Review of "The Watchmaker's Gift" by Rich Matrunick, Published by Daily Science Fiction Magazine

Yesterday, I signed up to receive stories from Daily Science Fiction magazine (dailysciencefiction.com).  This free e-zine publishes (and emails to subscribers) a daily piece of flash speculative fiction Monday through Thursday (stories that could be read during a coffee break) and a longer piece (up to 10,000 words) every Friday (that may be enjoyed over the weekend).  Not only sci-fi, but fantasy, horror, and slipstream stories are featured.  The reader is given a chance to rate the stories on a scale of one to seven "rocket dragons."

Today, I received my first installment, Rich Matrunick's flash fiction story "The Watchmaker's Gift."  Mr. Matrunick has a lyrical writing style similar to mine own.  In fact, the story would have worked well as a narrative poem with just a little tinkering.

The story is told from the POV of a turtle that was reanimated by a kindly old watchmaker.  As his life literally ticks away, the turtle wonders what his purpose is.  He finds out in the end (I won't spoil it here).  The story causes the reader to examine his own mortality and whether it is best to ignore or embrace it.  I loved it--seven rocket dragons.