Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

This is our discussion of the story:


"Slipping" by Lauren Beukes

This story originally appeared in Twelve Tomorrows 2014

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

I first read this story in Twelve Tomorrows 2014, though it took me the first page to recognize it; I'm not great on titles. I think I liked it even more the second time around, since I knew where it was heading. The previous Beukes I'd read, a couple of years ago, was Zoo City, an interesting Urban Fantasy set in South Africa, Beukes' home. It was interesting reading her take on science fiction.

"Splipping" is set in the near future. Advanced bio-mechanical devices are available to improve the lives of the injured as well as to enhance pretty much anyone. Some entrepreneurs have given a poor South African girl, Pearl, prosthetic legs to replace limbs she lost in an accident. They are taking her to a big showcase race in Pakistan. This has all the trappings of a NASCAR race, including Pearl wearing clothing bearing logos of sponsors. But soon quite apparent her benefactors are far more interested in demonstrating and selling their fancy biotech than in Pearl's welfare. (She is very lucky. She knows this because everyone keeps telling her.)

It's an interesting discourse on the exploitation of the poor and sick or injured in conducting medical experimentation.

The only character with any depth is Pearl. Her "medical team", managed by entrepreneur Tomislav and inventor Dr. Arturo, are pretty much the classic smooth-talking, self-serving exploiters. Pearl, on the other hand, is the tragic, manipulated little girl at the heart of the story. Her personality isn't very deep either. She's clearly in the thrall of her mentors, without many outside thoughts of her own.

It's also interesting to compare Pearl to a real-world South African who also races with artificial legs (Pistorius). Also, another real South African physician, Christiaan Barnard, perform the world's first heart transplant (1967), once explained how he found his first patient for the experimental operation thusly: "For a dying man it is not a difficult decision because he knows he is at the end. If a lion chases you to the bank of a river filled with crocodiles, you will leap into the water, convinced you have a chance to swim to the other side."

Excellent story, topical, solid emotional engagement. ★★★★

★★★★1/2

A very good anthology start!

I was instantly reminded of Oscar Pistarius, running at the Paralympics on his prosthetics blades. In this story, female protagonist Pearl is enhanced with two blades. But the technology doesn't stop there: Most of her inner organs are replaced to reduce weight, other disabled runners are turned into running animals or even remote controlling a dead body.

Beukes tells a sports story in cut narration technique which throws you directly into the scenery without explanations: the preparations for a race, the interviews, the relatives and her Christian community praying and cheering for her, the struggle for sponsors.

It is also a coming-of-age story on the background of South Africa, embracing religious feelings, a hint at a lesbian encounter, and the fear of being used as an idol.

I've read Lauren Beukes' Zoo City before, but wasn't able to connect to her style. She uses exactly the same style in this story - African slang, foreign words, etc. But in this story form it worked for me very well.

The only thing I missed in her strong female girl protagonist was a bit more emotions.

Andreas wrote: "The only thing I missed in her strong female girl protagonist was a bit more emotions...."

I thought the lack of emotion was an intentional part of the story. Pearl is being used by Tomislav & Arturo, who through their prosthetics have the ability to even control her dopamine & adrenaline levels as well as administer painkillers. She's in their thrall, little more than a demo prototype to them.