REVIEW: “Moss Senses” by Beth Goder

Review of Beth Goder, “Moss Senses,” Flash Fiction Online 150 (March 2026): 11-15 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

The FFO editors described this story as “science fiction,” but in my opinion it leans much more to the “horror” side of spec fic than the “SF” side — partly because there is very little science involved, and partly because of its inherent creepiness, which leaves the reader feeling displaced. The fact that the story could have been rewritten with pretty much anything other than moss and it would still work only enhances how odd and strange and unsettling it is.

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REVIEW: “In Brightness and in Darkness, We Sit” by Christopher Blake

Review of Christopher Blake, “In Brightness and in Darkness, We Sit,” Flash Fiction Online 149 (February 2026): 27-29 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

Content note: Death.

I love it when authors play with language, but love it less so when I can’t tell if they are, or if there’s just been poor proofreading. The lack of definite articles in this story is definitely evidence for the former; the first occurrence of “peerson” made me wonder if it was the former, until “peeple” turned up as well; however, the occurrence of “discretely” where one would normally expect to see “discreetly” seems much more plausibly a typo or editorial error than a deliberate choice.

Setting this matters aside, there was a wistful sadness to this story that I found quite endearing.

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REVIEW: “A Lesson on Learning Your Place in the Universe” by Thomas Price

Review of Thomas Price, “A Lesson On Learning Your Place in the Universe,” Flash Fiction Online 149 (February 2026): 23-26 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

There were so many layers to this story, so many routes it could’ve got that it didn’t, all resulting in a lesson that felt more like a reward than a punishment. What a well put together, enjoyable read!

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REVIEW: “Everyone Hates It When the Alien Shows Up At the Club” by Elijah J. Mears

Review of Elijah J. Mears, “Everyone Hates It When the Alien Shows Up At the Club,” Flash Fiction Online 149 (February 2026): 19-22 — Purchase here. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.

I loved the narrative POV of this story. It was self-described “the collective hivemind of the club’s patrons” (p. 19), full of spiraling conversations and overlapping trains of thought, but it also reads exactly the way it sounds in my own head, just me. I know many people would find the endless tangents annoying and frustrating, but to me, this story just felt comforting. Highly recommended reading for other neurodivergents out there.

Three words to describe the story? Hilarious, bitchy, romantic. And three more: So much fun.

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