Earthbound [Sci-Fi Short Story]
Self-Published
Community Rating
Description
After 70,000 years in stasis, Elisa Woodward returns to an overpopulated, riot-torn Earth ruled by enigmatic alien Providers.
Information
- Status
- Completed
- Year
- 2024
- Author
- Provider
Royal Road Stats
- Rating
- 4.8/ 5.0
- Followers
- 5
- Views
- 1,628
Chapters(3 total)
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!
Community Reviews(2)
- Gordon AshackerRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0A satisfying story following Elisa back to her Earthly birthplace. Reminds me a little of when I try to go back and visit my original home city of Calgary. It is an interesting experience, but something always seems to go wrong. Mind you, it makes me very much appreciate my new adoptive home.. I think that Elisa will also be delighted to return to Messier 39.....
- rKlehmRoyal Road★★★★★ 5.0Overall
This is a short story, so every piece of dialogue matters. The author clearly understands this, crafting conversations that not only drive the plot forward but also pack in a significant amount of worldbuilding. It’s a quick, enjoyable read, and a must for fans of Asimov-style sci-fi.
My only complain is in the shorts-style, but that is just because I'm not a big fan of this format. On the other hand, authors like Sapkowski in the first two The Witcher books have already proven that this format can be well executed.
Style
The writing is precise and concise. In just a few well-crafted sentences, the reader can vividly picture the scenery and characters. There's a lot of exposition, but it feels natural and fits perfectly with the characters' situations.
Story
This is the novella’s strongest point. The worldbuilding is excellent, with Earth and its colonies well fleshed out. The political turmoil in the final chapter leads to a very satisfying climax.
Grammar
Well-written overall, with only a minor typo—not enough to affect the overall quality.
Characters
Given that it’s a short story, the limited number of characters is understandable. The author gives each character appropriate screen time and a sense of depth. The protagonist is, unsurprisingly, the most developed. The only reason for the 4.5 rating is Ross Nnamani—he seems like a interesting character but only appears in the final scene. I hope to see more of him in future shorts.