Stoney Compton's "Trappers" (novelette, free): Man vs alien fight to death

Story it reminded me most, at least early parts of it, was Ralph Williams' "Cat & Mouse" (download), though the plot is much closer to Fredric Brown's "Arena" (download).

Fast light read, but very Cambellian - white man wins over everything, though the win over incomparably superior alien here is not complete.

Readers familiar with US history might see the context better, but it should be accessible to all. Author refers to '20s & '30s assuming reader will know the centuries, & some nouns didn't mean anything to me.

Story summary.

A couple of super-advanced aliens have been studying earth for centuries from orbit. They located a gold mine in the mountains, & are now down to pick up the metal as fuel for their ship.

Their mine will be found by Caleb Pasco too, an old man who has been trapping beaver in the mountains for 40 years. Both want gold - so there is a fight...

Fact sheet.

First published: JBU, #24 (April 2010).
Download full text from Webscription.
Rating: A.