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How to Make a Triffid
A chilling tale of science, science fiction, and how we break.
At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.
At the publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management software (DRM) applied.
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 13, 2012
About the author
Kelly Lagor
11 books15 followersShe writes things.
She grew up in Chicago, but now lives in southern California. She has never gotten used to it.
She used to be a scientist, but now helps scientists do better science. Because SCIENCE.
She plays banjo and ukulele in a band, and guitar otherwise.
To read more of her fiction, you can go to http://kellylagor.com/writing/
She grew up in Chicago, but now lives in southern California. She has never gotten used to it.
She used to be a scientist, but now helps scientists do better science. Because SCIENCE.
She plays banjo and ukulele in a band, and guitar otherwise.
To read more of her fiction, you can go to http://kellylagor.com/writing/
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 25, 2016
I read The Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham a little while back so when I came across this free short story on Tor I was curious to know how Kelly Lagor would handle the material. You see, it builds upon the Wyndham novel, but isn't a sequel, nor prequel. The main character is fascinated by the book, and is trying to build a triffid.
It's a science fiction that is heavy on the science part. I don't know enough about bioengering to know if it that part feels right, or not. What I do know is that it is a mad scientist tale, with a student that has left the estabishment to work on something unorthodox in his home. So there is a little bit of Frankenstein in here as well.
Still, as a story it doesn't built on suspense. Under all that science there is a sad story about loss. It is an interesting story about a man, and his relationship with his father, and a friend. I like this story, but strangely enough I think it is either too long, or short. As a short story I feel like it could do with a little tightening. On the other hand this could actually be the beginning of a novel, because the way it end could suggest that there is more. Main thing for me though is that I enjoyed reading it.
It's a science fiction that is heavy on the science part. I don't know enough about bioengering to know if it that part feels right, or not. What I do know is that it is a mad scientist tale, with a student that has left the estabishment to work on something unorthodox in his home. So there is a little bit of Frankenstein in here as well.
Still, as a story it doesn't built on suspense. Under all that science there is a sad story about loss. It is an interesting story about a man, and his relationship with his father, and a friend. I like this story, but strangely enough I think it is either too long, or short. As a short story I feel like it could do with a little tightening. On the other hand this could actually be the beginning of a novel, because the way it end could suggest that there is more. Main thing for me though is that I enjoyed reading it.
February 14, 2015
Oh god. Truly mad science. Another story that was just a little too smart for me, but I still enjoyed it.
August 11, 2018
Best plant based science fiction book I have ever read
I enjoyed reading this book very much, the story was exciting, fresh, creative, imaginative, detailed and just a delight to read. Would definitely recommend this book to anyone else interested in science fiction.
I enjoyed reading this book very much, the story was exciting, fresh, creative, imaginative, detailed and just a delight to read. Would definitely recommend this book to anyone else interested in science fiction.
August 20, 2017
Interesting but to much chemical mumbo jumbo.
December 30, 2016
I liked the interesting scientific detail, the emotional driving force behind the triffids creation and to a certain extent the clearly nuts narrator.
However, just when you're waiting to see what happens, perhaps asking yourself the questions- does he succeed? What goes wrong? Does he imbue the triffids with his own DNA? how does Andy react to Joe's behaviour? It ends....abruptly. In the middle of nowhere. Without any kind of conclusion. Just slams into an invisible wall and comes to a crumpled stop.
However, just when you're waiting to see what happens, perhaps asking yourself the questions- does he succeed? What goes wrong? Does he imbue the triffids with his own DNA? how does Andy react to Joe's behaviour? It ends....abruptly. In the middle of nowhere. Without any kind of conclusion. Just slams into an invisible wall and comes to a crumpled stop.
May 26, 2015
Available as a free read at tor.com.
I wasn't as enamored with this story as most of the commenters on the tor website. I do enjoy sci-fi, and it's always nice to come across fiction with sound science, and I'm usually a sucker for psychology-heavy stories (as this one is, though it doesn't really sell itself as such). Maybe this would have struck me more if I'd read The Day of the Triffids before. I surely would have enjoyed it more if there was a bit more closure instead of the open ending. Maybe I don't have enough background in biological engineering to fully appreciate all the plant-animal and chemical theory batted around. I understood enough to make sense of it, at least.
I guess I just felt there should be more there. That said, Joe and Andy were great characters. A lot didn't need to be said explicitly because the codependent relationship between a manic-depressive genius and the introverted scientist friend in his shadow was actually quite clear.
I wasn't as enamored with this story as most of the commenters on the tor website. I do enjoy sci-fi, and it's always nice to come across fiction with sound science, and I'm usually a sucker for psychology-heavy stories (as this one is, though it doesn't really sell itself as such). Maybe this would have struck me more if I'd read The Day of the Triffids before. I surely would have enjoyed it more if there was a bit more closure instead of the open ending. Maybe I don't have enough background in biological engineering to fully appreciate all the plant-animal and chemical theory batted around. I understood enough to make sense of it, at least.
I guess I just felt there should be more there. That said, Joe and Andy were great characters. A lot didn't need to be said explicitly because the codependent relationship between a manic-depressive genius and the introverted scientist friend in his shadow was actually quite clear.
November 15, 2012
It was a sad story. I've known people like the main character, who transfers his flaws to those around him who try to help him. It's like something I read once, in a book by David Gemmell I think, which says that destruction is much easier than creation. A sculptor can take years to create a beautiful statue and any idiot with a sledge hammer can reduce it to rubble in a few minutes. Sometimes we can't - or won't - see what we're going to cause with our actions.
December 5, 2012
Well, like everyone else is saying, this is a pretty sad story. Definitely a sort of mad scientist story, but.. somehow different.
To be honest though, I don't know much about biochemistry and plants. It was interesting to learn about bits of it through the protagonist.
I really really enjoyed the beginning. The writing of that, and basically everything else gave such a clear ability to see what kind of person the main character was.
Great short reading.
To be honest though, I don't know much about biochemistry and plants. It was interesting to learn about bits of it through the protagonist.
I really really enjoyed the beginning. The writing of that, and basically everything else gave such a clear ability to see what kind of person the main character was.
Great short reading.
November 14, 2012
It was just, just so sad.
December 18, 2012
Interesting read, worth the time in my opinion. It is quite depressing though, just warning you. Overall, a good short story.
March 16, 2014
Seldom to never does one read a story of such quality from an author's first publication. I cannot wait for what she will publish next.
July 23, 2016
After reading the Tor page comments which are always brill I decided that Joe is a woman and not a man like I thought, and with that in mind, the second reading was so much better.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews