I know it sounds like I’m forever defending the greatest genre of entertainment, but it isn’t a defense, per se. It’s just my enthusiasm leaking out. And every time I run into more speculative goodness, it’s like another log tossed on that fire. Like seeing District 9 recently. Or the subject of this post: a short story by Blake R. Swensen entitled “Interview With Teddy.”

Blake showed up at Asimovs.com recently doing a happy-author-jig. Without a webcam, it was something of a disappointment, but his words conveyed enough of his glee. It was just infectious enough for me to stop what I was doing and rush off to read his story.

Boy, was I glad I did. It took just a few minutes, but kept me thinking for long after. In the best tradition of science fiction, it entertained on the surface, like a breeze throwing up playful ripples. Below, however, the story pulled me like a rip-tide. Forcing me to dwell on current events, human nature, and history.

This is Blake’s first sold story, but I don’t think it’ll be his last. If you have a few minutes, it’s a whole lot more entertaining than a backpack review:

http://www.allegoryezine.com/interviewwithteddy.htm