Our first piece of audio fiction for June is "Semiramis" written by Genevieve Valentine and read by Kate Baker.
Clarkesworld Magazine Issue 57 - Semiramis by Genevieve Valentine [29:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (7090)
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Genevieve Valentine is the author of Mechanique: A Tale of the Circus Tresaulti. Her short fiction has appeared or is forthcoming in Clarkesworld, Strange Horizons, Journal of Mythic Arts, Fantasy Magazine, Lightspeed, and Apex, and in the anthologies Federations, The Living Dead 2, The Way of the Wizard, Running with the Pack, Teeth, and more. She is a co-author of the forthcoming pop-culture book Geek Wisdom, and her film and TV writing has appeared in Fantasy Magazine and Strange Horizons. Her appetite for bad movies is insatiable, a tragedy she tracks on her blog.
Website:
glvalentine.livejournal.com
I loved Kate's strong and effortless reading, as always. The story was imaginative, but I found it hard to get worked up about a seed bank. There was some plot reference about deep-plant (pun intended) agents stealing seeds, but I never found out who they worked for and why. To spend YEARS as a deep-op, to be willing to die (implied) for the cause, I have to hope it was for more than money, but I don't know. The "post global warming rise in sea levels" was a fresh angle to explore, but a seed bank? Mayhem in the cities, dogs marrying cats, sure - but a seed bank secret agent?
The seed bank is a kind of genetic vault to preserve the many varieties of plant species. Not only vital because variety is interesting, a seed bank might be vital in protecting diversity. A disease that attacks common varieties of apple trees, for example, might not be able to harm other varieties. There used to be dozens of kinds of apples in each orchard but economic pressures eliminated many. Of late small growers are producing many "heirloom" varieties and the diversity is delicious (no pun intended). Unlike craig I would risk my life as an agent for a seed bank.
Kate amazing as always!