The Final Days- David Langford (5/2-5/9)

[Nathan, First Tiger]

Very short read this week, only a few pages. Haven't found it online yet but am still on the hunt.

David Langford is best known for his parody writing...

[Nathan, First Tiger]

For me, this is a concept or idea, like some of the other stories we have read previously. More of a scene than an actual story. I was waiting for a resolution of some kind.

Does anyone think it is more interesting or more thought-provoking to trail off in a story as opposed to end the scene or story definitively? If so, why is that? Personally I go for conclusions but they seem to not be the norm necessarily.

[Nathan, First Tiger]

Did anyone else read this story yet?

[Cheryl]

I did. But I have no idea whether I like it until I understand something:

(view spoiler)[Is Harmon correct that the watchers are viewing him because he's going to succeed and become important in a good* way? Or are they watching because he's going to do something ridiculous, like bang his shoe on a desk at a conference, or get stuck in a bathtub, or get assasinated?
*Good, according to Harmon's definition, not nec. according to ours. (hide spoiler)]

I don't mind short stories that are simply ideas - but this is either a fragment of an idea, or the author thinks he's making things clear and failing. Another question - what exactly are Harmon's goals? He seems sleazy, but is he worse than most politicians?

[Nathan, First Tiger]

Cheryl wrote: (view spoiler)[Is Harmon correct that the watchers are viewing him because he's going to succeed and become important in a good* way? Or are they watching because he's going to do something ridiculous, like bang his shoe on a desk at a conference, or get stuck in a bathtub, or get assasinated?
*Good, according to Harmon's definition, not nec. according to ours.

I definitely kept expecting his high viewer ratings to be something bad, not good. It isn't explained so I guess it is up to the reader to decide. Personally, if I had that high of viewership, I would freak out and worry that I was about to be part of the biggest disaster in history or something. Maybe that's just becuase if I had a window to the past, I know I wouldn't waste it watching a political speech. (hide spoiler)]

Not sure how I feel about Harmon as a politician. Being better looking on camera does not make one the better candidate. Again, I think we are left to pass our own judgements and it's hard to root for the other guy.

[James]

Sorry, I should have said...(view spoiler)[
Harmon wins and starts WWIII.

He felt, as though beneath his fingers,
the Presidential inheritance of red
telephones and red buttons.

This is a man who dreams of having the ability to launch nukes. That is a man who will.
(hide spoiler)]

And now my entire post is invisible.

[Cheryl]

You're probably right. :sigh:

[Glynn]

I read this but don't know what to think of it. I think you guys are right, though. 3 stars from me.

[Lincoln, Temporal Jester]

I like the fact that the story does not conclude...Sometimes this really irks me but I don't see this as a story so much as a thought exercise to spur others to write their own conclusions.

(view spoiler)[is he being watched because he is going to win the election? or is he going to be assassinated, he is going to do something to bring about WW III as James said. The title of the book is Final Days...Final days of his life, of life on Earth? Draw your own conclusion (hide spoiler)]

I thought it interesting to read this story and Vintage Season so close together as future tourists have come to watch...

[Samantha]

This felt much more like an idea, albiet an interesting idea, than a story.