Reviewed by: BigAl
Genre: Short Story/Post-Apocalyptic
Approximate word count: 3-4,000 words
Availability
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on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or
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Author:
Nick
Wisseman lives in Bear Lake, Michigan with his family and a bunch of pets. His
speculative fiction has appeared in many magazines, many of which are available
for your Kindle, either individually or in his collection Outcasts (where this story can also be found.
Description:
“They’re
stranded on an island. They don’t have any food or water. Their captain’s all
but lost his mind.
Things
could be better.
But they
could also be worse. While the rest of humanity continues to fight World War
III, the six members of the Citizen’s Brigade gradually learn to coexist with
their remote environment and each other.”
Appraisal:
I think the
appeal of the post-apocalyptic genre is that it helps us believe that no matter
how dire, human spirit and ingenuity can and will prevail. (Of course, that
requires not thinking too hard about what got the world to that point in the
first place.) Permanence tells such a
story, does it well, and in very few words. That last point is what stood out
for me. Like the best and most meaningful song lyrics, Wisseman’s words manage
to say a lot in a short space by allowing us to read between the lines, giving
us just what we need to understand, and nothing more. It’s a rare talent.
FYI:
A small
amount of adult language
Format/Typo Issues:
No
significant issues.
Rating: **** Four stars
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