REVIEW: “Maiasaura Deifaeria” by Jennifer Lee Rossman

Review of Jennifer Lee Rossman, “Maiasaura Deifaeria,” Luna Station Quarterly 50 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Even dinosaurs deserve to have a fairy godmother (or so Rossman easily makes the reader believe); but what happens to the fairy godmother when all her species go extinct? Well, after sixty-five million years of grieving, she finds someone else to godmother.

With a lot of extremely dubious and humorous fantasy and just enough real history throne in to make me jump over to wikipedia, this is a story that feels like it shouldn’t have worked; and yet I’m not convinced it didn’t.

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REVIEW: “Other Lives” by Elizabeth Guilt

Review of Elizabeth Guilt, “Other Lives,” Luna Station Quarterly 50 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Oh, I loved this story.

Have you ever wondered how your life might have gone, if only one thing, one moment in your past had changed? Well, Rob, Emily, and their friend (the narrator) all find this out one trip the May Day Fair when they visit the seer who can see other lives. It’s fun and sad and poignant and wonderful, and the perfect premise for a quick bite of a story.

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REVIEW: “Daemonium Ex” by Hannah Hulbert

Review of Hannah Hulbert, “Daemonium Ex,” Luna Station Quarterly 50 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Everelda, demon hunter, is on a mission from Lord Fortescue. Lord Fortescue hasn’t told her, however, which demon to expect to find in the lair at the end of the sewer tunnel; and she probably would have refused the commission had she known.

Full of florid writing and purple prose (so full it’s even rubbed off on me!), this story felt in the beginning like it was trying to be Gothic without quite succeeding. But when it finally left off its self-conscious officiousness and started poking fun at itself, I began to enjoy it a lot.

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REVIEW: “State vs. Hades” by Altaire Gural

Review of Altaire Gural, “State vs. Hades,” Luna Station Quarterly 50 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Best title in the issue, so of course this is the story I started with! And the story totally lived up to it: A myth of a love story all wrapped up in notes from a proper Greek legal trial, with Demosthenes arguing for the prosecution and Aeschines for the defense (and a witness list that includes a therapist!). Maybe I’m just a sucker for Persephone/Hades tales, but I really enjoyed this, and the way it gave us a unique insight into Persephone’s motivations and her relationship with her mother. A gold star tale!

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REVIEW: “Amphitrite” by Maureen Bowden

Review of Maureen Bowden, “Amphitrite,” Luna Station Quarterly 20 (2014): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Amphitrite, the sea embodied, decides she wants to be a human, at least for a little while. Jealous Poseidon makes it clear that if she reincarnates, she’d better stay away from him or he will steal her back. But Amphitrite can’t avoid the sea forever.

This was a sweet little story, a quick and easy read.

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