Unauthorized Access (Lightspeed Sept. 2016) by An Owomoyela (March 2021h

[DivaDiane]

This short story was nominated for the Amazing Eights diversity challenge for the month of March. Anyone can join! You can find the story here to read:

https://www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fi...

[Becky]

I'll read this this afternoon after work. :)

[Liane]

Liked it. Like Lori commented - I liked the insider style/perspective. Curious if he has written more and will have to keep an eye out.

[Nicol]

Just wanted to drop in here and say I liked it, I listened to the audio and really enjoyed the narrator. I have no real deep thoughts lol but I totally agree with everything Lori said.

[DivaDiane]

I read it in fits and starts, unfortunately I kept getting interrupted.

I liked the story and I liked how the diversity of gender and neurodiversity was included without the story being *about* that. I also learned some things about tech and hacking.

I also appreciated the ending (view spoiler)[and the idea that you can find your people in the unlikeliest of places. (hide spoiler)]

[John]

Also enjoyed it and sent me on the hunt for other stories from the author.

Last year's short fiction challenge turned into a habit. Now reading a least one short fiction story a day and like finding new sources/authors.

[DivaDiane]

That’s wonderful, John. Glad we could turn you on to a new author! I didn’t know their work before either.

[Megan]

I enjoyed reading this!

* Like y'all upthread, I liked the way Aedo's neurodivergence was worked into the narrative, in the way she communicated and in how she thought about her interactions.

* As someone who does not know much about hacking, I liked the metaphors Aedo used when explaining to Cadaares what she did (and how that differed from what people thought she did), and then I was amused when it turned out she did end up having to physically break into a building.

* And on a worldbuilding note, the beauty salon name FASHION: Real World Incoming! made me laugh.

[Allison, Fairy Mod-mother]

I really enjoyed the writing and character building here, but am a bit miffed at the "sketch" quality of the story. I was sucked in, and was hoping there would be some sort of resolution, rather than what feels like the end of a first chapter of a book se didn't get to writing fully yet.

[Kaa]

Way late on this one, but I really enjoyed it! I don't have a ton to say here, although I think actually the snippet quality of the story worked for me. I would totally read a longer story set in this world, don't get me wrong, but I enjoyed the way the author was able to use the smaller frame to explore a particular moment in the main character's life.