A review by caitcoy
Lightspeed Magazine, January 2018, by John Joseph Adams
4.0
A young boy from the streets is raised up to be court magician but it's a classic case of "careful what you wish for."
Other than STET, this the most disturbing of the Hugo nominated short stories for this year. Pinsker really plays with the cost of knowledge and the desire for power and the lengths to which it can lead a person, even if they're not cruel. Really enjoyed this and it might have been a favorite for Hugo if not for STET. It's still pretty high on my list for the Nebula short story nominees.
Other than STET, this the most disturbing of the Hugo nominated short stories for this year. Pinsker really plays with the cost of knowledge and the desire for power and the lengths to which it can lead a person, even if they're not cruel. Really enjoyed this and it might have been a favorite for Hugo if not for STET. It's still pretty high on my list for the Nebula short story nominees.