3 out of 4 stars
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Lucky: Life on Earth by Terence Park
The book, Lucky: Life of Earth, is a small collection of short stories in the Science Fiction genre. Lucky is of the flowing people. A refugee survivor of the war between the flowing people and the measuring people, long since passed. She escaped the war at the Galactic Core in her ship, Expedient. Now a lonely aimless drifter; she is searching for a new start and a safe place for her precious cargo. Expedient, scavenges the Universe, collecting matter to use as resources and searching for life. Lucky is in slow time, a half suspended animation, when she is waken by Expedient. All her hopes and dreams rest on what she finds. She hopes for a safe place to make a home and an end to her isolation.
The first story introduces the reader to Lucky. Self-named, Lucky, is the last of her kind. Her people, the flowing people, were a peaceful people who embraced freedom of movement. The measuring people sought precision and exactness. The war had been long ago, but it still weighs heavy upon her soul. She is an easily likable character with relatable flaws and personality traits. I found myself quickly empathizing with her. Not much happens in the first story other than a little background and character development. Despite the lack of action I still found myself drawn into the scenario and not at all bored.
The three remaining ‘stories’ all take place on planet Earth, as Lucky makes every effort to be a believable human. During her efforts to assimilate, she encounters an odd tramp, Don, who is doing all in his power to not conform. She is drawn to Don. The relationship is both familiar and strange. Park has created easily believable characters through his descriptions. Their dialogue flowed effortlessly on the page. The detail in the stories was also very pleasing to read. When I read Sci-Fi books, quite often, I get bogged down with the amount of description the author has provided. Park instinctively added the details need at the moment needed; as if he was reading my mind as I was asking a question.
When I read the tales of Lucky I expected each to have a conclusive beginning and end, but they did not. Each new story was the continuation of the one before, and they read more like chapters in a book than a self-contained narrative. From reading the text I can only assume Park will continue to add to the storyline. For me what I read felt disappointingly incomplete, similar to a free preview of a book which leaves a reader hanging. ‘
Three of the stories are told in the third person and one story is told in first person, Don’s perspective. I did not like the shift in perspectives. I would have liked Lucky’s perspective, but reading Dons felt out of place. I may feel differently if this is developed into a book.
I rate Lucky by Terence Park 3 out of 4 stars. I hope the story will continue and I have an opportunity to read the completed work. I would recommend this collection of stories to anyone who enjoys the Sci-Fi genre.
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Lucky
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