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The Ptorrigan Lode
By the award-winning author of Pandora's Genes, a tale of betrayal and revenge in the asteroid belt.From in the asteroid belt, at an outpost called Onstation, The Corporation controls all. Its female employees are required to drape themselves in the modest Muslim garment, the chador. And two brothers—Jay, a musician, and Von, The Corporation’s OnStation Director—are rivals for the love of one woman.This is the premise for The Ptorrigan Lode, a worthy successor to Kathryn Lance’s 1980s cult classic Pandora’s Genes. Jay, the musician, is addicted to chappa, a drug, associated with a now-extinct civilization, that increases creativity—among other things. Like most addictive substances, chappa eventually destroys those with a dependence on it.Jay will die without his chappa fix, but The Corporation has made chappa illegal. Von offers him a way to get all the chappa he might ever need, and get his life back in the process, but there’s a catch. More than one.The Ptorrigan Lode keeps you at the edge of your seat and keeps you guessing all the while. It’s a quick read, but a satisfying one, that will nevertheless leave you hungry for more. In that case, I can recommend Lance’s earlier works, which are eerily relevant to much going on in our culture today.
65 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
3 people are currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Kathryn Lance
33 books19 followersKathryn Lance, the author or co-author (or ghostwriter) of more than 50 print books (fiction, nonfiction, for adults and children), has moved into the world of e-publishing. Several of her out of print books are available on Kindle; new work, including short fiction, novels, and an edited WWII memoir (dictated by her father) are available both on Kindle and as print-on-demand books.
A longtime member of Science Fiction Writers of America, Lance grew up in Tucson, Arizona, then moved to New York City for several years. Now she is back in Tucson, where she leads nature tours, writes, birds, and meditates on the beauty of the desert.
A longtime member of Science Fiction Writers of America, Lance grew up in Tucson, Arizona, then moved to New York City for several years. Now she is back in Tucson, where she leads nature tours, writes, birds, and meditates on the beauty of the desert.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
May 28, 2011
Trippy and tense
The Ptorrigan Lode has an intriguing beginning, with a former musician, former explorer pilot, currently burned-out addict waiting in a space station dive bar for his dealer. Demanding that Jay follow through on some task having to do with his brother, his dealer withholds the addictive drug Chappa without which Jay will eventually die. From there the story wends its way through twists and turns and lands at its satisfying finale having filled in just enough space-station-sized details to bring its world to life. Lance packs a lot into a compact package, as this novella deals with addiction, love, betrayal, action, pathos, and some really wild alien technology along the way. The characters are relatable without being trite, and are mostly detailed through their interactions and smartly-written dialogue. The story is stark and real, with some hard edges and some particularly gruesome revelations, including the source of the drug Chappa. I’m not usually a reader of shorter fiction, but this one grabbed me and made me think. I really enjoyed it, and recommend it for anyone looking for a quick and gritty hard sci-fi fix.
The Ptorrigan Lode has an intriguing beginning, with a former musician, former explorer pilot, currently burned-out addict waiting in a space station dive bar for his dealer. Demanding that Jay follow through on some task having to do with his brother, his dealer withholds the addictive drug Chappa without which Jay will eventually die. From there the story wends its way through twists and turns and lands at its satisfying finale having filled in just enough space-station-sized details to bring its world to life. Lance packs a lot into a compact package, as this novella deals with addiction, love, betrayal, action, pathos, and some really wild alien technology along the way. The characters are relatable without being trite, and are mostly detailed through their interactions and smartly-written dialogue. The story is stark and real, with some hard edges and some particularly gruesome revelations, including the source of the drug Chappa. I’m not usually a reader of shorter fiction, but this one grabbed me and made me think. I really enjoyed it, and recommend it for anyone looking for a quick and gritty hard sci-fi fix.
August 14, 2012
If you want a great example of showing and not telling, then this is it.
As a short story it doesn't have much space in which to both create a futuristic world and set up a plot and yet the author Kathryn Lance makes it looks easy.
In a matter of only a few paragraphs the story effortlessly drops you into a world that is alien and yet just relatable enough that you're able to keep up with the strange references.
The story itself is a dark one and you really can't call anyone a hero. The characters are flawed, selfish, manipulative and weak. So, human, pretty much. Their motives are certainly relatable if not very pure.
I feel like we're only getting the tiniest glimpse of the universe this story is set in and that it's one I'd really like to re-visit whether via this protagonist or another one.
A must read story.
As a short story it doesn't have much space in which to both create a futuristic world and set up a plot and yet the author Kathryn Lance makes it looks easy.
In a matter of only a few paragraphs the story effortlessly drops you into a world that is alien and yet just relatable enough that you're able to keep up with the strange references.
The story itself is a dark one and you really can't call anyone a hero. The characters are flawed, selfish, manipulative and weak. So, human, pretty much. Their motives are certainly relatable if not very pure.
I feel like we're only getting the tiniest glimpse of the universe this story is set in and that it's one I'd really like to re-visit whether via this protagonist or another one.
A must read story.
June 7, 2012
I thought this was an interesting and well written sci-fi short story. I've read a ton of sci-fi and this seems new and fresh, with a twist I didn't see coming. The themes of addiction and science are well blended. this is a fast read but one I won't soon forget.
July 31, 2012
A well written short story that deals with a down and out Musician/Pilot who has reached rock-bottom with his addiction to a rare alien substance known as Chappa. It's a gritty, darkly told story, with some twists you may not see coming. Over all, a well told story. I enjoyed it.
December 19, 2013
This novella (or should I say novelette?) was a quick, enjoyable read. There were only a few typo-like errors in the text (a double comma comes immediately to mind), which isn't too bad for a Kindle freebie.
July 7, 2012
Interesting and well-written short sci-fi tech story that kept my attention to the end. I enjoyed it and would like to read more by this author.
February 20, 2013
Excellent story! Well written, well told. I hope there's more to come ... more about Jay as he heads into his new life. Great read.
April 4, 2013
Good book.
November 9, 2015
KL’s writing is so smooth the story and characters become a movie, running in the reader’s mind. Her story in this piece is poetic and enlightening with excellent twists and turns. Loved it!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews