Fantasy Literature says, "Those who have read Seanan McGuire’s tasty urban fantasies starring October Daye will be surprised at the dark science fiction she serves up in 'The Tolling of Pavlov’s Bells.'" That was the goal! She goes on to say that she didn't realize I was Mira Grant, and will now be reading Feed.

If you haven't heard the bells, this is your chance.

You've been warned.
Tags: pandemic time, reviews, short fiction, so the marilyn
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  • 64 comments
...go 4 levels up... Expand

beckyh2112

February 9 2011, 00:39:43 UTC 6 years ago

It took me forever to deal with the "if the monsters'll get me" feelings. Eventually, my mom explained to me that if any monsters tried to get into the house, they'd have to fill out forms in triplicate with no discrepencies and we'd deal with them before they got done with the forms.

It's amazing what works. <3

kengr

February 9 2011, 02:02:02 UTC 6 years ago

Back when I was a kid, Men Into Space was one of *the* shows on TV. And I had a astronaut helmet.

I decided that the monsters couldn't get thru the helmet, so if I kept the covers tucked around it...

So *my* using "silly" reasoning goes *way* back. :-)