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Comments for Another Life
Another Life: 01/25/10
I read "Another Life" by Charles Oberndorf while sitting in a comfortable chair at my local library. It's not my usual place to read Fantasy and Science Fiction and I expect the experience of reading about an otherworldly place and a new life will associate the story with the location. Do you ever do that?
From other reviews I've read "Another Life" echoes themes in The Forever War by Joe Haldeman, a book I haven't read but have it on my wishlist. Coincidentally Joe Haldeman has a story ("Never Blood Enough") in the same issue. People can be born into new bodies for the right price (and you can end up paying for previous lives in your lives to come). The military will also revive its troops if their service is still needed.
The protagonist and narrator awakes to a new life but under circumstances that don't match his expectations. He wasn't revived by the military and his former lover isn't among the revived soldiers. He can't find out who paid for the revival or why. Whatever the reasons, they have left him in a bit of a legal limbo and he has to find his own way in his new life.
Along with changes of lives come changes of bodies. Bodies can mean changes of gender. Do relationships both familial and romantic continue between lives even if the genders change? This aspect of the protagonist's new life is for me the central theme of the story.
Other posts and reviews:
fantasy science fiction magazine| short story | Charles Oberndorf | scifi |
2009
Comments (4)
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Comment #1: Monday, January, 25, 2010 at 16:26:56
I used to F&SF Mag but let it run out a couple of years ago. Your post made me realize how much I miss it!!
Comment #2: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 11:30:26
Pussreboots
I'm always excited when a new issue arrives in my mailbox. If you're interested in catching up on back issues the paper ones are available for order here and there are electronic versions from eReader.com and Fictionwise.
Comment #3: Wednesday, January, 27, 2010 at 13:37:36
Thanks so much for the links. I'm going to have to pick up some of the back issues.
Comment #4: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 22:30:33
Pussreboots
You're welcome. Happy reading!