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"Zero G" by Sandman (sci fi detective sex) 9, 10, 10
"Zero G" by Sandman (1998 sandman@bitsmart.com). Sandman's stories are archived at ftp://asstr.ml.org/pub/Authors/sandman/index.html. This is the third story posted to this newsgroup in which Steve Whiley has appeared. I rated "Starlight" among my Top Stories of January. I have not yet reviewed "Double Blind"; but if these other two stories are any indication, that's a serious omission that I had better correct. Although this is technically and primarily a mystery story, it's also the ultimate "mile-high-sex" story - sex in a moving space vehicle (actually a modified asteroid) on its way to Mars. Hence the title. Ever since I learned about space travel and sex, I have wondered about what it would be like to experience sex in a weightless environment. Since I learned about weightlessness from Sister Mary Tight Ass, you can easily imagine that the topic did not come up in the classroom discussion. However, the fact that the first American woman in space was named Sally Ride did cause a titter to pass among us. At the time even giggled that the Russian women were probably having sex in space - but probably with other women. And so it was with great interest that I sat down at my computer to read about Steve and Trish, with their potential for 40- million-mile-high sex. The trip is scheduled to take eight weeks. It turns out that the only real way to have sex in space is orally: copulation is so difficult it isn't worth doing. But midway into the trip, Dr. Ernest Vance, a wormhole researcher from Harvard, is murdered. Since he is an ex-cop and a private investigator, Steve is assigned to investigate the crime. Trish serves as his faithful psychic - er, sidekick. She plays Watson to Steve's Holmes - with the notable difference that she gets sexually turned on while discussing clues. Steve solves the crime, of course; and a reporter even tries to purchase the VR rights to the story. The sex plays little real part in the story; it's just background - very nice background. This is a very good detective story. By that I mean the clues actually make sense. Even if you don't figure out who did it before the author tells you <*>, the clues make sense when the Great Detective explains how he figured it out. In addition, the science makes sense: the information regarding gravity seems to be accurate, even though the wormhole notion is a flight of fantasy, if you'll pardon the pun. <*> = I sort of figured it out, but that doesn't mean I'd be a good detective. When I read or watch detective stories, I tend to wonder why the author is telling me something and what would offer the best ending. Since real detectives deal with facts rather than fiction, they don't have this luxury. This story offered another candidate for the accidental quote of the month: "He (the deceased) was a hard man...." As they say, a hard man is good to find. Although the author generally writes very well, this story has several minor problems. For example, he confuses compliment for complement. discrete discreet, and fiancee for fiance. {I think I had better dig out my old grammar column.} However, these minor errors do not significantly detract from the overall story. Fucking through a wormhole - now THERE'S a possibility for a sequel. Ratings for "Zero G" Athena (technical quality): 9 Venus (plot & character): 10 Celeste (appeal to reviewer): 10 |