Spar (short story): Difference between revisions

'''"Spar"''' is a [[science fiction]] [[short story]] by [[Kij Johnson]] first published in ''[[Clarkesworld Magazine]]'', winning the 2009 [[Nebula Award]] for short story,<ref>[http://www.sfwa.org/2010/05/sfwa-announces-2010-nebula-awards-winners/ Nebula Awards]</ref> and short-listed for the 2010 [[Hugo Award]]s.<ref>[http://www.aussiecon4.org.au/index.php?page=66 Hugo ballot] from [[Aussiecon Four]]</ref>

==Synopsis==

Alone survivor of a space shipwreck is trapped in a raft with an alien, and is pitted against it in a sexual competition for survival and dominance.

The story is written in a third person perspective with a nameless, female survivor of a spaceship wreck. A tentacled alien has made it into the [[escape pod]] with her and tries to assert its dominance.

The female spacer tries to make sense of what the alien is using her for, and what she is to it. She also tries to make a connection to the alien by teaching it about her body parts and how to pleasure her, rather than to assault her. All the while, the spacer has flashbacks to a man, Gary, the spacer lost in the accident, who tried to make an emotional connection to her, when all she wanted was a physical connection. In the end, the female spacer is rescued and now has to face being around human beings again.

Johnson contributed an alternate version to '''''BACONTHOLOGY: The Sweet and Savory Science Fiction Anthology''''' edited by [[John J. Ordover]] featuring "baconized" stories by bestselling award-winning authors donating work to Bacon-Palooza II,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baconpza.com/Program-Book.html |title=Baconthology: Our Official Program Book |publisher=baconpza.com |accessdate=2013-07-31}}</ref> a charity event benefiting autistic children<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baconpza.com/Who-Gets-the----.html |title=About our Charity |publisher=baconpza.com |accessdate=2013-07-31}}</ref> held March 1–3, 2013 at Ordover's New York gallery.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baconpza.com/Schedule.html |title=Bacon-Palooza: The Schedule! |publisher=baconpza.com |accessdate=2013-07-31}}</ref>

''[[Clarkesworld Magazine]]'' published '''"Spar (The Bacon Remix)"''' as text and audio in Issue 79, April 2013.

*[http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/johnson_interview/ A Terrifying Mix of Honesty and Rigor: A Conversation with Kij Johnson] ''Clarkesworld Magazine'', Issue 42, October 2010

*[http://escapepod.org/2010/07/08/ep248-spar/ "Spar" (podcast 22:59)], ''[[Escape Pod (podcast)|Escape Pod]]'', Episode 248, {{Date|July8, 2010}}

*[http://www.kijjohnson.com/ Kij Johnson's website]

[[Category:2009 short stories]]

[[Category:Works originally published in American magazines]]

[[Category:Works originally published in fantasy fiction magazines]]

[[Category:Works originally published in science fiction magazines]]

[[Category:Works originally published in online magazines]]