A short story about a boy and his family, who lives on a colonised planet orbiting Betelgeuse in the Orion system. This planet was originally inhabited by a race called the Pas-udeti, and like many other planets they inhabited, the terrans invaded and colonised those too. Each day Tony's parents listen to the radio about news of the ongoing war.

The story explores the theme of xenophobia, and by association, racism. It also highlights the effect that war has on societies, particularly when the war spans multiple generations across multiple worlds. The story does not aspire to explain these themes, it only poses them in a context we can identify with, and leaves the reader to ponder their own conclusions.

Tony and the Beetles is a quick yet satisfying read. Highly recommended! ( )

This one takes race relations to distant planetary systems, while also addressing the innocence of a child's world view. ( )