Tomorrow, When I Was Young (chapbook #15, Eibonvale Press) is a fantasy novelette, written by Julie Travis, an author of ’transgenre’ fiction.

Having fallen asleep, Zanders finds herself thrown back one hundred and fifty years, appearing on the sailing ship, The Giantess.

The novelette examines gender roles as well as the whole idea of living with a second skin. Set around 1870, The Golden Sea Captain controls The Giantess. She disguises herself in male clothing as a woman would get neither respect nor recognition as a legitimate sea Captain. Of course, there had been female captains over the centuries, but for the most part, they had been pirates.

In a way, Zanders is also wearing a second skin. In her present, she is in constant pain from an injury, caused by an ex. But in her past, her body is whole and strong again.

In many ways, the story is structured as a traditional fantasy quest with Zanders on the path to find the ghost of one of her ancestors. Their trip takes them through a necropolis and finally to Peru.

It’s a good slice of speculative fiction, with well-constructed characters. The world-building is a little slight, but that is to be expected in a forty-one-page story.

7

Charles Packer