Bewildering Stories introduces and welcomes...

Nathaniel Barrett

As of early 2023, Nathaniel Barrett lived in New Hampshire, where he was a high-school senior. He writes fiction in styles ranging from magical realism to science fiction to realism.

“Passenger of the Night probably classifies as magical realism, since the taxicab passenger is a strange being who wants to be taken to a mysterious forest.

Interestingly, the story is evidently set in the 1930’s, since the cab driver does not even have printed maps, let alone electronic ones. The driver is not quite familiar enough with his locality, and his passenger seems to enjoy withholding information while letting the driver blunder about.

Such a situation may seem strange unless we keep in mind that the driver wants to be a writer. Cab driving, then, can be seen as an allegory for composition. The passenger is an idea that arrives unbidden, and the driver must search for ways to bring that idea to its destination.

Nathaniel Barrett’s bio sketch can be found here.

Welcome to Bewildering Stories, Nathaniel Barrett. We’re glad to have you with us.