★★★★★
Meta: isfdb. This magical realism short story appeared August 1967 in Ellison’s famous collection I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream and was re-published in Deathbird Stories.
Synopsis: Maggie is a prostitute seducing men to gain her own freedom. In a very special way she crosses Koster in Las Vegas who is down on his luck but wins the jackpot. Then Koster pulls the handle of the haunted slot machine and wins again – mathematically improble, right? Not everything is about mathematics.
Review: Maggie’s gorgeously written characterization alone could win a prize with its intensity and fun (“forget the cans, baby, there’s other, more important action”). Ellison outshines our contemporary, boringly straight and plain storytelling authors with his distinct, experimental narrative voice. Vivid images, harsh emotions describe the allure for gambling addiction in this excellent story.
Reißwolf 