Ever wonder how much of a pain in the ass it would be, to be the daughter of a goddess? One of many, many daughters of a goddess? This next story, The Goddess Whole by Heather Morris, has an answer for you.
There’s a lot that I love in this story. It’s got a compelling fantasy setting, one that feels very complete despite its short length. You can just feel how much there is under the surface, little details coming out and enriching the world without distracting from the narrative. And it starts out like a more traditional no shit, there I was story that starts the plot off, with our hero Caer listening in and jumpstarting her investigation into strange, godly goings-on from there.
I also like it because it’s a fantasy story that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Caer is exceptionally down-to-earth as a character, and being the walking, talking agent of the Goddess isn’t a trip in the park for her. There’s a certain dark humor to her situation and how she deals with it that really tripped off my amusement. When you’re one among many chosen ones and have to deal with the divine on a daily basis–a divine entity that is distracted, inattentive, and never gives you a good reason for what She wants–it must get wearing after a while. There’s also a real gritty earthiness to all of the characters that makes them very real and their situations, no matter how otherworldly in origin, very immediate.
It’s a fun story with an ending that makes me want to fistbump Caer. I think you’ll like it too, so you should support the Kickstarter and make sure you get a copy of the anthology!