9 Comments
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Ethan Luce's avatar

Valak is a consummate professional.

Peter Tillman's avatar

Heh. Good story. Had me going for a moment (until Valac). Bravo!

"This Heart of Stone" for BG music....

I'll have to go back & read the first story. A classic fantasy scenario. You've read the fairly-recent (spaces out, the mega-famous Chinese-heritage tech-writer guy in the NW) classic mideast-set wish-fulfillment story? If this doesn't ring a bell, somebody (like Rich Horton) will chIme in, I'd guess.

Look forward to your Lightspeed story!

Naomi Kanakia's avatar

Yes! Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate. Love Ted Chiang. He is a major influence.

Moo Cat's avatar

One of your best. The dialogue in particular reminds me of some of your old tales. I’ve been thinking you’ve been saving some of your fire for other places, which is fine! Not sure if you’ve seen Mother Mary yet, but there’s a whole thing about a metaphor in that movie…anyway, I liked this a lot more than Mother Mary.

Naomi Kanakia's avatar

Thank you! Yes I have been holding back some of my artier or more philosophical tales, wondering if maybe there is a better home for them somewhere else. This one felt like it wouldn’t really work anywhere but on the newsletter though.

Marissa's avatar

I kept picturing the stone heart as a miniature version of the big black granite sculpture outside 555 California St here in SF, aka "The Banker's Heart"

Alexander Corwin's avatar

incredible. maybe my new favourite of your stories. excellent excellent

Naomi Kanakia's avatar

Thank you! One of my favorites too. Glad you like it :)

Justin Stanley's avatar

I really like this. I have a particular fondness for using fantasy tropes to explore contemporary moral and emotional conundrums. This story accomplishes that very well