There is, in my experience, something inherently microcosmic about E.B. Dawson’s short fiction. There is a weight to the worlds in which she sets her stories, a sense of inherent gravitas that frames each new tale with a sense of deep history and rich meaning for the reader to tease out. Her contribution to the Timely anthology is no different.
In the story “Daughter,” the action opens with Sergeant Eli Maxwell, commander of the Second platoon in the army of a kingdom that has seemingly lost its King and royal family. They are fighting a generations-long war against metallic golems in a world that seems to reflect our own World War II era. It creates a fascinating setting for the opening action, presenting the story as a gritty military fantasy. (Or perhaps it is Science Fiction? By my own admission, I tend to read such fiction through the eyes of the Fantasist.)
But, of course, the setting is ultimately only the backdrop for the larger drama that unfolds when Sergeant Maxwell encounters a mysterious woman of near-legendary status. The arrival of the titular “daughter” is perhaps the defining moment in Maxwell’s career, altering the course of his life (and ultimately the war) while opening the way to fascinating metaphysical questions.
And here is perhaps where the story truly shines, using its characters, setting and inherent conflict to raise fascinating questions about the nature of time, choice, destiny and personal sacrifice. I don’t want to say too much and spoil the details of the plot. Suffice it to say that, while “Daughter” is a fun and entertaining story with a poignant ending, it also leaves the reader with much to contemplate even after the final scene has closed. And that, in my view, is one mark of excellent fiction. And so, in closing, I would encourage any reader of speculative fiction to dive into “Daughter” (and all the stories in Timely) to enjoy the fantastic characters, richly memorable settings, and the questions they encourage us to ask of ourselves.
