This Peaceful State of War [Kindle Edition]

Patty Jansen (Author)

Book Description

A short story from Writers of the Future vol. 27. Far in the future, Bianca is the only planet where people have ever found any form of intelligent life. The planet has two species that look remotely humanoid, but none of the human scientists have been able to make much sense out of them. The creatures have nothing to trade, so human interest has waned, and the care of the planet's human outpost has been left in the hands of a religious order. But recently, the two species have gone to war with each other. It is envoy Miranda Tonkin's task to determine if it is worth human effort and money to try and stop the conflict.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"After reading this tale, I now know why I see Ms Jansen's name in a lot of publications these days." - Frank Dutkiewicz, reviewer for Diabolical Plots

From the Author

Want to keep up-to-date with Patty's fiction? Join the mailing list here: eepurl.com/qqlAb

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 180 KB
• Print Length: 26 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005W93L28
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #700,407 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent hard SF and social commentary October 18, 2011

By Grayson B Morris

Format:Kindle Edition

I read this story in Writers of the Future volume 27, and I was absolutely blown away. It is my favorite from that volume, and among my top few from all the WOTF volumes I've read. Patty Jansen writes gripping, nuanced prose and tells a killer story--this is the third story of hers I've read; the other two appeared in science fiction magazines--and she is on her way to joining Ursula K. LeGuin and Octavia Butler as one of my favorite authors. I can't recommend this story highly enough.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful and illuminating about human assumptions regarding alien life February 28, 2012

By Kenneth K. Watts

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

The cover art is terrific and so is the writing. It only takes one or two sittings to read this story. You discover how humans can be so wrong in their thinking and inteference with alien life. You are not overwhelmed with details but descriptions given are on point and convincing. There is even one brief sex scene that is not pornographic.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Our perception can be deceptive. March 2, 2012

By WD

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

How often we are mistaken in judging others, using our customs, values and civilization as the criteria. The truth of that is found in this short science fiction story.

It took only a couple of pages for me to develop a dislike for the Herns. Was my perception correct? Was I judging, using criteria of their world - or mine?

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Always glad to discover a new author July 12, 2012

By Malika H.

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This short story illustrates the inevitable errors when one culture judges another, especially when philosophical or religious dogma further clouds objectivity. I enjoyed the hints about the adaptations forced on humans by multiple generations of zero gravity, and would enjoy learning more about Miranda's world. Possible spoiler: I wish Ms. Jansen hadn't killed off Brother Copernicus. He and Miranda would have made fascinating antagonists/friends/lovers. After reading this story, I immediately bought another of the author's works.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Speculative Fiction Short June 24, 2012

By Eoghann Irving

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

This story hooked me right from the beginning. The setting is a little unusual as is the viewpoint character. Although it is a short story there's a surprising richness to the handful of characters that we are introduced to.

We're thrust right into the middle of the situation and presented with something that is both emotionally and intellectually compelling. And the need to find out exactly what was really going on kept me turning the pages.

The aliens are sufficiently not human for their motives to be confusing until the reveal near the end and the way things play out follows a sad and inevitable sort of logic.

The story itself plays out nicely in this short space. Extending it would not be beneficial, but I would rather like to read more about the viewpoint character in other stories.

The second short story I've ready by Patty Jansen. The last one I liked, this one I liked a lot. I will have to look out for more of her work.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of WOTF 27 April 21, 2012

By B. J. Baye

Format:Kindle Edition

I read this story as part of L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future Volume XXVII: 27. That anthology has a number of excellent stories, but none that caught me and made me think like this one did. I don't want to give away too much, but this made me reassess my view of alien life in science fiction. Any serious science fiction fan should read this story.

More About the Author

Patty Jansen lives in Sydney, Australia, where she spends most of her time writing Science Fiction and Fantasy. Her story This Peaceful State of War placed first in the second quarter of the Writers of the Future contest and was published in their 27th anthology. She has also sold fiction to genre magazines such as Analog Science Fiction and Fact, Redstone SF and Aurealis.

Her novels (available at ebook venues) include Watcher's Web (soft SF), The Far Horizon (middle grade SF), Charlotte's Army (military SF) and Fire & Ice, Dust & Rain and Blood & Tears (Icefire Trilogy) (dark fantasy). Her novel Ambassador will be published by Ticonderoga Publication in 2013.

Want to keep up-to-date with Patty's fiction? Join the mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/qqlAb

Patty is a member of SFWA, and the cooperative that makes up Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, and she has also written non-fiction.
Patty is on Twitter (@pattyjansen), Facebook, LinkedIn, goodreads, LibraryThing, google+ and blogs at: http://pattyjansen.com/