Review: Science Fiction: “The Leech” by Robert Sheckley

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This story opens with the leech, as it will be called, waiting for food. It’s been drifting across the vast emptiness of space. Without consciousness, it has spent untold time floating between the stars tucked away in its spore case. Finally, it happens near enough to a star to feel its gravitational pull. It wanders into the orbital path of a planet and it falls, eventually landing. Nourishment soaks in through the spore case. It begins to stir. The next thing the reader hears is Franks Conners, waking up the professor to let him know a rock seems to be… eating his shovel. The professor is enjoying his first week of vacation, his resting week when he mostly catches up on his sleep. He tries to ignore Conners. However, there’s a growing problem outside he can’t ignore. His upstate New York vacation home just happens to be located near an Army installation. When the “rock” grow big enough to block to road, the Army, understandably objects. The Army General O’Donnell loses a Jeep—and nearly its driver—trying to send it over the overgrown “rock,” as it consumes whatever it puts in its ways. It consumes the soil. It consumers the bullets the soldiers fire at it and the grenades they throw at it. The author lets the reader into the mind of the leech. Far from being frightened by these attacks, it enjoys consuming the energy. It is always hungry, and it grows. The nuclear bomb that General O’Donnell heaves at it almost overloads it, but also leaves it in a state about as close to ecstasy such a being can achieve. At one point, it leaps in the air… Which give the professor an idea. This is an engaging little tale, if nothing deep. It was interesting watching the same events played out from two different perspectives, the leech’s and the humans’. There’s no communications between the two. And, of course, the end isn’t as easy it appears. I liked this little story. It took me along for the ride. Author Robert Sheckley was a prolific American writer from New York. He mainly wrote sf, with his first published piece “Final Examination” in 1952. Some of his work was nominated for Hugo and Nebula awards and he was named Author Emeritus by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2001. One of his comic series of short stories involved a hapless scheming pair of interstellar entrepreneurs: AAA Ace. Especially from the 1960s on, his writing took on a satiric turn, absurdist turn. This story is available from Project Gutenberg: _____ Title: “The Leech” Author: Robert Sheckley (1928-2005) First published:Galaxy Science Fiction, December 1952 Source: ISFDB