Megan O'Shaughnessy

"Waking" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 29th July 2001 (6)

I am of two minds about this story. One part of me is thrilled; this is just so cool with the senses stuff; Jim's senses working overtime, waking in the morning getting them under control; it's very intriguing. The other part of my mind is protesting that Jim's senses would neither be that acute nor that out of control that early on. If every day was so much of a struggle as this... no Sentinel could be sane.

But it's really cool anyway; a Jim torn between the beauty and the annoyance of his senses.

I particularly liked this bit:

Oh Sandburg. If only I had your gift of gab. All the things I can sense now. They're all so beautiful. And all so lost, the second they pass me by. Yeah, I might try to recapture them for you, but it'd be like trying to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling with a bunch of mud. Futile.