[POLL] APHELION FLASH FICTION CONTEST: February 2015

[Lester Curtis]

My votes are on the way.

[Lester Curtis]

Congrats, Michele! Buy a drink with the prize money! (Just remember to turn the faucet off when you're done!)

Here were my scores--and now, addd comments, too:
A Novel Experience
1) Overall: 4
2) Characterization: 6
3) Plot: 4
4) Setting: 4
5) Dialog: 2
6) Challenge: 5

total 25
comments:
Very confusing; I couldn't figure out just what was happening with the technology. Its purpose was explained, but its unexpected effect wasn't.


Electrosmooth
1) Overall: 7
2) Characterization: 7
3) Plot: 10
4) Setting: 5
5) Dialog: 9
6) Challenge: 8

total 46
comments:
Plot hole: the doctor said they only needed one of his hairs for a DNA sample ... genetic testing is usually done with saliva samples. Besides, I'd think Ralph would have left the hair on his head.

Also, the ending was very abrupt.


The Poppe Creek Monster
1) Overall: 7
2) Characterization: 6
3) Plot: 7
4) Setting: 3
5) Dialog: 9
6) Challenge: 10

total 43
comment:
The setting description confused me. They parked next to the creek, but then you say the other car was by the train tracks ... I found it all on a Google map with the arial view, and I'm still not certain where this took place, but to get up to the trestle, they'd be in the woods.

I did like their method of identifying each other by geek-code. Nice job with that.


Hunger Shames
1) Overall: 7
2) Characterization: 5
3) Plot: 7
4) Setting: 5
5) Dialog: 1
6) Challenge: 10

total 35
comments:
Cryptids *and* serial killers from space! I think I'd have liked it better if there had only been one or the other. Still, it was fun to have the crop circles and cattle mutilations in there.