All Comments on 'Taking Lots of Falls'

An excellent piece of SF writing, Lim, all of it completely plausible and believable. As in any first-rate SF story, you have used the science element so that the reader is impressed without being overwhelmed or baffled. While reading the story, odd little passages and hints reminded me of various stories from what I consider to be the Golden Age of SF (1920s through 1950s). For me, you've really found your niche (or yet another niche). The only thing I can't understand is the 3.33 score the site has started you off with. Worth far more than that!

Loved the sci-fi and the first person writing. I'm no literary guru but for me it brought back sharp memories of Arthur C Clarke, so that I think is high praise!!

This was a very creative look how alien earth could be. I think the simplicity of Upstairs London and hat rather than a full info dump you let the idea of an Upstairs London permeate the story. I imagine there is an upstairs for most bit cities or at least capitals in the brave new world. The main character was infinitely likable despite being "not quite right" for us earthlings in looks and attitude. Well done!

This story was like watching a coin as it spins down into one of those charity collection funnels, starting out wide with the very clever world painting (subtle and unobtrusive because it was all Poppy knew), and then speeding up as it spiralled closer and closer to its single point of intimacy, its erotic core, her orgasmic clit. And then rattled into the bottom of the box where it finally lay still and peaceful.

Very beautiful, assured writing - and yes, someone else said it- with a Golden Age vibe, but nicely informed by the known reality of shuttles and micro-space junk.

Pure five.

There are plenty of good reports about the story with which I agree. I don’t understand how the score is as low as it is. It really should be read by anyone who likes a slow-build love story.

All of your comments are very much appreciated and high praise indeed. I'll admit I was a little baffled by the rating too as I'd definitely think of it as one of my more solid stories. Maybe it is just in the wrong place and I should have flagged it into my usual zone rather than be drawn in by the lure of the competition.

I normally skip by the Sci-Fi & Fantasy stories, but for some reason I decided to click on this one, and I'm very glad I did. This was a well written story, and the characters were fleshed out well, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing it with us!

A beautifully woven story of two different realities intersecting. Poppy's point of view gives it the "alien" edge and lets you tickle the reader's imagination with the science. For me, well done and 5*...

This was brilliantly creative, and I'm so glad you chose to include it in the GPD anthology. Such a genius idea to tell an "outer space" story from the point of view of a native stuck on Earth. I loved the style. I loved the slowly unfolding back story. I loved the characters. There were so many little bits - things fall if you let go of them; the space on the walls and ceilings is unusable; ducks! - I don't know how your brain was able to conceive of them, but you did and they made the story come alive. Is it a horrible pun to say that it felt really grounded? I'm still working my way through the GPD stories, but this is a favorite for sure! 5 *s.

... what a wonderful story I found inside.

Amazing first half in particular, and to be perfectly honest I would have much enjoyed a couple of extra pages in the middle to develop the Stranger in a Strange Land theme.

Solid 5, again.

Convincing as hell with the details.

Loved it truly.

Again, thanks for the generous comments, I value them very much.

I just re-read this story, and enjoyed it as much or more than the first time. You are a very good author, who knows how to paint wonderful scenes in your reader's minds. Thank you for sharing this with us!

I love it so much especially its uniqueness compared to the usual stories I read on this site and on this category. You're a really great author. Also, Sarah's (and Ray's, somehow) appearance here added more flavor. I love your wit and humor and I could only read more. Keep it up! The only complain I have though is that I feel like it's a bit rushed. I love long build-ups and more background story for Laura would've added more depth to the story. The part where she immediately stayed over even barely knowing personal details on Poppy is a bit..... how do i put it, hmm it's a bit overdone? Well, overall it's still a great story and deserves a 5 star. Thank you for sharing this story with us!

I think this is the best world building I have ever had the pleasure of finding on this site - and so smoothly presented through masterful use of perspective!

Thank you so much for this story. I loved the imagery of simple, understood things being terrifying without the assumed knowledge we all share.

I will never be able to look omnivorous ducks in the same way again.

I do hope there is more to come.

Beware the ducks!

I loved this story. It is very engaging, full of life, and wonderfully told. Thanks for sharing a little slice of you inner workings for all to enjoy. I will definitely be reading more of you works.

When I read the comments after the first reading I felt like an utter doofus. I had been puzzled why this was third in your recommended reading order. Your subtlety took me in because you didn’t name the empathetic therapist as Sarah or her low-EQ girlfriend as Ray.

I hope all your readers — and may their tribe be legion — will treat themselves to a second read-through. The brilliance of you fictional SF universe shines through on the second pass.

I count myself singularly blessed to have stumbled upon your work.

Grew up reading Niven, Pournell, Asimov; I love how this episode slides so effortlessly into the whole.

Another Gem in this series. So enjoyable!

so happy to have discovered you as a writer. Your exposition is very natural and your world building of New London has that authentic air of taking people into confidence who should already know some stuff. The fantastic is wonderfully routine.

I like your dialog; makes me wonder if New Londoners have their own accents and slang. Poppy's adaptation to living on Earth is very realistic. (I might have expected a bit more fear about living in gravity. Has she ever used a spoon? The love scene is both sweet and hot and quite particular to Laura and Poppy. A bit of something missing that might be a "growth opportunity" for a new story. Poppy has very little reflection on where this is in her sexual experience. Perhaps you have an opportunity for a story in which Poppy fills Laura in on her former experience, describing how sex in space is quite different without gravity. Even masturbation must be unique and could be dangerously messy.

Anyhoo, hope to see more on this theme. (BTW, other comments said something about a series, but this is the only SciFi on your list.) Nice work.

First, a tour de force of your science skills; science fiction is not fantasy. There are rules, called physics, that a writer must know (thoroughly) and abide by. Even if a writer stretches them, they must be stretched "in just the right ways". They cannot be treated like magic. It's the opposite of Clarke's famous statement, magic is not just sufficiently advanced technology. There's a distinct boundary that cannot be crossed.

Second, as with most of your work, its melancholy feeling comes through. It was both breathtakingly beautiful and heartbreakingly sad watching them watching the stars at the end. After all, they'd found love together under the most unlikely circumstances. And yet, laying there, Poppy was looking up at the place she could never ever go again.

I didn't map the therapist to Sarah; even now, I don't. The timelines don't match. All of Sarah's timeline was clearly late twentieth century and Poppy's timeline was clearly at least a century later.

All that I can say is that 2018 was a good year from Limentina, and anything outside of that is a bad year for everyone else. Your body of work is very exceptional. Do you have a pseudonym?

A good different story! Really comes from another angle! Really enjoyed it.

Thank you!

i like to think i found a treasure but many have found you first be happy well and safe a fan shayne