"Finisterra" is a science fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

 novelette

Novelette

A novelette is a piece of short prose fiction. The distinction between a novelette and other literary forms is usually based upon word count, with a novelette being longer than a short story, but shorter than a novella...

 published in 2007 by David Moles. It won the 2008 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award

Theodore Sturgeon Award

The Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award is given each year for the best science fiction short story of the year and is the short fiction counterpart of the Campbell award , published in English....

, and was nominated for the 2008 Hugo Award for Best Novelette

Hugo Award for Best Novelette

The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...

.

Plot summary

The story follows Bianca Nazario, an aeronautical engineer who grew up on Earth as a minority Christian living under an Islamic government. After her parents die and her brothers get married she takes a contract on the planet of Sky to help poachers kill Zaratanes - mountain sized beasts floating above the planet. Soon after arrival she witnesses the destruction of a Zaratan, as well as the brutality of her employer, and must decide whether to truly help the poachers or not.

External links

• Finisterra at BestScienceFictionStories.com - short story reviews and resources.