Lester Curtis wrote:Mmm, no . . . if you're going to use a foreign language in a story, you should get it right -- same as whatever science you refer to (or beware the fury of the Wolfe).
Careful Lester. Using my name in vain can lead to an exposed vein. . .or three.
As for the story, I enjoyed it despite the stuff that Vates mentioned. And it's not like the language was ancient Mesopotamian (
as opposed to modern Mesopotamian??) A little more research would have been better. There are plenty of Latin translation sites out there that could have cobbled together something a little less. . . uh. . . .puzzling.
However, the ending both surprised and delighted me. I didn't expect the story to finish like it did. These kinds of Djinn in a Bottle things never (I guess I should now say
hardly ever. . .) do.
Any story that I can't (or just flat-out
don't) anticipate gets an automatic higher mark in my estimation.
I also agree with Tao about the O. Henry similarities, especially the surprise ending. It reminded me more of
A Retrieved Reformation, than anything else. That's always been my favorite O. Henry story.
And I think I'd think twice about marrying her, as well. That little slip-of-the tongue should be a fairly minor thing if everything else is going right.
Loved the haggling scene. . .wish I could do that.
Bill Wolfe
"I am Susan Ivanova. . . .I am the Right Hand of Vengence. . .I am Death Incarnate, and the last living thing that you are ever going to see. God sent me."