‘Malachi’s Return’ first appeared in FTL #5 – Summer 1990

‘Malachi’s Return’ (John Kenny). This one elicited favourable comment from no less than David Brin. It’s immensely ambitious; it uses the Catholic Church of the Irish 1950’s as a model for some far-future global tyranny. The adventures of a rebellious computer hacker are intercut with contemporary newspaper reports and historical documents. It’s too big a concept for a short story, but it comes close to being great.

– First Contact, Padraig Holland