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Today’s short story is Big Boss Bitch by Adrienne Celt, as featured in Lightspeed Magazine. You can find it here. This story is about a no-nonsense woman who becomes president, all while politicians use it as an excuse to replace her with an android of their own. So let’s see how this goes.
Mrs. President
A few men in the White House find a woman in Oklahoma and offer her to become president. Once in power, she is shown to be dominant and overbearing. However, the officials have a plan to replace her with an electronic copy of her own, a puppet leader if you will, and find that pure lasting leadership.
This kinda went in a few different directions throughout the story. First, it did seem like a feminist type story where the female leader is too powerful and the men are trying to stop them. Halfway through the story, is where the Science Fiction kicks in and they enact their plan to replace her.
This was a fun story to read to see the evolution between a nobody in Oklahoma, to the most powerful woman in the country. While I won’t delve too deep, everyone is clamoring the possibility of a female president. Knowing that she’s effectively replaced in the end, you could draw some kind of parallel to that.
The story is mostly description with little dialogue to be seen. Most of it’s from the politician’s perspective, with the dominant president being the antagonist. It almost reminds me of those fictional presidents who are so macho that no one will stand in their way.
Throughout the story, the politician POV mentions a mirror. A reflection into who they really were. A reflection their new president showed to the entire world just what these men were like. Kinda like that Nietzsche quote. “You stare into the abyss, it stares back at you.” You could draw a few parallels to that like how our current president’s behavior is a mirror to how the country has become? Perhaps there is an underlying message in the story about that.
I do kinda wish the science fiction aspect came in earlier, because for the first part, I was wondering why it was featured in a spec fic magazine. Then towards the end, I realized that what it was. Perhaps the idea of a replacement could have come sooner, or the possibility of it existing.
Not much else to add though. This was an entertaining story, even if it was a bit short. I would have loved to see a little more interaction with the president and the politicians who got her into this situation.
That’s all for today. Take care, and remember, the inn is always open.
Silver Claw 