The Revisionist by Miranda Mellis is an extract of a novella length work of the same name that appeared in 2007 with Calamari Press. It took me a while to figure out what to say about this story. It appealed to me a lot. It is not a story you move on from quickly after reading it. In my experience these are usually the best.
The main character is in the business of revising scientific data to reflect the desired conclusion. The story is written entirely in a first person perspective so it is not quite clear whether the main character is a man or a woman. He or she is working on weather data to prove increased greenhouse gas emissions are actually beneficial. While making the observations a nuclear device goes off in the distance. No need to panic; it is just more work for the revisionist. This time to show radiation was harmless.
This story is set in quite a scary world. Scientific data being manipulated to suit the desired conclusion is of course not new. Usually, these manipulations are a lot more subtle than what is described here (in the west at least). As a result people become scared, slightly paranoid, and they act on their own observations, and chaos ensues. A warning to any scientist and politician really.
On the one had the theme of this story really interests me, on the other it is quite clear that there is more to this story than being shown in this except. I think The Revisionist as a novella may indeed be a more satisfying read than this short story. Still, in about six pages Mellis creates a very unsettling atmosphere in this near-apocalyptic tale. Maybe not quite as satisfying as it could have been, but it creates a taste for more.
This is part of the BookSpot Central Short Fiction Round Table spotlight on stories that will be included in Best American Fantasy 2008 edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer and forthcoming from Prime Books. Please see the intro to the spotlight.
