The bizarre events of 2020 have ground my Kindle reading to a halt. Usually, I read my Kindle books at the gym, but working out is a risky proposition for myself and others nowadays. And so, a short story that I started in March has now been finished in July, since it's taken that long to change my habits. Because of the long gap, this review might be a little bare bones.

Eis is the caretaker for an Arctic Waystation for travelers. This solar-powered resting spot is the only safe haven for miles and miles of tundra. One would think many travelers would stop and enjoy the hot springs, but Eis has no memory of any humans except zir parents, who died years ago. So it is an entire surprise (and not entirely bad) when a handsome man named Ignis crash-lands into one of Eis's essential solar panels. Through him, Eis learns more of the broader world, and confirms long-held suspicions about the loneliness of zir post.

Overall, Tundras, Travelers, and Other Travesties was the reading equivalent of coming in from the storm. The line between peaceful solitude and lonely desolation is a thin one, and Eis has spent zir whole life straddling it. When Ignis arrives, Eis buzzes with questions just below the skin, from the practicalities of "Wait, you live in space?" to the more cerebral "What is romance?" It's exciting, and reminiscent of stories like 1980's Blue Lagoon or Lynn's other novel Into the Deep. There was also some discussion of Eis's gender, which I found semi-unrealistic. I found it hard to believe that Eis's parents never referred to Eis with a pronoun. In addition, Eis suffers from chronic pain, and I remember a few hiccups in the text concerning how that works.

However, these are small blips in an otherwise heartwarming story about finding solace at the end of the world. Though it be short, it is all about sucking the sweet marrow out of the bone of life. If you've liked Lynn's other works, treat yourself to Tundras, Travelers, and Other Travesties.