Science Fiction: The Arts

By Richard S. Levine

Four science fiction short stories by Richard S. Levine. Each story relates to some form of art, such as painting, music, literature, or architecture.

"Light Echo" was voted best in issue, The Fifth Di (Jun 2008), and pays homage to Van Gogh's genius. "My Life's a Dream" has appeared in three publications, including Aoife's Kiss (Sep 2006), and explores music's universal influence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Richard S. Levine
• Release date: Apr 15, 2011
• ISBN: 9781458116802

Richard S. Levine

Richard S. Levine has been a math teacher, a software engineer, and a video games designer. Now he's busy writing speculative fiction. He has had stories published in Emerald Tales, OG's Speculative Fiction, Raygun Revival, The Fifth Di, The Lorelei Signal, and other online and print magazines. "A Comic on Phobos" received a nomination for Samsdotpublishing's James award. To learn more about Mr. Levine's writings and his award winning classic video game, "Microsurgeon", please visit his website. You can also check out my interests on Pinterest at pinterest.com/ricklev/.

Book preview

Science Fiction: The Arts

By Richard S. Levine

Copyright © 2011 Richard S. Levine

Smashwords Edition

Discover other titles by Richard S. Levine at

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The following stories were written by Richard S. Levine. Each story relates to some form of art, such as painting, music, literature, or architecture. Light Echo, which explores whether Van Gogh painted a warning, was voted best in issue, Samsdotpublishing’s The Fifth Di (Jun 2008).

Contents

Above the Mississippi

Light Echo

My Life’s a Dream

Home Renewed

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Above the Mississippi

This story was published in Golden Visions Magazine (Jul 2008). I was inspired to write this futuristic story about steamboats after reading Mark Twain’s memoir, Life on the Mississippi.

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Cord Shotwell held the wheel in the Eclipse’s pilothouse. His head tipped up, he smelled a dead sea on the moist summer breeze. He grew anxious for the sounds of the river. Nearby his taller and larger fraternal twin brother Mack was already shouting commands to the Cairo’s crew to prepare for the race.

Both boats were historical replicas and looked the part, decked out with red, white and blue streamers rolled out all over the fresh painted white railings and magnificent wheels and stacks.

Everything look good up there? Cord shouted up to the roof captain. He could see the sides of the boat from the pilothouse cameras, but deckhand eyes seemed better suited to the occasion.

All’s clear from up here, was the loud and cheerful response.

Cord enjoyed the view. There were people as far as his eyes could see, in skiffs and yachts, in the streets lining the shore, on the rooftops of old Chicago, and in the helicopters and airplanes above. He knew that they had come from every corner of the world for this moment. Not since the 1800’s when Robert Fulton introduced his creation to the Mississippi and Mark Twain penned his stories, was there such excitement for a steamboat race.

The noise was so loud that Cord didn’t hear the starter’s gun fire. The crowd heard it, and he reacted to their deafening cheers.

He pulled the brass ring