I vote for Edorix's Allobitacoi (sorry if i spelt it wrong!)
but the other two were awesome to read as well.

[This message has been edited by RomulusofEpirus (edited 10-01-2010 @ 02:10 AM).]

Very tough choice. I could weigh up the strengths and weaknesses of each for ages, but that's asking for a critical analysis of my own, which I don't really want. I would like to split my Skaldic double-vote into two, one for each of Terikel and Afty, but this is not allowed. I shall be brief.

Afty's is a masterpiece, but seems somehow unfinished - as he himself said, it is more a part of a larger story, although it does follow a nice plot of its own. Terikel's is also a masterpiece and the theme appeals to me - like calls to like, as they say. However, he is clearly ill-at-ease with the genre.

In the end, the deciding factor for me was short-story style. Terikel's was a true short story, while Afty's had too great a proportion of description in my opinion; great in a longer tale, but not really suited to a Sepia Joust submission. Although this is not an official entry criterion, for me, that's the main divide.

Thus, I'm sorry Afty, and much as I would like to see a new Sepia Joust Champion, but my vote goes to Terikel's The God Particle. However, I will not invoke my Skaldic double-vote (unless we need to break a tie) just to show how close it was.

[This message has been edited by Edorix (edited 09-30-2010 @ 11:17 AM).]

I agree, Edorix. The choice is tough...very tough.

I enjoyed Terikel's take on the sci-fi genre. I felt a sense of a gritty atmosphere thanks to his Norse inspiration. The sci-fi and technological gumbo probably fits it in the 'Hard Sci Fi' category and though probably out of his comfort zone Terikel managed to pull the future off effortlessly.

Edorix's tale was brilliant also. From a perspective I have not come across before, an alien visiting Earth - but not in the present day. Instead, Xing studied Earth from a time period I least expected to crop up in this particular Joust. Nevertheless the author blended the time period he clearly has an affinity for with slick sci-fi as if they were natural literary partners. The part where the Tribe attacks the ship read as if I was there in person, and best of all was kind of funny in the alien's reaction.

Overall I will give one vote to Edorix's Allobitacoi. Primarily thanks to the blending of time periods and unusual angle on an alien encounter. Like Edorix I cannot commit more than one of my votes due to the parity between the tales. I flip-flopped between each one, changing my mind almost every hour since the Joust closed. Both tales were intelligent and a pleasure to read.

Comments for the God Particle:

Totally was not expect that ending - too epic to behold. Now we know how the Norse came up with their religion. Terikel, you have truly lived up to your reputation. Great Sci-fi, love your portrayal of those galaxy-spanning commercial space wars. Great twist, but the beginning was not so impressive compared with the rest of the tale. I guess you should probably cut it shorter and perhaps you should work on writing better beginnings. I personally tend to judge a book by its prologue/first chapter - call me shallow or anything you like but that’s me. Frankly I got bored by the time I reached the "identifiable in hyperspace" part - but your reputation pushed me to read on (and oh was I glad I did so) Overall, the story just got better and better as I read on - finally reaching an epic climax and conclusion.

Comments for Allobitacoi:

“There was a noise a little like a blacksmith lowering a spearhead into a bucket of cold water, and part of the wall of the metal house began to move, revealing an unnatural brightness within.”
- Great line. Genius, simply genius.

“Sir! Activity in all four groups, and the perimeter ditch they were building is complete.”
“Interesting…”
That’s one crazy Martian scientist

Good job, Edorix. Yours is a lighter story than Terikel’s. In terms of epicness I think Terikel’s story is better, but your superior use of humour certainly made the story that much more enjoyable to read. The story began well - fast-paced and direct - unlike Terikel’s beginning which was rather sluggish, but as I read on I failed to experience the same mounting excitement I felt when reading the ‘God’ particle. It's a triumphant blend of future and past, though the ending wasn't particularly special. Still, Allobitacoi has been a highly entertaining read!

(If Martians live for 2000 years, wouldn't Xing have died around the 20th century?)

Comments for Corsair by Nature:
Again, great and epic sci-fi, that last sentence sent a chill down my spine. The story feels unfinished, however, and wasn't that short-story-ish. Sorry to be so critical. Feels like reading about Solo and Chewie, in a good way.

It's an extremely tough choice, but I have come to a decision. Terikel's the God Particle is my favorite.
To be fair, both Allobitacoi and Corsair by Nature were very well-written and entertaining reads. But a choice is a choice.

[This message has been edited by GeneralKickAss (edited 10-02-2010 @ 09:54 PM).]

Damn it... Helvete!

*shakes finger* You guys... Ach! You two made this so very hard!

Edorix's piece was a wonderful tale of a culture clash between Iron Age British and Space-Age Plutonians. The British part was extremely well-written and thought out, and once I got past the obvious (and irritating) scientific errors^*, the Plutonian parts was very entertaining. Edorix managed to get inside the head of each, flip-flopping between past and future, and relate the tale from the viewpoint of each. I was however disappointed with the last paragraphs, which turned an otherwise bloody-good tale into a sort of interplanetary joke.

Afty's was a masterpiece that thrusts the reader into the cockpit of Space-Age buccaneers and bounty hunters. The Greenfly was just bloody brilliant as opponent and challenge, and the descriptions of space travel and docking were very lifelike and thought-out. The story itself played out well, and the ending left an opening for a sequel- the Greenfly have obviously turned all non-metallic matter (including the elk) into plant-life, so where do the heroes go from there? I loved their solution to the dilemma: Salvage what you can and skedaddle. Brilliant!

So I re-read each again. It was so close. So very close. But in the end, experience and research for sci-fi won out over entertainment value. Sorry edorix, but my vote goes to Afty.

To demonstrate the closeness of the decision, though, I will not invoke the Skaldic double-whammy. It was that close.


^*Having a spaceship land in Britain is fine, but a spaceship that melts when in contact with water, putting that in Britain? Have you not heard of rain? And fire is but heat more than the fuel can handle- wood burns at a relatively low temperature- much lower than that generated by passing through the atmosphere. Had Xing hit a cloud on his way in there would have been no tale. Those two irritated me, but luckily the tale itself was so gripping and so enthralling that it more than made up for it.

I really did love all the stories. (You guys probaly write better than I do) But I vote for... Aftermath's Story.

Good luck guys.

I, too, will have to vote for Afty's story. I like that the story seems to start in the middle and continue beyond the last line. This is scifi, it should feel like a slice of a bigger story. Actually, if it is, in fact, a slice of a bigger story, I hope you post the rest of it, as you complete it.

I enjoyed the other two pieces, as well. They were both well-written. However, Afty's story just felt more real.

Edorix' tale was clever, and I liked that he was able to meld an early history with the genre. However, the water thing bothered me, as well. What's the average humidity in Britain?

Terikel's science was solid and he created a believable universe, but I felt that I was on the outside looking in. Whereas, with Afty's story, I identified more strongly with the characters.

So, while it was a tough choice, I must
Vote: Corsair by Nature

While all three entrants' stories were good pieces of story telling I can only pick one.

I choose Edorix for his quirkness. I mean Plutonians in Iron Age England? Who would have thought that?

I must say, I'm impressed with the quality of the writing in all three stories.

It's difficult to choose between them; they're all good.

On the whole, I think I'll have to vote for The God Particle. I like science in my science fiction, so I don't mind, and in fact quite appreciate, explanatory passages. Terikel's tale possessed an Asimov-like style, particularly the little twist at the end.

I must admit, in reading it, I was wondering how you would work the Norse into the story.

[This message has been edited by Pitt (edited 10-12-2010 @ 09:29 AM).]

Truly marvelous entries from all writers! Choosing a favorite story is really going to be quite tough. However, in the end what decided my vote was the style of Terikel's story. Some of my favorite sci-fi stories are the works of Arthur Clarke, particularly his short stories. The God Particle is done in the style of one of these stories (it particularly reminded me of a brilliant little one called The Star), and the twist at the end is worthy of Clarke himself. I really liked Allobitacoi's sense of historical setting, and the gritty feel of Corsair by Nature, but the familiar feel of Terikel's piece was what decided it for me. Count my vote for The God Particle