Review of Sarah Dropek, “Swallow It Down,” Luna Station Quarterly 49 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
This was a vivid, powerful story of a woman caring for her mother as she watches her die. I have not yet had to shepherd a parent through their final days yet, but I have watched friends do it and there is a ring of truth in the way Dropek takes this and turns it into something bleakly horrorful. A tough, but good, read.
Review of Sarah Salcedo, “Experiment Ninety-Four,” Luna Station Quarterly 49 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
Caspian lives “decommissioned space station which orbited a nebula in a remote quadrant of space”, abandoned or forgotten by his parents, he doesn’t know which. During years of trying to stave off boredom and loneliness, Caspian has taken apart almost every instrument on the station, learning how they were made, and how to make his own things, continually experimenting.
Experiment Ninety-Four was the most experiment of all, and neither Caspian nor the reader could ever have imagined the outcome of it. Took me by surprise and resulted in a very satisfying — if slightly horrific and unsettling — story, with the added bonus of the lovely accompanying artwork, courtesy of the author.
(First published in Collective Realms Magazine, January 2021)
Review of Regina Kanyu Wang, “The Winter Garden”, Clarkesworld Issue 180, September (2021): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.
Alternate universes form the backdrop of this story, with Ms. Wang’s life and choices the primary plot. And what a plot it is. Everything is a choice – the choice to make no choices is also a choice, and one that Ms. Wang ends up taking very often. Not by choice.
It would be repetitive if not for the fact that it was skillfully executed. From coasting through the easy decisions, to choosing the seemingly easy way of checking out an alternate reality where she has an ostensibly better life, she very rarely takes a stand for herself. But not every reality of herself is the same. In another world, she takes decisions more strongly and promptly. And that makes all the difference.
Review of Cindy Phan, “Alistair Catfish,” Luna Station Quarterly 49 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
“You grant small wishes and complain” is an absolute stunner of a line, said by Colin Abrams, the narrator, to the titular Alistair Catfish, whom he rescued from a hurricane and rehabilitated in his bathtub, and who now owes Colin wishes. Small wishes only, and only granted with complaint.
This was was an ordinary twist on the traditional “fisherman catches a glamorous fish and is well rewarded” tale until it was slowly overcome by a creeping horror. I was not expecting the story to go where it did, from how it started. Kept me on my toes!
Review of Erin Keating, “Sleeping Giants,” Luna Station Quarterly 49 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
Annie Warren only speaks in tongues, and so she learned from an early age not to speak at all — until the day comes when tragedy hits her family and she cries out for revenge, waking the sleeping giants below.
This was a well-crafted story — well paced and engaging, and keeping my interest the entire time.
Review of Virginia M. Mohlere, “Small Offerings for a Small God,” Luna Station Quarterly 49 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
Small gods always put me in mind of Pratchett, and I have to wonder if the allusion was intentional here, as Danit befriends a small god who becomes a bigger god as she invests her energy in him, confessing sins that she has never admitted to anyone before.
Quite possibly my favorite part of the story was Danit’s autonomous armor.
Review of Glenna Turnbull, “Clouds in Her Eyes,” Luna Station Quarterly 49 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
This story reads like a fever-dream, so blurred are the lines between fantasy and reality, a taut narration of a woman imprisoned by her life for one moment becoming free. This is the sort of story I’d love to see fanart for!
Review of Clare Diston, “Dinner with Jupiter,” Luna Station Quarterly 49 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
Another food-themed story from this issue of LSQ! This one was a story of the loneliness that many people felt during the Covid lockdowns, especially those who lived alone and felt their worlds contract around a single collection of rooms. In the midst of such isolation, the narrator reaches out and invites the planets to dinner, and finds a grain of hope.
Review of Agniezska Hałas, “The Best Piergoi in Kocierba,” Luna Station Quarterly 49 (2022): Read online. Reviewed by Sara L. Uckelman.
I picked this story as the first to read from the most recent LSQ issue because I was hungry and because getting periogi of any quality where I live is quite an achievement. Hałas’s story had everything I wanted (other than actual pierogi): It’s a wonderful mix of fact and fairy tale, and the sense of groundedness and comfort that comes from a bowlful of pierogi permeates the entire thing. Hałas has a real touch with words evoking brilliant mental images — not easy to do in a reader who is mild aphantasia! So I was all the more impressed.
Review of Robert Jeschonek, “Dog and Pony Show”, Clarkesworld Issue 180, September (2021): Read Online. Reviewed by Myra Naik.
Wow, what an insanely creative and unsettling story! A dog isn’t a dog, soft isn’t soft, what breakfast actually could be is unimaginable, and playtime is terrifying torture.
The details and descriptions were written so well, as was our narrator Beneathy. Fantastically paced with well-fleshed out characters, this is a memorable story. I read this twice – the second time simply for the unsettling beauty of the prose.
This month, Clarkesworld stories have all had an element of hope, and this one gave us a bit of that as well. However, the ending was unexpected and so much worse than I would have imagined. Fantastic story.
SFF Reviews