Bewildering Stories welcomes...

Lance Dean

Lance has published short fiction extensively and an anthology. One of his stories has been adapted to an award-winning film. He also blogged for the group Megadeth while on their world tour.

Brain Dead Peep Star Dreams is set in a medium-far future but relates to social and economic strains at work in today’s world. The author himself says that the story is “not for everybody.” Indeed, it is a bitter satire of a universe that is controlled by a monopoly, Pancorp. The narrator, Tag, is a product of genetic engineering and, like his society, Tag is grotesque to the point of absurdity.

“Peep Star Dreams” bears out Jane Jacobs’ thesis that society is comprised of three institutions: the guardian, the commercial, and the cultural. When commerce becomes all-powerful, there is no longer any guardian institution, and the result is government by organized crime.

BwS’ editors have made sure that “Peep Star Dreams” does not overstep BwS’ Profanity guideline, at least technically. The story does kick over BwS’ “Dead Narrators” applecart but, on reflection, what else can it do? The story depicts a society that has almost literally painted itself into a dead end.

Lance Dean’s bio sketch can be found here.

Welcome to Bewildering Stories, Lance. We hope to hear from you again soon and often!