Beta Tester

by Charles Payseur

Noah is a tester of fully immersive video games, and one of the best, though his personality doesn't exactly endear him to many people. In fact, his only friend is Malik, his manager, and when Noah suspects that Mal has been working with another tester, he crosses a line that might lead to him losing the only person he cares about, unless his hasty action are actually the key to moving his relationship with Malik to a whole new level.

ebook

First published May 17, 2017

About the author

Charles Payseur is an avid reader, writer, and reviewer of speculative fiction. His works have appeared in The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy, Lightspeed Magazine, and Beneath Ceaseless Skies, among others, and many are included in his debut collection, The Burning Day and Other Strange Stories (Lethe Press 2021). He is the series editor of We’re Here: The Best Queer Speculative Fiction (Neon Hemlock Press) and a multiple-time Hugo and Ignyte Award finalist for his work at Quick Sip Reviews. When not drunkenly discussing Goosebumps, X-Men comic books, and his cats on his Patreon (/quicksipreviews) and Twitter (@ClowderofTwo), he can probably found raising a beer with his husband, Matt, in their home in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Reviews

[Nicki Markus · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought Beta Tester was adorable. I loved how the virtual world brought together two men whose misconceptions meant they couldn't explore their feelings for one another in real life. Very sweet.