Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

This is our discussion of the story:


"Tawny Petticoats" by Michael Swanwick

This story originally appeared in Rogues.

This story is part of the The Best SF&F of the Year, vol 9 (2014) group anthology discussion.

Synopsis: This story is set in an alternate New Orleans filled with labor zombies. Two con-men Darger and Surplus and the eponymous heroine head out to play the "black money" scam.

Review: Swanwick won several Hugo and Nebula awards for his SF&F stories. Despite the zombies the story's tone is light-hearted and humorous. World-building is excellent. I love Swanwick's narrative style! Only the end is somewhat predictable. The story makes you wish for more of Darger and Surplus - you'll learn more about his anthology "The Dog said Bow-Wow" in my review.

Ah, a Darger & Surplus story. Fortunately I remember them and a bit of their weird alternate world from our discussion of The Dog Said Bow-Wow last year. (How time flies when you're traveling through time.) I didn't remember the labor zombies though, but it's an interesting idea, a reversible zombification process makes prisoners easier to handle on the work gangs. Or whorehouses.

I have to say Swanwick didn't waste any space on exposition for those who hadn't already encountered his bioengineered anthropomorphic dog and that world. His assumptions leave one breathless (or clueless.)

So, they're running a con with quite literal black money. A likable enough story of the con man variety, with the usual unexpected difficulties and twists, though I think the final ending was a bit predictable.

Was delighted to learn there such a union as the, "International Sisterhood of Trollops, Demimondaines, and Back-Alley Doxies". Also learned the word "Demimondaines", though I don't anticipate it coming up again anytime soon.

★★★