The Man Who Bridged the Mist by Kij Johnson

[james_davis_nicoll]

The Man Who Bridged the Mist by Kij Johnson

Comments

[philrm]

This deserved every prize it won, and then some.

One minor query: my recollection from when I read this in Asimov's is that the mist doesn't cover the river, the mist is the river.

[dagibbs]

My recollection matches yours -- the mist is the river.

[jeriendhal]

I do wonder why they ruined a perfectly good cover painting with a photo insert of Generic Aragon Dude.

[refreshninja]

The Generic Aragon Dude Who Bridged The Mist

[philrm]

Especially as the original magazine cover is so much better:

http://www.isfdb.org/wiki/images/0/05/ASFOCTNOV2011.jpg

[refreshninja]

Is it, though? Can't have ships on the mist, can you?

[philrm]

Sure you can - that's what the Ferrys do, after all.

[refreshninja]

oh damn, it's been a while since I read it

[sethsellis]

More like Aragon's whiny younger cousin.

[philrm]

"Not all who are lost are wandering."

[ba_munronoe]

The hypothermia makes it difficult.

http://jakelikesonions.com/post/170726418819/old-comic-never-stop-exploring

And "The Fountains of Paradise"

[(Anonymous)]

That was about the guy who built the not yet existing Gibraltar Bridge, although the book was mostly about what he did after that.

The tendency of workers to get killed on dangerous projects, bridge building in particular, was mentioned. In Scotland we have a nifty new bridge at, er, Queensferry, that isn't an exception.

[refreshninja]

Such a beautifully human story, and yeah, that sort of "building something within a fantasy world" story is sadly all too rare. Some of KJ Parker's stuff goes in that direction, but usually in the context of warfare.

[sethsellis]

Incidentally, for those who would like to buy this but in ebook form, it's collected in her collection from Small Beer Press, At the Mouth of the River of Bees. The standalone version is print-only.

[ba_munronoe]

Now I can't help imagining Nicholas Cage in a boat on the river, shouting "NOT THE BEES!"

[philrm]

*snort*

[phantom_wolfboy]

Thanks to your phrasing, my mind is now trying to filk Nick Cage and his face full o'bees into some version of "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds".

"Picture Nick Cage in a boat on a river/where plasticine bees evoke turgid lines"

[ba_munronoe]

Your efforts are most appreciated.