‘Commencement’ by Joyce Carol Oates

Sarrantonio boasts that this is her first science fiction story but unfortunately what Oates has produced here is a dull and obvious re-working of ‘The Lottery’ by Shirley Jackson (right down to the inappropriately old-fashioned narrative voice). It is also much too long and starts to drag before it is even half way through.

Quality: **
Shiftiness: *