Aphelion

That was weird . . . fun and exciting, too, but -- weird. Everything just comes out of nowhere, with no explanation. Plot weakness: too many conveniences; fabricating large clay pipes is made to seem like such a trouble-free task, not to mention building a jet turbine (which, by the way, you don't just switch on instantly).

Lester Curtis wrote:That was weird . . . fun and exciting, too, but -- weird. Everything just comes out of nowhere, with no explanation. Plot weakness: too many conveniences; fabricating large clay pipes is made to seem like such a trouble-free task, not to mention building a jet turbine (which, by the way, you don't just switch on instantly).

Well, not a 21st-century human-tech turbine, you don't. But who knows what you can make with cannibalized alien-zoo and alien camping gear?

Yeah . . . and they don't have to worry about food or shelter, either . . . much too convenient. By all rights, they should be getting lazy.

Lester Curtis wrote:Yeah . . . and they don't have to worry about food or shelter, either . . . much too convenient. By all rights, they should be getting lazy.

There is the potential for a "Riverworld"-type scenario, with the disparate groups trying to find a way to get home (or at least to find those responsible)... also for conflict between different alliances. Odds are that species will show up (or have already, but are offstage) that will view some of the others as dumb animals suitable as a food source. Others may have an instinctive fear / hate for species that resemble natural enemies (humanoids and arachnid-types, felinoids and canoids, coyotes and roadrunners ...)

Loved it! It is refreshing to read about different species coming together for the common good. Now this story was entertaining, but it reminded me more of a Daniel Boone or Davy Crocket episode than Sci-Fi. Of course, Daniel Boone and Davy Crocket didn’t have a generator that turned solid matter into energy, but that really isn’t the point. Davy and Daniel like the Dad often thought ‘fast on their feet’ when confronted by enemies, at least the Hollywood versions always were portrayed that way. That’s the similarity I see in this story, and the fact that they were out in the wilderness.

This was a very nice almost humanistic story--even with aliens in it---about a family, the family dog, the kids, and new-found friends of a different species, and, they all work together in a human effort! Very entertaining!