On your advice I picked up this issue and read MacLean's story. I quite agree with you; the story had some fresh and interesting elements that ring true. I particularly liked the semi-permeable, disposable 'cling-wrap' space suits. They were easy to visualize, and a natural extension of existing technology. I also liked the alien's view of the humans.
The aliens' life-cycle is perhaps the most interesting part, and the subtle implications of how the aliens' culture came to be were particularly interesting. It makes me itch to write the story of what happened on the planet thousands of years before, perhaps after a long stretch of drought.
The tragedy is doubled at the ending, not only for the humans and their loss, but potentially for the aliens as well. The humans were not entirely wrong: the ceremony is not actually necessary. With the right education and technology it could likely be avoided entirely, negating the need for the painful and crippling experience of 'becoming an adult'. If the humans had succeeded in their aim and experts had had time to study the aliens, perhaps they could have saved others from the experience in the future. On the other hand, there's no saying that other humans didn't come to the planet and do just that, I suppose.
Anyway, it was an interesting tale. Thank you for recommending it.
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timeasmymeasure
Thank you for the recommendation!
Date: 2013-11-03 03:28 am (UTC)The aliens' life-cycle is perhaps the most interesting part, and the subtle implications of how the aliens' culture came to be were particularly interesting. It makes me itch to write the story of what happened on the planet thousands of years before, perhaps after a long stretch of drought.
The tragedy is doubled at the ending, not only for the humans and their loss, but potentially for the aliens as well. The humans were not entirely wrong: the ceremony is not actually necessary. With the right education and technology it could likely be avoided entirely, negating the need for the painful and crippling experience of 'becoming an adult'. If the humans had succeeded in their aim and experts had had time to study the aliens, perhaps they could have saved others from the experience in the future. On the other hand, there's no saying that other humans didn't come to the planet and do just that, I suppose.
Anyway, it was an interesting tale. Thank you for recommending it.