Challenge 481

Talismans Locked and Loaded

1. In Mike Florian’s “Storm Warning,” does the action in the first paragraph precede or follow the action in the rest of the story?

2. In Noel Denvir’s “Always, Anna”:

   1. How would the story be changed if Joanna’s “Holmes and Watson” interludes were omitted?
   2. Why does Joanna avoid telling Anna her real name? Why does she choose the name “Frieda”?
   3. The characters’ names seem almost to overlap in many cases, e.g. “Joe” + “Anna” —> “Joanna,” and the like. Do the similiarities seem to have any particular significance?
   4. Why does Joanna not give Anna the postcards? What is the significance of Joanna’s giving Anna the “Abstracts” perfume instead?
   5. Did Anna ever receive a reply from Joe? Why did she send Joe the postcards anyway?
   6. What happened to Joe?

3. In Mike Phillips’ “Night of the Cloud Spectre”:

   1. What do you think happens to Aunt Genie and her boyfriend?
   2. What talismans appear in the story? What part do they play?
   3. Why might the automobile headlights not suffice to evaporate the Cloud Spectre?

4. In Benjamin Cooper’s “Manning the Cannon”:

   1. What might the “Big Awakening” be? What effects has it had?
   2. What kind of ship does the “Peacemaker” appear to be?
   3. The “enemy” is never identified. Why not?

Responses welcome!

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