Eugene Gutierez lost his wife, his pride, and part of his sanity during an undercover anti-terrorist operation in South America. Now, he's about to be recruited by operatives from the future; and they're not going to let him say no.
When Eugene finds a cryptic message in a restaurant fortune cookie, he thinks his daughter's boyfriend is pulling a prank. The truth is far more complex, and will lead Eugene on a journey to heal old wounds and restore his broken family.
Originally published in
Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, this novelette was listed in Tangent Online's 2010 recommended reading list and received an Honorable Mention in Gardner Dozois'
The Year's Best Science Fiction.
11,000 words or about 26 pages.
What readers are saying:
Backlash is not my typical reading, but thanks to a friend I heard about this novella and decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did. This story may be short, but it is jammed packed with action and emotion. It's also very well written and flows great. It's very fast paced which I like and was definitely in the mood for.
--Annie B "booksrule", Amazon Vine Reviewer
This may be a short story but it certainly has all the good elements you look for: a complete story arc with enough hints about backstory to not make it feel isolated. Good characters you can cheer for and cringe for and a plot that keeps you riveted until the end.
-- A. Vrugtman "Amberdrake", Amazon Review